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Winter Tyres


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Thinking of putting some winter tyres on any one had any experience? Any brands to avoid?

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mate you wont need winter tyres for where you live. mondeo's are fine without em as long as when its icy/snowy,you're in the right gear at the correct speed. are you expecting 3 feet of snow?lol

mostly the only cars you might need em are for rear wheel drives etc. think theyre 1 of the biggest cons going-and have you seen the prices for them? also give rubbish fuel consumption

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Thinking of putting some winter tyres on any one had any experience? Any brands to avoid?

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I would recommend you get a second set or rims, like steelies, to put your winter/ snow tyres on, on a mk3 you cant go under 16" but you have a mk2 so you could go down to 15" or 14"

There are all different types (never mind makes) of winter/ snow tyres available, some are just like summer tyres (tread-wise) but work at lower temps,(regular summer tyres do not work under 7 degrees) some have mud & snow type treads (like off- road tyres) you can even get them with metal studs for black ice

Basically, if it is under 7 degrees C there is an advantage in fitting winter tyres, in some countries on the continent it is illegal to run on summer tyres at some parts of the year - in the UK, it is only the more knowledgable/ educated or advanced motorists that understand thbe advantages of winter/ smow tyres, they could mean the difference between getting to work/ getting home/ not crashing / damaging your car or they could save your life

I use Vredsteins, but i have heard that Avons and Good years make good winter tyres

Although a RWD car may be completely undrivable without winter/ snow tyres in the snow, well worth fitting them to a FWD car

If you have not had snow or ice in the last 5 years (eg- if you live in a desert) or if you have a snowmobile / snow cat for the snow and can park your car up, you could probably not bother with winter/ snow tyres

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We have had snow and Ice for the last few years not a lot but I have had bad experiences owning rwd cars and getting very little grip. Maybe parking the car up over winter is not a bad idea and getting a set of winter tyres for our galaxy

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Yes my car is fwd but just want some better grip

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Any brands to avoid?

Broadly, the Chinese ones (as with any tyres, some Chinese ones are really appalling, and some are merely not really good, but this is, sort of, compensated by the price - don't buy Chinese tyres without evidence that you are getting something that you can live with).

Auto Express has been arguing for either 'Winter' or 'All Season', based on test results recently. In their current Winter Special issue they give figures on hill climbing with a Kuga in both 4wd and fwd versions (tyres Goodyear UG 8 against Goodyear Eagle F1 Assy 2; both well rated tyres of their type, but it has to be said that there are better summer tyres on snow than the f1 Assy 2s, even though as summer tyres they get good reviews for performance).

4wd, winter tyres 136 metres

2wd, winter tyres 110.5 meters

4wd, summer tyres 3.7 meters

2wd, summer tyres 3.3 meters

(these figures are a bit deceptive because the, on the summer tyres, the vehicle had a habit of getting quite a bit further, and then sliding back down the hill, probably out of control). I thought that the 4wd on summer tyres would have done better than that, but those are their results.

I certainly had the experience (on SC3s) last year, when there was a fair bit of new snow around that going down a very modest slope that the car wouldn't stop. I thought I'd left plenty of distance to stop, but that kind of presupposed that the car would slow down when the brakes were pressed, and it just didn't. Now, Conti SC3s are even worse on snow than Eagle F1 Assy 2s, and worn SC3s close to the end of their life but still legal may be close to a 'worst case', but I had expected at least some retardation on a modest 5 degree slope. I certainly won't be so confident for this coming year.

(Note that SC5s are better than SC3s on snow, and you shouldn't jump to any conclusions about the performance of other tyres based on the results from SC3s, and obviously you shouldn't jump to any conclusions about Winter Contacts or Viking Contacts from these results.)

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I would recommend you get a second set or rims, like steelies, to put your winter/ snow tyres on, on a mk3 you cant go under 16" but you have a mk2 so you could go down to 15" or 14"

There are all different types (never mind makes) of winter/ snow tyres available, some are just like summer tyres (tread-wise) but work at lower temps,(regular summer tyres do not work under 7 degrees) some have mud & snow type treads (like off- road tyres) you can even get them with metal studs for black ice

Basically, if it is under 7 degrees C there is an advantage in fitting winter tyres, in some countries on the continent it is illegal to run on summer tyres at some parts of the year - in the UK, it is only the more knowledgable/ educated or advanced motorists that understand thbe advantages of winter/ smow tyres, they could mean the difference between getting to work/ getting home/ not crashing / damaging your car or they could save your life

+1

Make sure you go with all four tyres not just the front pair, otherwise, when you brake on ice, the back end will spin round.

I got marangonis from kwikfit 3 years ago on a spare set of steel rims.

With the snow we have had over the last few years, my cars kept going with no problems, in fact there have been several times when I have had to go round 4wds that were just sliding about all over the place.

Alot of people say they cant afford to have two sets of tyres. But, only one set is being used at a time, so they would last just as long as running two sets of summer tyres down, one after the other.

Infact one set of snow and one set of summer tyres would porbably last longer because summer tyres in winter often wear down quicker due to spinning on the ice and snow.

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Make sure you go with all four tyres not just the front pair, otherwise, when you brake on ice, the back end will spin round.

If your car is doing that with paired left/right tyres, then you have a serious issue with your braking system. A car should always stop in a straight line regardless of what tyres you've got on, and what the road surface is like. If it's launching into a spin when you touch the brakes, it needs sorted ASAP.

Other than that, I agree with stooge75 - buying "winter tyres" is completely stupid. They do not magically grip onto sheet ice and there is no substitute for safe and careful driving suited to the road conditions. Besides, the amount of snow we get in this country just makes the whole thing a pointless exercise. This is not Norway - it's just a recent fad that came from Norway.

Infact one set of snow and one set of summer tyres would porbably last longer because summer tyres in winter often wear down quicker due to spinning on the ice and snow.

I'm sorry, but that's just rubbish. The reason a car skids on ice, is because there is no friction between tyre and road. You could wheelspin all day on ice and it would not make a jot of difference to the tyre wear rate.

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Winter tyres do work, I havnt ran them myself but know a few that have, the biggest downside is if roads are clear and temp rises above 7 degrees, they wear quicker than a chocolate fire-guard. as the rubber compound is designed to work under this temp. for those that say we get no snow, ill ask if we get none and we dont need winter tyres like some of our neighbouring countrys that have a lot more snow than us, how comes when we get a covering this country stops in its tracks, now some will be down to driver training but tyres play a huge part in this, if you need prove that tyres make a difference take your car on the beach or across a muddy field and see how far you get.

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trust me,theyre a con. If you would only let some air OUT of your tyres when its icy/snowy,you'll have no probs whatsoever. Instead of running 32psi,run them at 29psi.

my ol man was a taxi driver for 27yrs & never used a winter tyre in his life,all he did was let air out,minded his revs/speed AND what gear he was in(is the most important of all),& never got stuck once.If your wheels are locking up on icy roads,then then you've too much air in them & you're braking too late/too soon. in icy conditions ideally you shouldnt have to brake accelerate brake accelerate. let engine breaking do it for you & reduce your speed

ps:how many taxi drivers do you see here in scotland with winter tyres on? next to none,cause they know the principles of driving in snowy/icy weather

mind you,if you wanna spend money on something you dont need,go for it. whatever makes YOU 'feel' safer.

oh & this country doesnt stop in its tracks,fools stop it in its tracks,(and theyre sometimes the ones who have winter tyres on).

my point being the tyres have absolutely nothing to do with it,its the way they're driving!!

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Dont get me wrong, never used them but tyres do make a difference, just like normal tyres there are some thats very good grip dry and wet and some that will having you heading for that ditch at the side of the road all because of a little shower, winter tyres are designed for cold and snow, unless you run studs Ice will always have you but the same car with the same driver will get further with winter tyres, are they worth what they cost, i dont think so but they still grip better than summer tyres. will winter tyres let you drive like a loon, no they wont cos you will crash, but when you come to an incline and you are driving for the conditions you will get further and for some people thats the difference between getting home or not, after all we dont live in Holland. There are countys out there that get loads of snow and ice and keep going, these are countrys where its also law to fit these types of tyres, and there has being a lot of talk about making it law here.

apart from that I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one, you have stated some good pointers for people, as in drive to conditions and let a bit air out of tyres but for those who are a little unsure driving in snow they is something out there to help, it just costs too much at the moment for my liking.

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On my 16 year old polo before the focus i had goodyear vector 4 season winter tyres.

They are all season tyres that are certified for winter so in other words they have the snowflake and mountain peak symbol. Work perfect during the last 2 winters i never got stuck now did i at any point experience sliding out of control on ice or snow, on my polo they seem to perform the best in wet or heavy rain and being all season there is no need to change them in summer.

I would recommend a set of these for winter but you can find better tyres for the same price and these tyres are noisy in summer plus not the best on fuel but then again, no real winter tyre will be great on fuel in dry summer conditions.

This year i will be going for something completely different on steel rims

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"Work perfect during the last 2 winters i never got stuck nor did i at any point experience sliding out of control on ice or snow",

its like saying "I keep a cat,so my car doesn't get stolen,& its never been stolen in all the years Ive had this cat!"lol

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"Work perfect during the last 2 winters i never got stuck nor did i at any point experience sliding out of control on ice or snow",

its like saying "I keep a cat,so my car doesn't get stolen,& its never been stolen in all the years Ive had this cat!"lol

I have driven on summer tyres and all season tyres my good man and neither can compare to winter tyres, it doesn't even have to be snowing. And i did this with a car that had no driver aid, no ABS, no traction control and no power steering and i stand by my word, summer or all season cannot compare to winter tyres in winter furthermore if the car is a keeper you only need to buy winter tyres once and a set of steels

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Am going to buy a set of steel rims as don't want to wreck my momo wheels over winter. Will go for a set of winter tyres and tempted with a set of all season tyres on my alloys. Will report my findings. Seems a good talking point

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I have driven on summer tyres and all season tyres my good man and neither can compare to winter tyres, it doesn't even have to be snowing. And i did this with a car that had no driver aid, no ABS, no traction control and no power steering and i stand by my word, summer or all season cannot compare to winter tyres in winter furthermore if the car is a keeper you only need to buy winter tyres once and a set of steels

I agree Kurt, summer and all season tyres dont come close to winter tyres in the winter, the name "winter" kinda gives it away.

But theres always some people that disagree no matter what you say or what proof you show them, they will always come up with something, such as "ive never had an accident and have driven in snow for years" or "its all a con, drive with less pressure in your tyres" When they do eventualy have an accident because of lack of grip or their tyres are worn on the outside more than the centre, they will still disagree with you :lol:

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Some very well.made points looks like I have started.something

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Some very well.made points looks like I have started.something

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Yep you have lol.

This is one of those marmite discussions, you either love them or hate them, similar to things like induction kits. There can be arguments for and against, and it is one subject that will never be agreed by everyone.

By the way, the comments I made previously about people disagreeing, was not intended to offend, I only used those examples in my post as I couldnt remember of the other personal reasons people give regarding why not to use winter tyres.

We will all have our own personal reasons for liking or not, and I do not wish to fall out with people over a difference of preference.

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An important point to make is - have you actually used winter tyres before dismissing them as a waste of time/ money

As someone who has driven with AND without winter/ snow tyres in winter/ snow etc on a FWD Mondeo i would not be without my second set of rims and my snow tyres in the depths of winter

Here is my (snow tyre) story -

Ive had my Mk3 for 8+ years, i had an important job and made a lot of money, but i had to be in a certain place at a certain time, almost no-one else could do this job and it could not be postponed, i could lose a lot of money by not getting to the job/ location

One winter there was a very heavy snow fall, it was like artic,conditions, i had to dig the car out of the smow, even after i dug the car out (it took a long time) the car would not move at all, it just spun the wheels as soon as i let the clutch out, i had to put carpets etc down,for the car to move even inches, i let some of the air out of the front tyres, it was slightly better, i disconnected the tuning box, and connected the clutch restrictor (less power and a softer power delivery)- it could actually move now, i could still not get up hills etc (it was a sudden snowfall and it had caught the gritters out, so the roads were unsalted, the day after only the main routes had been salted) - i was one-up, so i filled the passenger compartment with weight (weightlifting weights/ lead rolls etc) - 80kgs - i put the spare wheel behind the front seats and emptied everything behind the rear wheels - i fitted my best (summer) tyres (narrow ones 205-55-16s) to the front, and my second best to the back -

this made the car actually drivable in the snow (still slid about a bit) my mate got snow tyres for his ST - they were impressive - i got some for myself for the next winter -

with the snow tyres (and the "winter" setup) it transforms the car in the snow/ slush/ low temps, much more sure- footed, - never got stuck, went up hills 4x4s could not get up, could go almost anywhere much, much safer on the brakes - highly recommended

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I am not offended at all its very interesting hearing every ones point og view.

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This comment isnt meant to sound sarcastic (so please dont take it as so!) but the clue is in the name :) Winter Tyres are designed specifically to improve grip at cold ground temperatures. Long story short, summer tyres are more grippy at the warmer temperatures, but when they get too cold, the rubber firms up, decreasing the resistance against the road and thus reducing the grip. Winter Tyres are designed in a way that the tyres still have an excellent grip in the cold, the tyre doesnt firm up until much lower temperatures.

The way to look at it is the same braking efficiency you have in summer tyres in the summer, is how winter tyres perform in the cold. LIkewise, you see that summer tyres can (and do) struggle to brake more in the cold, the general performance drops, in the same way that if you had winter tyres in the summer, you would see the same poor efficiency.

Its definitely not worth dismissing them. If you can afford to buy the spare wheels and the spare tyres, they are a second to none, safety, driveability and capability of the cars is drastically improved. This coupled with a well prepared car means that winter is as much a breeze as summer. Plus as you have two sets of tyres, they last longer than usual as you fit the tyres to the conditions of the car and don't overexert them.

Alternatively, if like me you dont have the cash in your pocket to invest as far, there are other alternatives. I recently bought tyre socks for the car. £40 from Asda. I will be driving all year round tyres when the worst of the weather comes, and I tend to be able to manage most of it with sensible driving, plenty of thought and keeping to the conditions the car can handle, but if I do get stuck, I have a backup plan to get me out of a tight spot.

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I just wanted to add a few little things to the sensible points above:

  • Not all summer tyres are the same and not all winter tyres are the same. Some Summer tyres are really bad on snow (I think, maybe, primarily the ones that come from the countries, such as Germany, where Winter tyres are 'de rigeur' and Summer tyres aren't expected to ever see snow) and some Summer tyres are merely 'not so good'. Equally, the cheap Winter tyres tend to be less good than the expensive ones, and while even cheap Winter tyres can be ok on snow, that's not all that you are expecting them to do - you will likely leave them on for the coldest three or four months of the year, and they will be expected to cope with all the conditions that occur in that time, and those conditions will include more 'cold and dry' and 'cold and wet' days than actual snow. This is where the cheap Winter tyres often fall down - performance on the more normal conditions. (Of course, ignore that if you only fit them for a couple of days when someone has actually Tippexed out the landscape - changing tyres just for snowy days is a pain, though.)
  • In 'Auto Express' (warning: a video) they also had success, surprisingly, with a 'spray'. Now, tyre compound softener sprays have been existing for quite some time, but I was as surprised as they were that the spray they tested gave a big improvement. Softening the rubber must have an impact on wear, but I'd hate to guess how much. Like the 'sock' could be a worthwhile last ditch (sorry!) measure, if you don't find the ditch before you apply the spray.
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