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Spent Monday driving through the Jura, ace roads made easier with a set of Michelin Aglis Alpine tyres. 600 miles on the snow over the last 2 days.
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As far as breaking downhill goes, we were instructed to lock the wheels if the vehicle started descending too quickly as this built a wedge of snow in front of the tyres and increased the braking significantly, it works.
Useless on ice of course and if you have anti-lock brakes that cannot be turned off. (advice from a Plod advanced instructor)
if you have anti-lock brakes that cannot be turned off.
can you get ABS that can be turned off?
Perhaps they are confused - you can normally switch off Traction control (which can be a PITA in snow and ice).
You can turn off my ABS (and every other bit of assistance the car normally gives) by putting it into "dyno mode"
Not for the fainthearted though!!!! 🙂 (empty car parks only!)
Yeah but you drive a milk float, they don’t have to have a fast speed rating for your car.
My milk float does 108mph, the other does 130mph. Both have H rated winter tyres cos that's what was cheap.
A month's wages on tyres? Mine were £90 a corner
So a set of winter would be £360 and a set of summers about the same. Not everyone can afford to shell out £720 on tyres, even if, being two sets, they will last twice as long.
.
Also, I take roger's point, I really detest ABS, it's great on loose gravel, but terrible in the snow. My last two cars have had it and I hate it, my first 4 didn't and they were much better. Trouble is it's so hard to get a car without nowadays. THen it breaks and have o spend lots fixing something I don't like just to get it through the MOT and I can't deactivate it because my insurance company would go nuts.
.
Why all this fuss over car tyres anyway? I have many different ones for the bike, Racing Ralphs, Nobby Nics, Fire XC Muds, Twisters, SpeedKings, MKs, Advantage, , Minions, slicks and swap them about all the time depending on where I will be riding and what the ground will be like, I expect most of you do the same. Why are car tyres different? Right tyres for the job!
My milk float does 108mph, the other does 130mph. Both have H rated winter tyres cos that's what was cheap.
Don’t bite 🙂
BTW, a set of winters for mine costs £1248 - not quite a month’s wages but more than I would like to spend.
trail_rat - Member
other surfaces winter tires excel on .mud
grassyfields (our transit went from unmovable on wet grass to not only movable but drivable and even ability to tow things instead of having to unhitch and push the thing out.)
amen to that. You do have to watch you don't get carried away though wnd end up somewhere even a landrover can't get you out 😀
Anyway...all this arguing over if they are needed or not or if someone is a driving God etc etc...
at the end of the day unless you are a bit silly and have them swapped around on the same wheels then winter tyres don't really have to cost you much/any extra if you keep the car for a good few years.
For anyone thinking about getting them and wondering if there is a substantial difference then YES THERE IS.
BTW, a set of winters for mine costs £1248 - not quite a month’s wages but more than I would like to spend
Is that through a dealership?
My Wintrac Xtreme's were about £120 a corner, but Mercedes quoted me £110 a corner for a tyre i could get online for £48!
winter tyres don't really have to cost you much/any extra if you keep the car for a good few years
Total, no. Up-front yes.
EG. Set of tyres is £500 and lasts one year.
Jan, need new tyres so buy winters, £500.
March, buy summer tyres, £500. Winters only 1/4 worn, put winters in shed.
Oct take winters of shed and refit, summers only 1/2 worn.
By the end of Dec you have two 1/2 worn sets which cost £1000 total, rather than 1 set of completely worn whcih had cost £500.
.
By the end of March you have paid out £1000 in tyres rather than £500. Yes, you have two sets so total tyre cost is no greater but not everyone could find that extra £500 there and then, some (most?) would need the year's life of the tyres to save for the next set.
Is that through a dealership?
Nope - Black Circles.
But to be honest, we are considering fitting them to the family car as we will be keeping it for a few years yet so they could be worth the extra hassle.
Lads, laaaads... ^^ 6 pages ^^
Take a loooong haaaard loooook at yourselves..
Dear God 😆
Here's a thought to help you make your mind up. Winter tyres are worse in summer than summer tyres are in winter. Have folk thought if these newfangled all-season tyres? Might actually be the best option for the road conditions we encounter.
Lads, laaaads... ^^ 6 pages ^^Take a loooong haaaard loooook at yourselves..
Dear God
This +1
Lads, laaaads... ^^ 6 pages ^^Take a loooong haaaard loooook at yourselves..
Dear God
This +1
+2.
Is that 7 pages now? Is it? Is it?
No 🙁
Have we passed ..
Wunundred yet?? 😆 😯 😆
@andrewh - you'll probably find you don't wear through the winter tyres that quick.
If you do that much mileage that you wear out a set of tyres every year a car is pretty important to you and you probably spend a lot more than that in fuel and other running costs. But that is me making assumptions and I don't have any idea about your personal finances etc on how easy it is to come by £500.
But one thing I can say is when the winter tyres get below a certain limit (normally 6mm in Europe) what they tend to do is either sell them off (which is why they end up here with 5mm on) or what I would suggest in the UK is keep them on and wear them out. They will wear faster in summer but if they are not much use next winter then you may as well wear them out.
I'm on my 3rd winter with my set, I go through a set of summer tyres every 2 years (including running winters). This year the winters have had a lot less use as it's been quite warm so I've kept them on the spare car that the OH uses (same car but smaller petrol engine and hatchback). Instead of fitting them to mine I just use that car as I don't have to worry about someone crashing into it like I do my newer model.
For me it has worked out cost effective, especially as the old car needs new summer tyres anyway but would only do about 2k a year driving around locally to Uni and farms so I leave them on and they work well up muddy farm tracks.
No, I don't. I was only using 1 year to keep the example simple, just showing that for some it's about timing as wellas total cost.
I normally get over 3yrs out of a set of (summer) tyres. 8k-ish miles a year in the van, 12k-ish on the bike 🙂
Have folk thought if these newfangled all-season tyres? Might actually be the best option for the road conditions we encounter.
"Jack of all trades" from what I have heard and seen in the test results unfortunately. Which is a shame.
@andrewh - so you were going a bit daily mail on me then and exaggerating? 😉
I wonder how much our insurance goes up (or fails to go down) each year due to people driving into floods or crashing snow/ice? I remember there being a scrap yard at the bottom of a steep hill at the side of the BRI in Bristol a few years back. This is nothing to do with winter tyres - just people driving when they shouldnt be!
You can turn off my ABS (and every other bit of assistance the car normally gives) by putting it into "dyno mode"Not for the fainthearted though!!!! (empty car parks only!)
Why not for the faint hearted? It wasn't many years ago that most people drove cars without ABS, traction control, stability control and many people including me still drive such antiquated relics.
Jeez, a guy just posts that he is impressed with his winter tyres....
I'm impressed with mine - much more stable and confidence inspiring on snow and standing water than the stock ones. I'm not holding a gun to your heads, just expressing an opinion!
Jeez how much are you guys paying for your tyres. I have all season tyres with a bias towards snow. Fit and forget. 65 pounds each from mytyres.co.uk then 7.50 a corner to fit and balance. 205 / 55 /16's. Fantastic in the snow and slush.
Here's a thought to help you make your mind up. Winter tyres are worse in summer than summer tyres are in winter. Have folk thought if these newfangled all-season tyres? Might actually be the best option for the road conditions we encounter.
[url= http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/uk/en/continental/automobile/themes/4x4-tyres/winter-tyres/why_winter/4x4_why_winter_en.html ]not according to Continental.[/url]
As for the all season tyres, was using Vredestein Quatrac 3's on the old car and very happy, will swap to them once i wear out the current set.
Been thinking about "mids" for a while. I mostly do motorway miles with around 28mile off motorway on whats passes as an A road.
In the end i went with gearing up for possible worst case, although may look into what i call "mids" again (not snow tyres but winter tyres)
I got a shovel, an old 10ltr paint pot filled with salt grit, and a pair of snow chains. My little car lacks traction control and ABS and power steering, got electric windows though.
If it's real bad, i don't go out unless unavoidable local trips.
If i am out and get caught out, i can chain up and chug along at a reduced speed to get home (unless we are talking footage of snow then screwed anyway)
Chains haven't seen much action, but they do induce a nice warm smug inner glow as my little 3cyl motor chugs uphill past stuck 4wds and other cars.
Did stop to help a stuck lady in a 4wd, rear wheels spinning, fronts not moving (trying to get in a drive way) pointed out it wasn't in 4wd.... "yes it is ! the lights on telling me"
There is no drive to your front wheels, have you engaged the manual freewheel hubs.
"i pulled the lever, the lights on, it's in 4wd"
No you haven't locked the hubs to engage, those big black dials in the middle of the hub that say "locked" and "unlocked" your not in 4wd.
"but the lights on, so it is"....
I try to engage hubs for the lady, they are seized from lack of use, needs to be looked at by a garage.
I carry on with my journey 🙂
Deffo wrong time to buy tyres right now, plan ahead do it in summer when they are cheaper, or just pick up a set of chains.
Did drive past a few strangely parked cars and bus between Nether Stowey and Holford today, along the Quantocks. Tyres or chains would have maybe sorted most of them out.
mmannerr - why would anyone do a full on ABS stop in any conditions never minds snow or a wet road with lots of standing water on it?
Other option being hitting a moose or pack of deers? I have done full ABS stop several times in different conditions and probably will be doing it again in the near future.
Only problem is that if there is a loose snow layer on top of ice the ABS may get confused - on those situations studded tires and locking brakes would be better.
On the other comments, most current ABS systems manage to keep the car straight in situations where tyres on the other side of the car on slippery surface and other side is on grippy surface. That is something which is beyond any drivers skills.
I use winter tyres all year round. I reckon the wet grip is better with winter tyres even at 30°C. I haven't read the whole thread so if anyone has any test evidence to the contrary fell free to disagree and post it.
got my driving test cancelled for the 2nd time today ... hmmm ...
On the other comments, most current ABS systems manage to keep the car straight in situations where tyres on the other side of the car on slippery surface and other side is on grippy surface. That is something which is beyond any drivers skills.
Normally that would be true, but this is STW...,
Ffs, I'm so sorry I started this!
I like em, they work for me. I'm pleased I splashed out. If you're too good a driver for them to work for you then fair play and I look forward to your 2013 wrc / f1title celebrations.
Enough now!
Would this be a bad time to point out that on ice and snow engine braking forces can be such that if you lift off and hit the brakes the wheels will slow to below road speed, continue to be braked by the engine which will then drop to tickover or stall so you end up with locked driving wheels.
Hard braking on snow and ice is best with your foot poised over the clutch anticipating a lock up or with the ABS off.
Oh god, I can't resist...
Glupton76, if your wife takes so little notice of you that she drove into the back of another vehicle, your advice can't really be relied upon. Do you think she would have stopped with winter tyres on?
andrewh - MemberNot everyone can afford to shell out £720 on tyres, even if, being two sets, they will last twice as long.
I paid about £120 for mine- 4 barely used Snowproxes in a fairly expensive size, + 4 ugly alloys.
Yes not everyone can afford to shell out £720 for tyres- and those people who can't, don't generally drive cars that have tyres that cost £720! Very silly argument. Buying and fitting 4 quality, new tyres for an inexpensive size will cost you a fraction of this.
What an entertaining read 😀
FYI, I was the numpty in the Freelander who couldn't get up Winnat's Pass on Saturday lunchtime. Ice and snow mode my arse!!
I blame it on the 235/55 x 19" wheels that I sensibly specc'd up. Form over function anyone?
Of course, it could have been my complete lack of driving skill and mechanical sensitivity....
Am currently researching 16" wheels and winter tyres so that I can carry on (taking my bike to and) riding my bike in the snowy Peak District.
You do not have to spend a months take home on winter tyres
www.thetreadshop.co.uk/
£20 a corner anyone?
Part worn German ones with 4mm or so on them . I got some Michelin Primacy Alpins with around 5mm on them for £70 a pait fitted and balanced.
Probably a better investment for the 10 days or so of snow we actually get in Englandshire, plus they cut through standing water very well ( every other day it seems )
Ffs, I'm so sorry I started this!I like em, they work for me. I'm pleased I splashed out. If you're too good a driver for them to work for you then fair play and I look forward to your 2013 wrc / f1title celebrations.
Enough now!
No apologies - no need! It was a thread on here a couple of years ago that made me buy a set that are now on their third winter, and I know from first-hand experience the difference they make.
It's all personal choice. I'll bet there's people on this forum that spend more on different bike tyres that make less of a difference than car winter tyres...
Correct me if im wrong but from my colleagues description of "snow mode" on his rangey its just like diff lock , lo range with traction control. - which is a low gear high revs,
In which case you dont really want it in that mode for climbing snow and ice
A sand mode or even a normal mode that lets you have low revs and a high gear
Climbing on ice and snow you need momentum.
Not everyone can afford to shell out £720 on tyres, even if, being two sets, they will last twice as long.
But anyone who has a car that requires tyres that cost 180 per corner should be able to afford them without eyelids batting. And if your monthly salary is less than this I doubt that you can afford to run a car of any sort.
We managed a full super deep powder day at glenshee today courtesy of a full set of winters. Would never have gotten there otherwise... Of course we live in Aberdeenshire....
Meet friends.
Drink beer.
Socialise.
😆
"We managed a full super deep powder day at glenshee today courtesy of a full set of winters. Would never have gotten there otherwise... Of course we live in Aberdeenshire.... "
Yeh, like you have anything useful to contribute to [u]this[/u] thread.... 😆