ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Zee Germans have a legal requirement for winter tyres as well, at least around Munchen, Italy has it in the mountain region and on nearby motorways too, Austria you have to have snow chains in the car in certain areas where sign posted.

All countries where BMW's are very popular and they don't seem to have too much in the way of problems, I guess as usual one needs to do a little research before buying.

Carnut

How do you now how much driving experience i have. I have driven bikes, cars, buses, coaches, trucks from small to 8 wheelers in quarrys and up in the hills during winter, class 1 all over the uk and lreland including heavy and over sized loads and all manner of tractors and plant mechinery.
Plus until recently i also lived in Cornwall and have experienced snow on many occasions and Cornwall is just if not more of a candidate for winter tyres. The roads are narrow and high sided which makes it difficult for ice to melt, the gritting is not the best and if nothing else there is often mud on the roads which in itself makes a case for winter tyres.

You claim that winter tyres in dry weather are dangerous and make the car unstable, this is simply not the case. Winter tyres are closely matched to all weather tyres (normal tyres) in the dry and although not as good the difference between the two are NOT as extreme as you say.

Plus if you have vast experience of driving with winter tyres why do you keep using them if you think there not worth it and on dry roads dangerous. Surely you would of tried winter tyres in summer and - as you describe lethal and thought never again. So how did you gain your vast knowledge, i can only assume that you have driven round with winter tyres in dry conditions on many occasions (dangerous conditions) to gain this experience.

plus are you suggesting you have more experience than those who created the graph?

Matteeboy

Mine never saw snow or even ice; I changed back as soon as I could.

Yep up your way I can see the need for them but last Winter down here, we had a warm, damp few months during which they weren't needed at all. I just don't see the need for them and when its dry (or even very wet) and mildish, they spoil a good performance car.

Soft sidewalls, hard treads just don't make a quick car much fun.

If it does snow, I'll be borrowing a Defender 90 on good M&S tyres.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Simpler answer...don't brake

There's actually a bit of merit to that joke:

I missed a pile up on the M5 on bonfire night 2011 due to a fog cloud from a bonfire.

That pile-up was caused by some idiot panicking and braking hard when they entered the fog causing a massive multiple pile-up behind in their wake. That person was never found; if they didn't brake, no accident would have happened.

Brun

Well after being totally underwhelmed by my winter tyres last year i have not bothered fitting them. My car works perfectly fine (albeit a little nervous) but i'm all to aware that it will either try and kill me if it snows or will simply not move - full stop.
So the white stuff came and left me in a position with staying at home or fitting the winters. I opted to fit them and took myself out for a little drive. First and foremost i got out of the street but as the snow was clearing i felt it was not a suitable test to cast judgement. I found me a back road which had a decent incline and still had a fair bit of snow. Half way up the hill i stopped dead and put the tyres to the test. Bearing in mind that on the summers my only option would to have skated back down the hill (not that i would have got up there in the first place), not only did i set off and scale the rest of the hill, i did it with little or no wheel spin. Totally stunned to say the least! I was half considering a winter hack but no longer

andy97

iTrader: (1)

You can't blame someone in front for your action of driving too close! If you want to be able to cope with snow like Saturday then use an awd vehicle. Our Q7 felt planted, only having to slow down for obscured vision of snow falling across the headlight beams. Picture the millennium falcon entering warp drive.

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

I just want some proper winter weather to test mine. Never had winter tyres before....

GWJ

You don't need snow to benefit from winter tyres, they are better when its cold wet and icy too

RA Dunk

^^This!!!^^

This is actually perfect weather for winter tyres, freezing temps or there abouts wet conditions and a little bit of snow.

Petem95

I have 'snow socks' for my previous 330d and they worked well, but were a pain to fit and remove.

With my current 330d (which has larger wheels so the old snow socks wont fit) I got a can of 'spray on' snow chains. Got to use that on boxing day when I got stuck driving up a very snowy slip road on the M1, but the spray was absolutely useless and I only got off thanks to someone in a Range Rover giving me (and numerous others) a tow up the slip road.

Winter tyres probably are a worthwhile investment - think I'll get a set for the rears.

Rescue Dude

iTrader: (11)

Just the rears? Don't you want to do other things like stop and go round corners?

jaf2212

Best purchase I have made, even if it cost me an arm and leg!!

Been to see family in Lincolnshire this weekend and so glad I had the winter shoe as I watched many go no where or in to the ditch

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Nah just doughnuts

zip106

Our Forester with Toyo winters on has been superb in the ice and snow we still have.

It's been on these tyres since I bought it nearly two years ago - taken it to Devon, the Lakes, it regularly gets used to go to Stanstead airport - no matter how warm or cold the weather is.

And I've still not been killed to death by those pesky tyres when it's not cold.


The M3 hasn't budged off the drive since Christmas Day and is still covered in iced snow...

RA Dunk

I still find it ever so amusing that people who don't use them etc etc, never had them, will still say they are a waste of time and argue with people who have them use them and swear by them.

It's almost like some people are too stupid and pig headed to listen and admit they are wrong.

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

well said

I've got nankang's fitted and I can't believe how good they are

I was at the bottom of a steep hill yesterday, a van and 2 cars in front of me couldn't manage to get up, so when they moved out of my way I had a go, hardly any wheelspin and I just went flying up the hill

Tried to have some fun in some industrial estate car parks, but the tyres kept finding grip, couldn't even manage to do a donut

Matteeboy

There are however some who have used them (after 20 years of never feeling the need) and found them utterly sh7t in normal conditions.

And who find your average Defender/Jimny/proper 4x4 tyres FAR more effective.
And have been driving for 21 years with no issues.

Now many here will argue to death that I didn't get decent ones; and to them I say

I say that unless you live in Scotland or at least well North of Brum, don't bother.

zip106

I had 'proper' all terrain M&S tyres on my L200 and that wasn't as good as the Forester on winters.

Matteeboy

Our Defender was great on ice and snow on GG AT2s (I think); the Jimny didn't even have dedicated snow tyres (H/Ts) and was amazing in snow and ice.

But then I also pushed my Saxo VTR out of thick ice then drove down the 21 hairpins of Alpe d'Huez then back to Calais after three weeks skiing. On Pilot Sports.

zip106

Mine was on the GG AT2's, it was good on a dedicated off-road site but not so good on compacted snow, unlike the Forester/Toyo combo.

This trip in the Saxo - With driving like that, I'm surprised you've not been called up by the First Response boys..

Matteeboy

Plenty of others were driving down on normal tyres too

If it was definitely going to snow/be icy for an extended period, I'd stick some on the 4wd van but it's so rare down here, it would be like buying a massive RR SUV for the school run with the only chance of going off road being the pony club's gravel car park.


Oh...

zip106

Or up the kerb outside school...

RA Dunk

Your the only one who has tried them and not liked them AFAIK, even my 65 year old mother swears by them.

Matteeboy

No I'm not but sorry to ruin your sweeping statement.

I know of many who have tried them and not got on with them.

Funny how my parents, in laws, uncles, aunts, etc have survived for decades without them too. And that's mostly in Surrey where it snows more often than here.

RA Dunk

Your the only one in this thread to my knowledge who has tried them and not liked them.

Everyone else in this thread who has used them swears by them, Everyone I know personally who has used them swears by them, as for aunties and uncles who have never used them and survived I'm over come with joy for them.

tony de wonderful

Or just mounting the kerb anywhere basically.

Matteeboy

I'm talking about the older generation; all fine for many years without Winter tyres and many of my relatives (and generally older people I know) are serious enthusiasts.

So yes, if you live in Scotland or far up North, go for it. However don't patronise those in warmer parts of the country (we have several palm trees in our garden and daffs are already coming out) with your know it all nonsense. In water/mild conditions, Winter tyres are rubbish due to the nature of their construction - super soft sidewalls, very firm tread blocks. And from my experience, they are rubbish in the conditions we experience down here 95% of the time.

Now run along back to Norway for some of the ice rallying you clearly excel in.

RA Dunk

Utter p1sh

In water/mild conditions up to 7 degrees winter tyres actually excel, this is well within there temperature range and what they were designed for.

I'm off to Norway, you head back to in La La land Matte.

Infected by sti

iTrader: (6)

Just stuck sottozeros on the jag, so far so good, I will say they feel a little wishy washy when temps ain't low enough but nothing to be overly concerned about.

Only thing to be concerned about is the price on half these fecking tyres 295/30/20 ain't to light on the old pocket!

Matteeboy

I meant warmer not water.
In a test a little while back, Conti Sport Contacts braked better than Winter tyres in wet conditions.

Your insults show you've already lost plot; you must be very insecure?