Winter Tyres .......
07 February 2013, 12:49 PM
#511
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An intresting story about BMW's on ice this morning on my Facebook feed,
My Vito is RWD as well (still on summer tires too
) and dosent suffer as badly as BMW's.
My Vito is RWD as well (still on summer tires too
) and dosent suffer as badly as BMW's.
07 February 2013, 01:29 PM
#512
Nothing wrong with BMWs in the snow.
Its just the drivers a) not knowing how to drive b)not knowing how to engage the correct traction mode and use the gearbox correctly (be it auto or manual).
(three BMWs on our drive...all used in the snow on summer tyres none have ever got stuck, the one does have a set of snow socks though...brand new never used)
S-type jag on the other hand, I did get stuck, they really are rubbish: Mainly because the engine is always pushing power through the auto gearbox even at idle, and it wouldn't allow me to hold 2nd gear to minimise the torque. Combine this with the one that I drove having a dodgy MAF which made the idle revs hunt...hunting engine+1st gear+snow+slight hill=stuck.....did eventually get it going by careful use of the handbrake to stop the wheels spinning on the open diff, although there was a queue of ten cars behind me by then
Its just the drivers a) not knowing how to drive b)not knowing how to engage the correct traction mode and use the gearbox correctly (be it auto or manual).
(three BMWs on our drive...all used in the snow on summer tyres none have ever got stuck, the one does have a set of snow socks though...brand new never used)
S-type jag on the other hand, I did get stuck, they really are rubbish: Mainly because the engine is always pushing power through the auto gearbox even at idle, and it wouldn't allow me to hold 2nd gear to minimise the torque. Combine this with the one that I drove having a dodgy MAF which made the idle revs hunt...hunting engine+1st gear+snow+slight hill=stuck.....did eventually get it going by careful use of the handbrake to stop the wheels spinning on the open diff, although there was a queue of ten cars behind me by then
Last edited by ALi-B; 07 February 2013 at 01:37 PM.
07 February 2013, 01:53 PM
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10 February 2013, 11:21 AM
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i live in wales at the top of a very steep hill, it snows every year here and all the cars from the road have to park at the bottom of the hill as no-body can get up ,i have a work van a renault kangoo diesel which i have recently fitted with a full set of winter tyres, during the recent snow while all the other cars were parked at the bottom of the hill i was able to drive straight up without a problem, a definite thumbs up for winter tyres.
10 February 2013, 01:24 PM
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i live in wales at the top of a very steep hill, it snows every year here and all the cars from the road have to park at the bottom of the hill as no-body can get up ,i have a work van a renault kangoo diesel which i have recently fitted with a full set of winter tyres, during the recent snow while all the other cars were parked at the bottom of the hill i was able to drive straight up without a problem, a definite thumbs up for winter tyres.
Originally Posted by davyboy, maguire, urban, mrmdacap and a few other regular SN geniuses
You're an idiot... you don't need them, you must be a **** driver if you can't get up the hill without them.... what a muppet!
10 February 2013, 01:36 PM
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10 February 2013, 07:19 PM
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10 February 2013, 09:39 PM
#530
Considering we live in a country that doesn't get much snow, we've had a lot of snow this year. I hope everyone who doesn't think it's worth buying winter tyres for the few days of snow stays off the roads tomorrow as I need to go to the office and I don't fancy sitting in a traffic jam for several hours.
11 February 2013, 10:24 AM
#533
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Winter tyres not snow tyres.
I was kind of wondering, I guess that all the 'against' people have never tried winter tyres.
Is there any one on here who (honestly) has had them fitted and dont think they are any good and prefer to use summer tyres all year round?
I was kind of wondering, I guess that all the 'against' people have never tried winter tyres.
Is there any one on here who (honestly) has had them fitted and dont think they are any good and prefer to use summer tyres all year round?
Last edited by r32; 11 February 2013 at 10:29 AM.
11 February 2013, 10:41 AM
#534
Personally for me it doesn't make any sense to purchase a set.
Not a lot of snow lies where I live, I think since Jan2012 they're has been 3 possibly 4 occasions when snow has been a mere inconvenience n the roads.
Plus the majority of the inconvenience is on side roads, main roads are generally always OK.
I remember once recently where a portion of a dual carriageway was reduced to single lane for maybe half a mile.
12 February 2013, 01:33 PM
#535
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Like I said, winter tyres not snow tyres. Apparently you dont need snow to feel or get the benefits.
I presume you're another person who's never tried them? I dont mean that disparagingly but I was looking for feed back from those in a good position to judge the effectiveness of winter tyres compared to general purpose tyres, e.g. those that have tried both.
Thanks
I presume you're another person who's never tried them? I dont mean that disparagingly but I was looking for feed back from those in a good position to judge the effectiveness of winter tyres compared to general purpose tyres, e.g. those that have tried both.
Thanks
12 February 2013, 02:15 PM
#536
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Like I said, winter tyres not snow tyres. Apparently you dont need snow to feel or get the benefits.
I presume you're another person who's never tried them? I dont mean that disparagingly but I was looking for feed back from those in a good position to judge the effectiveness of winter tyres compared to general purpose tyres, e.g. those that have tried both.
Thanks
I presume you're another person who's never tried them? I dont mean that disparagingly but I was looking for feed back from those in a good position to judge the effectiveness of winter tyres compared to general purpose tyres, e.g. those that have tried both.
Thanks
I swapped from a good set of summer Goodyears (more than 5mm tread left) to a set of Vredestein Wintrac Extremes in early November.... yes I noticed the difference when it was very cold and/or very wet..... The Vredesteins feel like summer tyres in hot weather... more grip! It's as simple as that!
15 February 2013, 06:30 AM
#537
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Again, during that last dump on Wednesday I was following a TT which is obviously 4WD, and he was all over the road. Not stuck like the summer tyred 2WD cars, but slipping about and having to brake very early and cautiously. I felt very smug watching his problems as I drove along at a sensible pace in full control 
A bit later I stumbled on a Range Rover Evoque stuck on the hill near my house. I LOL'd as I drove past it
(PS I know some Evoque's are faux-x-faux's)
A bit later I stumbled on a Range Rover Evoque stuck on the hill near my house. I LOL'd as I drove past it (PS I know some Evoque's are faux-x-faux's)
15 February 2013, 07:21 AM
#538
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Brake earlier and more cautiously, what an idiot 
Nik.
Nik.
Again, during that last dump on Wednesday I was following a TT which is obviously 4WD, and he was all over the road. Not stuck like the summer tyred 2WD cars, but slipping about and having to brake very early and cautiously. I felt very smug watching his problems as I drove along at a sensible pace in full control A bit later I stumbled on a Range Rover Evoque stuck on the hill near my house. I LOL'd as I drove past it
(PS I know some Evoque's are faux-x-faux's)
A bit later I stumbled on a Range Rover Evoque stuck on the hill near my house. I LOL'd as I drove past it (PS I know some Evoque's are faux-x-faux's)
15 February 2013, 09:15 AM
#540
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Affording them isn't an issue. As I pointed out before, if you happen to have some spare wheels then it doesn't matter which tyres you have on, you're wearing them out. Whether it's 40k miles split between two alternating sets, or 20k miles on each of two consecutive sets, it's 40k on two sets of tyres. If you need to buy additional wheels the cost is a factor, but I got steelies to use on my driving instructing car from a scrappers for £20 each, so not a major expense for many cars.
However, if I can't make it into work one day I lose 70% of the cost of a set of four winter tyres, and three colleagues have lost days at my work so far this winter. The confidence that I (probably) won't have to cancel journeys or get stuck is worth a lot too. The safety of my family is priceless !
However, if I can't make it into work one day I lose 70% of the cost of a set of four winter tyres, and three colleagues have lost days at my work so far this winter. The confidence that I (probably) won't have to cancel journeys or get stuck is worth a lot too. The safety of my family is priceless !