I was just wondering about snow tyres. I've got a couple of spare sets of 16" rims lying around but would they be a waste of time in the South East? Are they destroyed after a few miles on tarmac?

Are there any narrower rims that would fit over four pot brakes than the oe MY99/MY00 wheels? I guess the narrower the tyre the better they will work in these conditions. Did the Forester ever come with four pots? A nice set of steel rims with snow tyres might be amusing.

 

DO you mean snow tyres or winter tyres?Winter tyres are more than adequate,I think you will struggle to find proper snow tyres that will fit 16 inch rims anyways.Winter tyres wont last as long on tarmac obviously and your top speed is reduced considerably,bjut they dont destroy them selves after a few miles, they should last 4-5 years of normal driving (normal as in NO drifting etc).Winter tyres are best used between mid November to mid Febuary.Narrow tyres work better than wide tyres as they "sink" into the snow allowing the cleats (the edge of the tread) to dig into the snow providing sideways grip as well as forward traction.