Casualties of the snow

[steve_earwig]

500 quid? Are you buying them from Harrods?

[jonsowman]

Also one set would last many years. Or is not using tyres for a long time a bad idea?

[lozz]

500 quid? Are you buying them from Harrods?

yeah 500 notes or so for a decent set of snow tyres, obviously they will be some cheaper branded ones out there Mind

[lozz]

aquick browse of the net,

Make King pin the lowest of the low .. 66 quid each,

Pirrelli 320 quid each,

[steve_earwig]

These are meant to be the dog's danglies http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop. ... sowigan=Wi
These are supposed to be excellent for the money http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop. ... sowigan=Wi
My first winter tyres (which are meant to be fairly poor but I was more than happy with them) http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop. ... sowigan=Wi
Don't buy these unless you're already deaf http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop. ... sowigan=Wi

[OdinEidolon]

As Dai says somewhere, most of the time the UK winters are quite mild so it's a bit hard to justify the expense. It's not a legal requirement either.

Winter tyres are just so great in the snow, once you have tried them (good ones at least) you cannot go back!

I'd rather drive with bald tyres in the rain...

Fact is they are just so much better at low temperatures too. People call them snow tyres, but winter tyres is a better definition imho.
I have GoodYear Ultragrips 8 and compared to the summer Nokian ZG2 (both excellently rated tyres) the GY's grip is way superior in the wet. Of course in the snow there is no contest.

on 5/01 I had a trip with some friends, we stuffed into 5 cars and started. At the end of the trip we encountered a steep hill. We all had winter tyres, but the '6 was the only one to be able to make it. Guess what? Others had "budget" stuff on or worn tyres.

They make a huge difference!

I don't understand people wanting maximum security and protection and then using summer tyres when temperatures are low, it's just stupid.

[Bailes1992]

I also plan to try get winter tyres on my car next year.

Will use them from October through till March/April.

Think about it logically, you can only wear one set of tyres out at any one time?
So although there is a large initial cost when you have the winter tyres on the summer tyres aren't being worn and vice versa.

When you sell the car you will still have £200's worth of wheels & tyres.

[DaiRees]

I'm not against them, but realistically we get a few days of snow every few years and only a couple of weeks a year where the temperature stays below 7deg. Sure it drops down overnight but I rarely use my car at night, during the day it's usually warmer. I think the realistic usage window is to be counted in weeks rather than months.

If money was no object I'd get a set but I've been looking at many different websites and for the Volvo we're really looking at in excess of £500 even for steelies with budget tyres. Decent stuff is more like £800 for a set. Then for 11 months I've got to find somewhere to store them. It's not economically viable, driving sensibly and appropriately for the conditions is far more affordable.

[OdinEidolon]

I'm not against them, but realistically we get a few days of snow every few years and only a couple of weeks a year where the temperature stays below 7deg. Sure it drops down overnight but I rarely use my car at night, during the day it's usually warmer. I think the realistic usage window is to be counted in weeks rather than months.

If money was no object I'd get a set but I've been looking at many different websites and for the Volvo we're really looking at in excess of £500 even for steelies with budget tyres. Decent stuff is more like £800 for a set. Then for 11 months I've got to find somewhere to store them. It's not economically viable, driving sensibly and appropriately for the conditions is far more affordable.

This is indeed true for people who drive in these conditions i.e. the winter is not that harsh. But the last 3 or 4 years, please correct me if I'm wrong, UK has seen (unusual maybe?) snow every year (at least in part of the country). This is at least the message I get from looking at medias and from all the complaints I read every year here and on other forums.
Weather migh be changing. Even in Trieste, where I study, they had "never" seen the snow up to 3 years ago. And it's been 3 very snowy years, for Trieste's standards. Even 1 cm of snow paralizes the city completely. Now I see more and more cars with winter tyres and last week, when it snowed, the city was nowhere near as blocked as last year.

[Alberto]

be carefull on the road,roads are dangerous at the moment,me skiing with my summer tyres every day, too expencive to me for winter ones,and ofcource they wouldnt help you on the icy road a lot

[Alberto]

and dont forget insurance prices growing up after such winter:( too many accidents bla bla bla

[gumby6371]

I live on a hill and I have really enjoyed watching cars sliding around from the warmth of my front room with a mug of coffee while the wood burner flickers away in the fireplace. Saying that I haven't stayed in as the trusty old 1.9 just pulls and pulls through whatever is on the roads. In fact I really had to nail the throttle on tesco's car park earlier to get the bloody thing to snake properly

The old guidelines for snow just can't be beat, low revs and high gear and if it starts to let go take the power off and let the wheels find the grip.
Maybe the fact that my rears are close to the limit and the links need changing means I've gotten used to that not 100% in control feeling so I'm less likely to hit the pedals hard so snow isn't really much different???

[lozz]

Ilive in a area where the Gritters carnt get too,
alot of snow and ice on the roads, idont have aproblem with it, Set off in 2nd gear and use the engine as brakes,

Seen afew people get to end of the road and slam on the brakes, or rev the brains out of the car and just build up more ice under the wheels,
They all learn the hard way a'spose,

Yeah igree with albert'o insurance prices will be going up

Wont be long before I and other's will be on that Insure the Box bullshit, because of the clowns on the Road,
"its'Nice to be judged/watched /Monitored'' ..when youve done feck all wrong aint it, ah well rant over,

[OdinEidolon]

This is something I never realized. Why would something like setting off in 2nd gear help in snow? Makes no sense at all. It simply ain't true... it's just a myth imho.

[lozz]

Myth?

try it,
get your car in some snow, try setting off in 1st
and then try setting off in 2nd, and see the differnce,


set off in 1st the car will just spin,
obviously you will have better grip with the winter tyres so you may not see much improvement,
but on ordinary tyres it does make a differnce..


Theres no Myth in it what so ever,


plenty of info on the net,

from one source,


Driving in snow and ice
Gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving - stopping distances are 10 times longer in ice and snow.

Wear comfortable, dry shoes for driving. Cumbersome, snow-covered boots will slip on the pedals.
Pull away in second gear, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin.
Up hill - avoid having to stop part way up by waiting until it is clear of other cars or by leaving plenty of room to the car in front. Keep a constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear well in advance to avoid having to change down on the hill.
Down hill - reduce your speed before the hill, use a low gear and try to avoid using the brakes. Leave as much room as possible between you and the car in front.
If you have to use brakes then apply them gently. Release the brakes and de-clutch if the car skids.
Automatic transmission - under normal driving conditions (motorways, etc) it's best to select 'Drive' and let the gearbox do the work throughout the full gear range. In slippery, snowy conditions it's best to select '2', which limits the gear changes and also makes you less reliant on the brakes. Some autos have a 'Winter' mode which locks out first gear to reduce the risk of wheel spin. Check the handbook.