Is it time to fit winter tyres?

[azazel]

I have a spare set of wheels with snow tyres fitted so Im going to swap them over tomorrow. Roads were really icey in Devon this morning and there was a bad accident down a country lane. I dont like having them on as the car feels like it has flat tyres but they do help in the ice! Anyone else bother fitting them?

[mjb]

I've got winters on my bmw, and hit my first ice with them this morning. It was 9 degrees out so I wasn't expecting ice, and ended up rather sideways when coming off a roundabout in a somewhat fervent late-for-work manner . However I was amazed at how well the car handled in the skid and how ridiculously easy it was to recover. The winters have been so much better than the summer tyres when it gets cold out, and this morning's little display on ice has convinced me that they were a very sound investment.

[scotty73]

Some of us have had them on since November.

[steve_earwig]

Some of us have had them on since November.

By law

[Welly]

Mine have been on since Nov, right about the time the weather started warming up

The ability to clear surface water is a benefit (anyone notice how dirty the car gets with Winters?) but by FAR the biggest benefit is braking in the snow! you can get Winters to spin up a bit on snow but when you use the brakes proper they are shockingly different to Summers.

[azazel]

Actually, the weather is forcast to be quite mild over the next week so perhaps I will delay fittinhg them.

[steve_earwig]

And then you'll wake up one morning to find your waist, oh sorry, this is the UK, ok toe deep in snow.

The weather forecast here is up into the teens over the next few days*, however I can't see any point in changing back to summer tyres just for a few days, even if they hadn't made them a legal requirement now

*that's why everyone here has a headache

[Welly]

Lowest I've seen the temp here so far this Winter is +1degC, which was Monday? but I'm wondering now if we're even going to get any harsh weather? February normally gives a bit of snow so we'll see. I like the snow and any 'bad' winter weather but my hands don't any more.

[steve_earwig]

It's been a few degrees below a few times here, frost that didn't go for a week or so but nothing to write home about. I'll not miss clearing snow but it needs a bit of cold to break the ploughed soil up and kill the majority of bugs - if we don't get a decent bit of cold it'll be a bumper year for things like colorados & ticks this year

[impster]

I've had 2 all-season tyres on the front of my car since last year. Kleber Quadraxers. Fantastic during the short spell of snow we had earlier 2013, and fantastic throughout the summer. Lots of tread left I guess they'll do another year.

Excellent tyre, and as I drive to the conditions, not to the maximum permitted speed etc I don't need anything other than normal tyres on the rear.

However, I'm so impressed with their all year ability, particularly in the wet that when I next need a pair of tyres, whether front or back I'll probably look for some more of these klebers.