the winter tyre discussion

[stargazer30]

Guys help me out, I'm trying to figure how to best survive the winter in my MR2, and do say don't drive it thats not an option!  So what I want to know...

1. Are snow tyres, winter tyres and cold weather tyres different names for the same thing or different
2. Assuming they are different which ones are best for a UK winter being cold for 4 months but only occasional bad snow
3. Do you need them on on all four wheels or can you get away with just the rears (this is assuming driving very carefully)
4. Has anyone found any good companies doing them and what are the prices like, ideally companies that provide steel wheels for those of use what don;t have a spare set of alloys.

I like the autosock idea too but maybe not so good for me as our roads are a mix of gritted/sleety and skating ring up here when it snows.

[Anonymous]

A decent set of tyres should be fine all year round. On the MR2, I'd go for either the Neovas or the Michelin Pilot Exalto: Neither are cheap, but neither is splashing out on two sets of tyres for a year.  s;) s;)

In all honesty there is no easy solution, and as we don't get the extremes of snow that some countries have to live with (Tem, I'm looking at you here!) there's less of a reason to splash out big time on a solution. Really you'd want a snotter of a car to use as a winter vehicle, something with 4WD and bog knobbly tyres on, but that's probably not a solution for you in this situation.

[Ullevi]

Winter tyres improve grip in colder temps.They say summer tyres(what we normally run in the UK) lose grip when temps dip below 7 Celsius.So on cold damp mornings my bridgestones feel like concrete and I have to drive very carefully.

Winter tyres have different rubber compounds with a higher silica content and are more pliable in cold temps.Near freezing point they provide better grip/traction compared to summer tyres and this difference increases in colder temps and on ice/snow.

Winter tyres also have different design features which improve grip on ice/snow such as tread block design and design of the sipes within the tread blocks.

If they have the "snowflake in a mountain" sign on the side walls I believe they meet the requirements to be considered for severe snow use(although ground clearance will ultimately limit use of our cars in heavy snow anyway).

"Winter tyres" as above, I believe are typically recommended for "Central European" winters-similar to ours but probabbly a touch colder-say southern Germany/Switzerland/Austria.

In Scandinavia I believe they can use snow/winter tyres designed to drive on snow all the time and more severe arctic conditions, including studded tyres which obviously are not appropriate for UK. I belive they classify winter tyres as studded or friction tyres. We'd use the latter in our milder winters. I am sure Tem has forgotten more about this subject than I'll ever know.

Only you'll know how you coped with the cr4ppy weather last winter in the 2. I am a total pansy and left the 2 tucked up in bed when it got really grim over the last few winters.

I have driven 2 other vehicles with winter tyres, one a FWD shopping trolley, and the other a 3L RWD Auto barge and I've got to say winter tyres make a huge difference in icy/cold conditions and massively better in snow/sludge.

I would change all 4 tyres,esp in the MR2.

Also need to consider storage- I'm lucky to have space,but not everyone has that luxury to store wheels/tyres on a seasonal basis.

I think that unless you live oop North, then winter tyres are a borderline thing in southern UK. If you commute first thing in the morning then a lot of mornings are pretty chilly Dec to April.Then throw in occasional ice and even more occasional snow and perhaps winter tyres start to look like an option.

As others have said, may make more sense to drive another vehicle during the worst conditions- i certainly don't think I have the talent to drive the 2 with confidence in really slippy conditions.

[Anonymous]

Tbh a lot of the trouble comes when conditions are so bad that people really shouldn't be attempting to move something that weighs over a ton (or nearer two in some cases) on the roads at all. There does come a time where it simply is too dangerous to be driving unless you've got both the correct vehicle for it and you've got the experience to drive correctly.

Not criticising anyone in particular with that, just my own rambling thoughts.

[aaronjb]

I'm strongly considering getting a set of cheap second alloys for the Omega and throwing a set of 'winter' (not snow) tyres on; they'll cope better in the dusting of snow we usually get (on the basis that we don't often get 14" of the stuff like last winter!) and using two sets of alloys I'm told I can expect 3-4 years out of a single set of winter tyres..

[VVT-i]

 m http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m11b0s630p0 m   - 215/40x16

 m http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m11b0s623p0 m   195/50x15

If you are planning to remove them after the worst of the weather has gone.. then I would just do the rears and drive extra carefully.

I was hoping to find Vredestein Snowtrac as they have a very good reputation but I will let you search for them, another tyre prooving popular with us (at work) are Matador winter tyres, cheap and look like they could perform well in the snow, like everything else though, you pay your money you take your choice.

[kentsmudger]

... in southern UK. If you commute first thing in the morning then a lot of mornings are pretty chilly Dec to April.Then throw in occasional ice and even more occasional snow and perhaps winter tyres start to look like an option.

That's me, and that's why I am after winter tyres - The 2 is my daily driver and commuter and I was stuffed on T1-Rs last year - Trying to get home from a night shift was seriously dangerous and I did not have the option of not driving - Didn't want to just camp out at the office.   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Re the cost of 2 sets of tyres - If you have two sets then you will only use them half as much over the same number of miles driven, so they last twice as long - No loss as far as I can see.  s8) s8)

[Mad Matt]

I think I posted this before but....... Winter tyres come into their own below 7 degrees (as said above) and improve grip on ice and snow but also resist aquaplaning better. Having put them on our FWD hatch I can attest to the fact that they transformed the car on slippery surfaces.

The second day I had them I hit a deep puddle of water on the motorway and was seriously impressed with the lack of wheel tugging as one side of the car went into the puddle.

Obviously they're not snow tyres but even so I happily drove on snow and ice with them with a lot more confidence.

Another tip I was given was to fit them on a cheap set of wheels and buy higher profile so when you do slip and hit the curb it's the tyre that takes the whack and it's the cheap wheel that gets the scratch.

Mos garages here do a store and swap deal at reasonable prices. I don't know if you can get that in the UK.

I haven't tried them on the MR2 but I think fitting them all round would be the way to go. Evo did a write up of them a few issues ago and they were impressed too.

[Gif]

I was hoping to find Vredestein Snowtrac as they have a very good reputation but I will let you search for them

I have a Vred dealer about a mile away from me but they couldn't get snowtracs last year due to demand on the continent.  They recommended their Quattrac 3 All season as an alternative which is fully M&S and snowflake compliant.  I know people will say that an All season is neither one thing nor the other but to be honest unless you drive at both extremes it's probably not going to be a problem anyway.

I had them on a 123d M Sport and flat out in the dry it was scary stuff but slightly less scary than trying to drive it on Bridgestone summers in an inch of snow   s:scared: :scared: s:scared:

[Ullevi]

Guys,if you want to see reviews of winter tyres there is a good on-line resource:

 w www.tyrereviews.co.uk w

which has a section on winter tyre tests mainly sourced from German motoring mags.

Thankfully the tests are ready translated!

[kentsmudger]

Anyone found any decent suppliers?

Camskill for example has Toyo SnowProx at about £61 per corner - Mytyres have the same tyres at £110.

Problem is Camskill have NO winter tyres actually IN STOCK at the moment  s:x :x s:x

[kentsmudger]

I was hoping to find Vredestein Snowtrac as they have a very good reputation but I will let you search for them

I have a Vred dealer about a mile away from me but they couldn't get snowtracs last year due to demand on the continent.  They recommended their Quattrac 3 All season as an alternative

Asked Camskill about Quattrac today - Replied saying - "Vredestein estimate mid/end February 2011, nothing else availible(sic)"

Is there a slightly narrower tyre size that will still fit stock wheels, as I am finding lots of places do not even list a winter tyre in 205/50R15 ?

[Gif]

This is not unusual, the snow tyres are generally of a higher profile and not all sizes are produced as they aren't built to cope with the same demanding tolerances of a performance tyre.

[VVT-i]

I was hoping to find Vredestein Snowtrac as they have a very good reputation but I will let you search for them

I have a Vred dealer about a mile away from me but they couldn't get snowtracs last year due to demand on the continent.  They recommended their Quattrac 3 All season as an alternative

Asked Camskill about Quattrac today - Replied saying - "Vredestein estimate mid/end February 2011, nothing else availible(sic)"

Most of the European stocks of winter tyres end up in Scandinavia, in the UK there isn't the same demand (or a law requiring their use in during winter months) for them, this means that UK wholesalers don't order them in large numbers thus tyre retailers can't get hold of them easily. If the end user leaves it too late to order winters tyres then unfortunately in some cases we find ourselves having to wait a few months for manufacturers to re-plenish stocks.. of course by this time the worst of the weather has past and we no longer need them. We (the end user) should actually be thinking of ordering our winter tyres at the end of October.. even if it means storing them for fitment at a later date, whether that be on a spare set of wheels or taking them back to the retailer for fitting on your current wheels, most places should either offer you a good price when you buy them without fitting or offer to fit them free if you pay full price at the time of purchase.

[kentsmudger]

Asked Camskill about Quattrac today - Replied saying - "Vredestein estimate mid/end February 2011, nothing else availible(sic)"

We (the end user) should actually be thinking of ordering our winter tyres at the end of October..

This is what I thought, and why I first contacted Camskill about SnowProx in early October, and was told that they were expected in at the end of the month. They are still not in this week and they now don't know when they will be in.

They have had no stock of any winter tyres in a size to fit the 2 since the beginning of October and they cannot give anything more than a maybe for a February re-stock of Vredestein.

I realise that being competitive on price can mean a low-frills service, but I hung on for them because of their price and may now have missed the boat that Camskill were never on.

  s:flame: :flame: s:flame:

[creamykiwi]

so last year I picked up the 2 from Mark's in mid-December (actually, I wussed out and made Dad go and get it cos it was icy and apart from the test drive I'd never driven a RWD before) and proceeded to drive it 40 miles a day daily through the winter... I think I switched back to the micra twice but then it ran out of MOT, and used Dad's car once but he was away a lot so that wasn't really an option often. I had a few hairy moments but generally was ok on the main roads... but was driving like a granny on the advice of you guys, and had four brand new tyres on.

However, I witnessed three accidents last year which were simply people skidding where they weren't expecting ice  s:( s:(  also, where my parents live is in the middle of nowhere and doesn't get gritted, so going down the roads immediately outside the house, me & my 2 resembled Bambi on ice, but less co-ordinated!

This year, I no longer live at home so haven't got the option of using another car, I've just had another brand new set of four T1-Rs fitted and I'm planning to drive like a granny again all winter... I'm lucky enough to be able to take the train to work so it's not as critical as it was when I lived in the middle of nowhere, but I'm just going to be very, very, VERY careful when I do take her out.

(and am completely freaking out at the moment because Dad's taken my 2 down south for the week and I have his car, and I don't want it to snow or ice till he's back safely! bloody winter  s:lol: :lol: s:lol: )

[Ullevi]

On line sources give a wide choice of winter tyres including performance orientated ones with V speed ratings. Obviously stocks may be starting to run low this time of year and prices have certainly crept up.

I honestly haven't seen what's available in the sizes that we use on the 2, but worth looking on  m http://www.mytyres.co.uk m  to see what's available.

Pneus-on-line and Tyremen have a good rep, the latter based in the UK so can't say how much choice there is.

Plenty of performance orientated winter tyres on the European websites.Dunlop, Continental, Vredestein, Pirelli, Michelin.

When I've ordered from mytyres they have delivered to my doorstep in 4 days from Germany.

[kentsmudger]

I honestly haven't seen what's available in the sizes that we use on the 2, but worth looking on  m http://www.mytyres.co.uk m  to see what's available.

The only one I can find in both sizes are Hankook W130 - Rears at £81.60 and  fronts at just £157.80!    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

I think I'll stay at home  s:( s:(

[Ullevi]

I honestly haven't seen what's available in the sizes that we use on the 2, but worth looking on  m http://www.mytyres.co.uk m  to see what's available.

The only one I can find in both sizes are Hankook W130 - Rears at £81.60 and  fronts at just £157.80!    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:    s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

I think I'll stay at home  s:( s:(

That's weird because your links gives £74.30 for the fronts and £80.60 for the rears.

I guess the prices vary quickly on-line but those prices aren't bad.

I assume availability might be an issue this time of year, but worth keeping an eye on the websites. Last year I bought 4 Nokian WR G2s well into the cold season at an excellent price.

[reds]

snows so heavy here, that i didnt go to pick up my 2 today  s:( s:(

but got me thinking about this - as it will have to be my commute next winter (as need to sell current car to fund it) - so I am seriously looing at a set of crappy wheels with winter/snow tyres on them

I see that the 02 is 15" all around and 6.5j (i think this is the depth?)

question is, will any set of 15's, with the correct pcd do the job for snow tyres ? as im pretty sure you are supposed to run as thin a tyre as possible for the best performance with these ?? as this would open me up to a number of different sizes of tyre

i can attest to snow tyres, my old 306 (merlin) lived with me in the alps for 2 years, and I never once had an issue ! even in 4 foot of snow, and proper ice (but the roads are a damn site better maintained/cleared over there!!!

[K T M Rider]

snows so heavy here, that i didnt go to pick up my 2 today  s:( s:(

but got me thinking about this - as it will have to be my commute next winter (as need to sell current car to fund it) - so I am seriously looing at a set of crappy wheels with winter/snow tyres on them

I see that the 02 is 15" all around and 6.5j (i think this is the depth?)

question is, will any set of 15's, with the correct pcd do the job for snow tyres ? as Im pretty sure you are supposed to run as thin a tyre as possible for the best performance with these ?? as this would open me up to a number of different sizes of tyre

i can attest to snow tyres, my old 306 (merlin) lived with me in the alps for 2 years, and I never once had an issue ! even in 4 foot of snow, and proper ice (but the roads are a damn site better maintained/cleared over there!!!

if I HAD to run the '2' in the current weather ('tis tucked up under a cover while I run round in my Skoda diesel with winter tyres)

I would probably be buying these:

 m http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?d ... owigan=GAN m

 m http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?d ... owigan=GAN m

and fitting them either to my current wheels or a set of early roadster wheels bought from ebay for usually around forty quid (complete with peeling lacquer)

Above tyres are classed as an all - season tyre, full on winter tyres seem to be hard / expensive to get in the stock sizes

[danm89]

I have had my first taste of Autosocks today and what a revelation. I didn't have a single scary moment in the MR2 and was amazed that I could go where only 4x4s seemed to go. It was truly £70 well spent and I would highly recommend them. I found myself being taxi however so they did have their downsides. Definitely worth the money.

[Anonymous]

My daily driver is a Nissan Elgrand 2 tonne van with 4x4 and winter tyres. The roads on our estate arent ploughed or gritted. I decided to clear the snow off the 2 and see what you guys were winging about.

OMFG! The worst winter driving experience in 40 years of driving, and its as flat as a witches t*t here.  I offer no advice, but do appreciate how difficult it is to handle these motors in winter. Got my fingers crossed for you and wish you all a quiet christmas and safe new year!

[aaronjb]

I'm so glad I have the Omega - keeping the MR2 straight was hard enough, but with a clutch that's like an on/off switch and needs decent revs to avoid stalling, it was a bit of a challenge last year.  The Omega just breezes around as if there was no snow at all (as long as you turn snow mode on, otherwise the traction control goes nuts   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  )

[calaerial]

I'm currently debating a set of snow chains.

I realise that they arent necessary 364 days of the year, but my car is currently buried under a snowdrift the size of the north face of H2 and im fairly confident i could get it out with snow chains. My current tyres have no chance, (Pirellis, not sure which ones) and i actually dont even think all-weather/snow/cold weather rubber would get me out either.

Its easier than faffing on with additional tyres, storing them etc, i can throw them in the frunk and forget about them. Granted if i have to use them, it'll be low speed, but slow and moving is better than stuck.