Best Time for Winter Tyres

[panthro]

I've been reading about how the UK is going to be plunging into the worst winter for 100 years etc etc, and because I do a fair bit of mileage I'm thinking of buying some winter tyres in the event it does snow/get very icey.
From what I've read and heard, winter tyres are crap in anything other than snow and ice, so would it be worth me putting them on when the weather is as it is now in London/South East - cold and damp? I do most of my driving in the morning and evening on a commute so its usually around 6 degrees by then.
EDIT - to clarify I mean when are the conditions right to fit winter tyres and are they worth using when the weather is as it is now; not that actual time of day.

 

[Matt82]

fit them in the morning, when its 1*-3*

the blurb will say theyre no good over 6* so youll have to change them back at about midday, because its what the internet say

 

[bledd]

Comparison first in the snow, then in the wet/cold

Winter vs Summer

Done by Continental.

Personally, I've put them on the wife's car, have a spare set of steelies.

 

[Dandle]

Been running winters (TS830) since Oct 2011 on my wifes car. Been perfectly fine all year, the sidewalls are a little soft so the turn in isnt as tight but apart from that they have been better in every way than the Bridgestone ER300s that they replaced. Checked the tread on them last week and over the 6k miles they have been fitted the fronts are now at 6.7mm and the rears 7.2mm, not 100% on the new tread depth but at a guess its around 8-8.5mm.

 

[gt_junkie]

Ditto.

Had mine on for almost a year and have been fine.

Only a couple of mm wear on the fronts and essentially none on the back. Just swapped front to back for the winter so should get another couple of years out of them at least.

Done about 14k on them I'd guess...

Goodyear Ultragrip 8 - 195/60/R15 on a Focus 1.6 (2003 Mk1.5)

They're great in snow and ice and superb in the wet.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

From what I've read and heard, winter tyres are crap in anything other than snow and ice, .

Thats incorrect, snow tyres are optimised for snow and ice and limited tarmac, not winter tyres.

 

[panthro]

Thats incorrect, snow tyres are optimised for snow and ice and limited tarmac, not winter tyres.

Ok thanks, so you think putting some winter tyres on now would be a good idea in the event it does get a lot colder with possible snow and ice?

 

[Maccapacca]

Ok thanks, so you think putting some winter tyres on now would be a good idea in the event it does get a lot colder with possible snow and ice?

Depends on your situation, I live 3 minute walk from Sainsburys and a main line train station and am lucky I can work from home if need be, so on the rare day it does snow heavy enough that I can't get my car to the main road I'm able to 'cope'

Totally dependant on your life style.

 

[panthro]

Just assume that you need to use your car daily, then consider the previous question again.

 

[randomshenans]

Just ordered mine, should be here this week. It's supposed to snow here this week, I'm up the mountains a lot and with the current tyres I've burned through, it would be stupid not to.
I'll see how they get on.

A point; In Switzerland, it's actually illegal not to have winter tyres on your car. They have them on from November - March normally. I say illegal, it's hard to manage but if you have an accident and don't have them on within those months you'll get royally Swissed.