Soldato
My winter wheels are still in the shed and not on the car. Can't go out in all this snow. 
I have been caught short
- Thread starter DXP55
- Start date
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Do people in this country actually put on winter tyres? I thought that was only done in places like Norway.
I have never, and never known anyone to bother changing tyres for winter running. Never had any incidents driving in snow either.
I have never, and never known anyone to bother changing tyres for winter running. Never had any incidents driving in snow either.
Soldato
- Joined
- 16 Aug 2009
- Posts
- 7,970
No we just slither around like a good 'un, we're british don'tcha know!
you are driving modern cars though .. try that in a rwd bmw without any electronic aids.
I live in a rural location albeit in the south often no choice but to be out whatever weather and time of day - if conditions are properly wintery there is no substitute to having better than summer tyres even though that might be a tiny amount or not at all some years. Though I don't have a winter set personally, I have all-season and snow rated all-terrain sets of wheels as well as a set of wheels with summer touring tyres.
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Man of Honour
Germany, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia etc etc
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I've only ever splashed out on winter tyres once. It didn't snow that year at all. Haven't bothered since.
I used to change the wheels on our cars ever Autumn and back every Spring. Living in the Scottish highlands meant that it was pretty much obligatory. However, only once since moving south have I needed them - winter of 2017 when we were snowed in for almost a week but luckily still had the winter wheels on before we old them. Helped pull cars out of snow banks and avoided landing in ditches as happened to many cars around us. It also meant we could actually get some food after a dramatic three mile journey to the local co-op.
As for price, remember that you are only using one set of tyres fat a time so they last twice as long.
Also, don't listen to those who say that winter tyres shred themselves when it gets to the 'magical' 7 degrees temperature - this is a fallacy that deserves to die. It is the same as saying that a summer tyre turns into a block of glass when it goes below 7 degrees - not true.
I ran winters all year on my Touareg once and really did not notice much difference at all and they certainly didn't wear out any quicker than the summers.
Associate
I live near the south coast, there's rarely ever any snow here. That said there is a light dusting here now.
Did you have 2 sets of wheels, or change the tyres over? Seems like the latter requires the assistance of a garage to do ?
I had them once, they were brilliant right up until the top of my estate where everyone had blocked the road with their cars, not bothered again.
It's too steep and narrow round here for gritters.
The reason why I put all seasons on the 640D a couple of years ago after being unable to get up a slight hill in the moderate snow. It was also a good opportunity to reduce the wheels from 20" to 18".
I have an admission to make - I kept the all seasons on the car all this year after the previous winter, the summer was really that crap. They where fine and still plenty of grip and very glad of them being on the car at the moment!
Associate
E46 here. I don't like driving in the snow at all but it's very doable. Just have to turn TC off temporarily when pulling away at times.
My friend used to put two space savers on his rear wheel drive cars when it got really bad.
Caporegime
I had winter tyres on the rear of my two e46's when I lived in a snow prone town, the difference it made getting up the hill I lived on was remarkable. Certainly interesting handling with summer tyres still on the front, it basically gripped well at the back but wouldn't steer very well... 
They are great when it snows, for the amount of time we have snow heavy enough for them to be truly effective, it makes little sense over here, especially the way global warming is going, we seem to have less and less snow each year.
You'll notice if ever stuck in a heavy dumping that the foreign registered trucks have no problem due to their use of winter tyres although it doesn't help them much as they are blocked by summer tyred cars and trucks that can't move...
They are great when it snows, for the amount of time we have snow heavy enough for them to be truly effective, it makes little sense over here, especially the way global warming is going, we seem to have less and less snow each year.
You'll notice if ever stuck in a heavy dumping that the foreign registered trucks have no problem due to their use of winter tyres although it doesn't help them much as they are blocked by summer tyred cars and trucks that can't move...
Associate
I'm very lucky that I live in a country that basically has no hills 
Checks your geo - I had assumed you must be living in the levelled down South of England
Only spent today on a bicycle, but todays sub 5C roads on bicycle tyres you can feel how the tyres loose flexibility & compliance with the road loosing grip - I need a winter compound.