Winter tyre time?

[mullermn]

Good info, thanks - sounds like an extra set of wheels is the route to go.

You're right that Bristol isn't Scotland, but we have got our fair share of hills and the last couple of winters have paralysed the roads when there has been snow or ice. Last winter I walked in to town in one of the really bad freezing spells and on one very steep hill there was a van that had slid backwards in to a garden wall and the driver had got out and abandoned it, but not before tethering the front wheel to a nearby lamppost with a ratchet strap! I also make the occasional trip to North Wales and the Lakes and it'd be nice to know I've got the tyres for the job if the weather does turn.

Looks like I need to decide if I can put up with some cheap but ugly steel wheels or whether I want to stump up for some extra alloys for the winter months.

I've got the 18" wheels coming on the GTI. A lot of people seem to use smaller wheels for the winter set - is this price related or is there some other reason for doing this?

[RobS23GTI]

Do we really need winter tyres in the UK?  I thought the purpose was to have more grip in snowy conditions but unless you're living in the middle of nowhere your normal tyres are fine?

There is a widespread misunderstanding about winter tyres. Many believe that they are designed purely to deal with snow and ice, but the real key to their success is the nature of the rubber compound. This is formulated so that it offers greater adhesion at low temperatures than that of conventional "summer" tyres. The tyres we tend to drive on most of the time only exhibit their full adhesive qualities once they are warm, whereas winter tyres will be gripping well at temperatures below 7 degrees C.

Although the winter may, or may not, bring snow and ice, wet weather is bound to be a feature in the coming months an it is when the roads are wet and cold that winter tyres come into there own, providing the extra grip which can make all the difference.

The problem, of course, is cost. Once you have got over this and made the investment, your long term costs for tyre replacement can be even lower because you are always riding on the right sort of rubber for the conditions and they actually last longer.

+1

[johanr77]

I've got the 18" wheels coming on the GTI. A lot of people seem to use smaller wheels for the winter set - is this price related or is there some other reason for doing this?

I dropped down a wheel size for a couple of reasons, firstly right enough a 17" winter tyre is cheaper than an 18" one and when you do have rutted snow and ice you get a slightly more comfortable ride on a tyre with a deeper side wall

[ginnes]

I've got the 18" wheels coming on the GTI. A lot of people seem to use smaller wheels for the winter set - is this price related or is there some other reason for doing this?

I had 16" winters on my Mk5, I liked the understated look.

I've gone with 18" this time, not a huge cost difference between tyre size. Ride quality was transformed with the 16" but the ride quality on the mk 7 is so good I'm happy to go 18" this time.

http://www.rimstyle.com/alloywheels/wheel/?wheel=bbs_sr_gm&colour=gunmetal_anthracite
These alloys should be with me tomorrow, grey colour great for not looking dirty even in the middle of winter.

[p3asa]

....... Is this the sort of job that any old tyre place should do well, or is there scope for them to mess it up?

Thanks for any advice!

I've had 3 wheels damaged by tyre fitters replacing tyres. 2 at the same time on my golf and 1 on my wifes Suzuki.

On the Golf they removed the old weights with a screwdriver so you can imagine the mess they made. On my wifes they scratched right across the face of the alloy but she never noticed until the next day and didn't want to make a scene. So to answer your question, yes tyre fitters can mess things up.

I got myself a second hand set of alloys off ebay and had them powder coated. I also bought winter tyres off mytyres.com so the powder coaters could change them at the same time free of charge.I bought cheap Nankang tyres and must say I have been really impressed with them. Loads of grip and a lot quieter than the continentals already on the car.

Like Dubber has pointed out, changing tyres over twice a year soon ads up and another set of wheels will pay for itself.

I recently bought my daughter an alloys and tyre package.
I looked at www.mytyres.com as they offer a package of alloys and tyres. Just as I was about to pull the trigger I spotted http://www.wheelbasealloys.com/ and they price matched and also included new bolts. So for £400 for a full set (its only a Clio she has) I was well chuffed. That was with Yokohama winter tyres as well.

I was just reading the other day that Continental recommend that if you haven't got the facilities to store tyres and swap them over, then you would actually be better off running winter tyres the whole year round. I thought that was interesting considering they would want you to buy both sets. It makes good reading:


http://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/www/tyres_uk_en/themes/van-tyres/winter-tyres/why-winter-tyres.html

"If you are reluctant to change tyres and have nowhere to store summer tyres when they are not in use, you are better off using winter tyres all year round.

Winter tyres are as quiet and comfortable as summer tyres and, thanks to sophisticated compound technology, do not wear any more quickly."

[dubber36]

I can't say that I'd agree with using winter tyres all year round, especially not on a performance orientated car. When the ambient temperature rises into the teens, I've noticed them become quite squirmy. As if you can feel the tread blocks moving about.

[p3asa]

Fair dos Dubber but in the same token would you rather have summer tyres in winter?

I just thought it was interesting that a big company like Continental could easily go down the road of promoting the correct tyres for the correct season, but chose to go with winter tyres all year round if you don't have an option.

They obviously see that as safer rather than the summer tyres all year round.

[dubber36]

Fair dos Dubber but in the same token would you rather have summer tyres in winter?

Not now I've had winters, no.

A huge generalisation here, but I think that drivers in winter on summer tyres are more likely to drive with much more caution, seeing the potential dangers, than they would in summer with winter tyres. On a nice warm summers day, you would be more likely to press on, without giving a thought to what the tyres may be capable of.

[p3asa]

What you say is maybe a generalisation but most likely true.

Probably for a "normal family hatch" the winter tyres all round would be better.

[Jules Winfield]

My winter tyres are much noisier than my summer ones, so for me at least, leaving the winters on all year around is a no-no.