Winter Tyres - Advice Please

[Troopy]

As above, got caught out last year in heavy snow and would rather not have a repeat of sliding down a hill backwards, bricking it :scared:

It's definitely not time to change just yet (Dec/Jan/Feb more likely) but i'm thinking of stocking up with a set early.

So what's best on ours and is it worth changing to a different tyre size?? I've got standard 17's.

Also what are the implications if any if I put them on before snow comes (if it does come at all), just faster wear rate I guess?

 

[Mike Roberts]

Will a 16" Megane/Laguna steels fit on a Clio?

Get some cheap ones off the bay and go for a narrow winter tyre 195/205 50 16. You'll need to get them early though as they're pretty hard to come by.

JPC got some last time around and he did a video somewhere of him climbing snowy hills like a mountain goat. I'll find it...

 

[Troopy]

Thanks Mike, sounds interesting, i'll have to do some hunting on the internet and check out prices.

Would love to see the vid if you can find it! I struggled to even get up my drive :thumb1:

 

[Mike Roberts]

Found it, it's a MKV diesel Golf too with bucket loads of torque and a narrow powerband, so in practice even harder to get moving than a light Clio.

Youtube

 

[Troopy]

Nice work, easy peasy with them on! Just been looking at Vredestein's winter tyres, good reviews on tyrereviews.co.uk.

 

[Mike Roberts]

Yep, they really make sense.

I'm often in Germany over Christmas and last year it was minus 20 and a few feet of snow... they just stick on the winter tyres and get on with it. M3s, R8s - all sorts of stuff running around with no problems.

I flew back here to our poxy few flakes of snow covered England (once the airports re-opened) and the whole world had ground to a halt and every hedge had a car upside down in it.

 

[Robo_#1]

Are winter tyre really that much better than standard tyre? The GF will be using the car this winter and I'm already worried about how hard it'll be in the 197 in the snow (we didn't have it last year)

 

[Troopy]

It was a really 'bad' bit of snow last year, if you remember basingstoke on the news. I was living in Oxfordshire in the countryside and had a lot of trouble with the conti's on, that's why I think i'll change them.

If i'm correct winter tyres are designed with a more efficient tread patterns to improve grip.

 

[Mike Roberts]

Tread pattern/compound/depth etc etc..

It might not actually snow this winter, but the idea of some steels with less sporty tyres on is appealing on many levels.. even if it is just to stop an alloy getting smashed as you slide into a kerb. But mostly because you don't have to bother cleaning salt & s*** off steels!!! ha ha.

 

[Matt197]

Are winter tyre really that much better than standard tyre? The GF will be using the car this winter and I'm already worried about how hard it'll be in the 197 in the snow (we didn't have it last year)

Yes they make a big difference, have a look at the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlYEMH10Z4s

If we end up, keep having bad winters then they should be made mandatory as the difference is night and day.

 

[D4VPC]

Has anyone ever tried snow socks??

 

[R32pete]

I had a set of wintrac extremes and the only thing that slowed me down last winter was sheet ice and ground clearance highly recomend.

 

[skny]

I am running 205/50/17 DUNLOP M3 winter sport, very pleased with them, great for the winter, and you cant fit 16 inch wheels on a 197 from what I heard, If you get really little snow days you may well go for the 215 45 17 just as the standard tire is, but I chose to have a softer ride, better snow performance and taller wheel in case I slide towards a curb or smthn, winter tires are the way to go if you want to use the car in the winter, and an absolute must if you are crazy enough to let your girlfriend drive it in the snow LOL

 

[skny]

and the temperature should be around 7 C to put the winter tires on, if it gets warmer they will wear a little faster, but still a week of driving when its 15C wont kill them, We got 4-7 C in the morning when I go to work, then about 13-16 C when I come back, in the evening when I take spin it gets close to 0 C, so I guess this 20km done in the 13 C wont kill them, same pattern last year, and its the third winter of this set and still got plenty of them left.

 

[Lou_m]

I've got Kumho Kw23 winter tyres 215/45 17. Will be going back on soon. You do notice them moving about a bit more under braking as the tread moves but were great last year with all the snow and cold temperatures.

 

[Troopy]

Thanks for the replies

Thinking i'll just get some 215's on and search online for reviews. I'll have to check out the Dunlop, Khumo's and Wintrac's and make a decision.

In Birmingham it's still very very warm, so I think i'll be putting them on in December at this rate...we'll see!!

 

[Robo_#1]

Thanks for the replies

Thinking i'll just get some 215's on and search online for reviews. I'll have to check out the Dunlop, Khumo's and Wintrac's and make a decision.

In Birmingham it's still very very warm, so I think i'll be putting them on in December at this rate...we'll see!!

Keep us posted on what you go for mate, think I'll have to do this. As the more of these threads I read the more I worry for the GF driving in the winter

 

[Troopy]

Will do Robo, just got so much driving this winter all over the country so i'll definitely get some put on at some stage!

 

[Ed...]

winter tyres . . . .. i have found putting a new set of any tyres on will solve the snow problem

 

[Troopy]

Deeper tread? Makes sense!