do they make a difference?

there seems to massive demand again...any many places running out of stock

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/news/de...upply-1299.php

On Nov 23, 9:49*pm, santiago wrote:
do they make a difference?

there seems to massive demand again...any many places running out of stock

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/news/de...es-already-out...

As far as I can tell, yes. I run an old Saab, not 4WD or anything
fancy. Last winter I got a set of winter tyres and got them put on a
spare set of cheapo S/H alloys. I was able to get around very well up
here on Dartmoor when pretty well everything else bar the 4X4's were
stuck.
Just my opinion mind you, but I do know it's compulsory in many
European countries where they regularly get harsh winter conditions to
have a set of winter-specific tyres.

On Nov 23, 10:08*pm, Moorman wrote:
On Nov 23, 9:49*pm, santiago wrote:

do they make a difference?

there seems to massive demand again...any many places running out of stock

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/news/de...es-already-out...

As far as I can tell, yes. I run an old Saab, not 4WD or anything
fancy. Last winter I got a set of winter tyres and got them put on a
spare set of cheapo S/H alloys. I was able to get around very well up
here on Dartmoor when pretty well everything else bar the 4X4's were
stuck.
Just my opinion mind you, but I do know it's compulsory in many
European countries where they regularly get harsh winter conditions to
have a set of winter-specific tyres.

Have a look at

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/

lots of stuff to read.

there seems to conflicting messages wether they can be used all year
round or need to be taken off in summer..?


On 23/11/2010 10:08 PM, Moorman wrote:
On Nov 23, 9:49 pm, wrote:
do they make a difference?

there seems to massive demand again...any many places running out of stock

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/news/de...es-already-out...

As far as I can tell, yes. I run an old Saab, not 4WD or anything
fancy. Last winter I got a set of winter tyres and got them put on a
spare set of cheapo S/H alloys. I was able to get around very well up
here on Dartmoor when pretty well everything else bar the 4X4's were
stuck.
Just my opinion mind you, but I do know it's compulsory in many
European countries where they regularly get harsh winter conditions to
have a set of winter-specific tyres.

In message , santiago
writes
there seems to conflicting messages wether they can be used all year
round or need to be taken off in summer..?
On 23/11/2010 10:08 PM, Moorman wrote:
On Nov 23, 9:49 pm, wrote:
there seems to massive demand again...any many places running out of stock

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/news/de...es-already-out...

As far as I can tell, yes. I run an old Saab,
....
set of winter tyres an
....
I was able to get around very well up here on Dartmoor when pretty
well everything else bar the 4X4's were stuck.
.....
compulsory in many European countries
....


Gentlemen in SCATS today desperately seeking salt - or the whereabouts
of a stock of it. I suggested cat litter as an alternative for grip.

His vehicle - is it the Z4, the sporty BMW closed two-seater? He managed
a rueful grin. Presumably has a steep drive or lives out where the
council don't grit.
--
Peter Thomas

In article , says...
there seems to conflicting messages wether they can be used all year
round or need to be taken off in summer..?


Indeed. What is true is that warmer road temperatures will greatly
increase tyre wear.

They don't last long in summer.

--
Alan LeHun

On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:43:54 +0000
Peter Thomas wrote:

His vehicle - is it the Z4, the sporty BMW closed two-seater? He managed
a rueful grin. Presumably has a steep drive or lives out where the
council don't grit.

BMWs are have notoriously bad traction in slippery conditions. And the
preceding Z3 I borrowed for a weekend lurched all over the place in the
dry on anything but ultra-smooth tarmac. Horrible thing.

I could be biased because I have owned more Lotus cars than all other
makes put together, but I have managed to get a front-drive Audi on
summer tyres around a track ploughed out on a frozen lake faster than
the quickest BMW 320 on winter tyres and studs at a BMW club event ;-)))


So, Santiago, a couple of skid-pan driving lessons will cost the same
and last longer than winter tyres. Unless you have a BMW or anything
else with semi-trailing-arm rear suspension, (some TVR, rwd Fords, etc)
in which case get the skid-pan lessons *and* winter tyres.



Mike

On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:49:14 +0000, santiago wrote:

do they make a difference?

Yes. Though how much depends on what tread pattern your existing
tyres have. If you have some form of "go faster" tyre with just
grooves and blocks with few or far between sipes (narrow slits across
block faces) then putting proper winter tyres on will be a
relevation. If you have an all weather or all season tyre you'll
still get a noticeable improvement in traction. If you have a M+S
(Mud and Snow) tyre winter ones are better but probably not enough to
justify the cost for a full set. You really should swap them as a
full set as well, having differing levels of grip front back is just
asking for the handling to get "interesting" just when you don't want
it to.

I speak from experience of Pirelli Scorpion ST and STR, (an all
season M+S type), Hankook Ventus ST (a "go faster" type) and
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme (winter type) all on a Disco II.

The Hankooks are useless on snow and are noticeably different, as in
less grip, in the cold (5C) and wet. TBH they ain't much cop on
anything that is at all slippy, thin layer of mud or anything smooth
and wet.

The Pirellis are pretty good on snow and perform the same hot, cold,
wet or dry. Good all round road tyre with some gentle off road.

The Vredesteins are better than the Pirellis on snow and just as good
if not a bit better in the cold and wet. Can't comment on the summer
as I took 'em off at then end of March and I've only just put them
back on. If I'd been on Pirellis this time last year I'm not sure I
would have spent the £550+ on a set of Vredestiens, I was on the
Hankooks though and knew they where crap from the previous winter...

Of course living at 1400' on the North Pennines and almost guaranteed
a few days with several inches of snow or in the case of last year a
couple of months with several feet means that winter tyres are much
more of a requirement compared to people further south and/or at
lower levels.

Winter tyres are a softer compound and wear quite quickly. I did
6,000 miles last winter on the Vredestiens. I've just had to buy a
new one as one picked up a huge lump of ali that penetrated right
through the tread to the wires. The new one has 9mm of tread, so 9-2
= 7mm of useable tread before they become close to illegal. The old
tyres have worn by 2mm in those 6000 miles so I'm only going to get
about 20,000 miles from 'em. Pirelli STRs gave me over 30,000. The
Hankooks were on the car when I got it they have done 30,000 miles
with me driving but are now down to 2-3mm so more or less at end of
life.

And even with winter tyres you still need to know how to drive on
snow, a spinning wheel has sod all grip no matter what the type of
tyre is fitted.

--
Cheers Dave.
Nr Garrigill, Cumbria. 421m ASL.

On Nov 23, 9:49*pm, santiago wrote:
do they make a difference?

there seems to massive demand again...any many places running out of stock

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/news/de...es-already-out...

Decent tread and some experience of driving in snow will get most
folks through the winter unless you live on a hill. Last year up here
I spent many hours driving on snow, compact and loose. Good tread is
very important, as is not having a BMW!

High gears, good tread and foreknowledge of conditions is the way
forward. (and a spade in the boot).

brian
aberfeldy

In message 20101123233701.1425125d@surya, Mike Causer
writes
On Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:43:54 +0000
Peter Thomas wrote:

His vehicle - is it the Z4, the sporty BMW closed two-seater? He managed
a rueful grin. Presumably has a steep drive or lives out where the
council don't grit.

BMWs are have notoriously bad traction in slippery conditions. And the
preceding Z3 I borrowed for a weekend lurched all over the place in the
dry on anything but ultra-smooth tarmac. Horrible thing.

The one of my sons [a physicist, he went into engineering, not finance ]
reports city-types who have much cash but typically zero prior
experience of rear-wheel-drive cars typically stuffing Z3s into the
scenery on country roads.

I could be biased because I have owned more Lotus cars than all other
makes put together,

Lucky you.

but I have managed to get a front-drive Audi on
summer tyres around a track ploughed out on a frozen lake faster than
the quickest BMW 320 on winter tyres and studs at a BMW club event ;-)))

Seems reasonable. Still glad I switched from the FWD Golf-based Skoda
Octavia to the Subaru estate. All-wheel drive and enough power is so
much easier generally than under-powered FWD.


So, Santiago, a couple of skid-pan driving lessons will cost the same
and last longer than winter tyres. Unless you have a BMW or anything
else with semi-trailing-arm rear suspension, (some TVR, rwd Fords, etc)
in which case get the skid-pan lessons *and* winter tyres.


Or do as I did and stick the car on the front lawn for the duration and
walk when possible. The unexpected and urgent expedition to London was
sensible at the Surrey end, but memorable for very icy north London
back-streets and, much more frightening, the London drivers on them.

It ain't you, necessarily, it's the other idiots.



--
Peter Thomas