[sensible]

My winter wheel set are still in the garage. Didn't put them on last year as it was so mild. This year was looking the same so held off (usually go on beginning of December)
Woke up to this today, which wasn't forecast. Hopefully it will clear for work tomorrow.

[VidalBuffoon]

This is why I normally run 'all seasons', we live at 250m+ so can get surprise snowfall from late October to early May.

Got caught out once when we went to see Skyfall (1st night) and couldn't get the car (an Mx5) home, had to walk the last few miles. I had a full winter set in the garage but never expected the snow that early.

[Kal101]

Glad I’m not the only one.

All 3 cars winter wheels in the garage

In my defence the Manta battery was dead so couldn’t get her out to get to the winter wheels.

[Kermit]

What on earth are you talking about?! You don't *need* winter tyres to drive in that!! Just take it easy. Every other road will be clear anyway.

[Ennoch]

This is the problem with 'normal' summer tyres becoming higher and higher performance, it means you end up with something that can't cope with even a light dusting without feeling terrifying. I remember getting caught out with snow in town when I was at the gym years ago (winter of '09/'10 I think) when my dad was working away and I hadn't bothered to put winters on my Octavia vRS because I had his CRV to use. Of course an inch of snow fell in the couple of hours and it took me a dozen run ups to get up the hill out of the gym and back onto the main road. This was with Bridgestone RE050A PP's that were one of the performance tyres to have at the time.

I only just got my winters back on the other week given the BMW dealer debacle and I'm glad I did, the Sottozeros are much, much nicer to drive on than the S001's.

Not really relevant to most people but after years of persuasion from me, my dad who lives in the north of Scotland has finally seen sense and fitted some Good Year Ultragrip Performance+ winters to his Evoque. They're outstanding in contrast to the stock Continental CrossContacts; quieter, better grip, better ride. Oh, and much better in slush and snow. This was at the top of the Bealach yesterday, which probably means nothing to most people but it's a pass which goes up to 650m ASL, and is a 1 in 3 climb in places to get there. It was -2c and a combination of ice, fresh snow and slush covering the top half of the road. Getting up was absolutely fine with zero TC kick in and with HDC engaged on the way down it was like driving to the shops:







And before anyone says anything about these conditions not needing winters, this is at the top col which had the wind blasting through which meant the snow depth was a lot less than on the more sheltered bits of the road. The icy bits under the snow on the steep sections were the real dodgy bits but funnily enough I wasn't about to stop and take some photos!

[Armaan]

It mirrors the argument of run flats versus non-run flats and comes down to both preference and where you live.

Winter wheels can be very useful for some that get the extreme conditions in the UK. For some it doesn't get that extreme or if it does, like me, they use the other car or walk.

I'll be looking at some form of all season next for my tyres, just because they will be better in the damp and wet.

Armaan

[VidalBuffoon]

When it comes to all season tyres I'd recommend the Bridgestone A005s if you don't normally get a lot of snow. I ran these for 9 months on my 640D and they did OK when we got a bit of snow. The Goodyear Vector4s G2 were even better in the snow but weren't as good in summer.

Probably wouldn't cope with the depths that we can get here though. We have the wife's MINI with skinny full winters for that.

[VidalBuffoon]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

This was at the top of the Bealach yesterday, which probably means nothing to most people but it's a pass which goes up to 650m ASL, and is a 1 in 3 climb in places to get there.

Bealach Na Ba (pass of the cattle)? I've seen a video of a snowplough getting stuck on that road. It's a scary road even in summer

[DickieGibbo]

No snow in the East Midlands just West Midlands
Dickie

[BBri89]

I'll be honest, I'm a massive advocate for winter tyres in winter, rather than all-seasons all year.

But this year, due to a combination of most of December being 10-14 degrees, and a vast amount of cba tbh, I didn't fit them until mid-December.
First week on them the temp was still around 10, but now it's dropped and is 0-4 and looks to stay that way for the next week with a possibility of snow but only dustings.

I had expected to be driving up into the Peak District to spend Xmas at the parents until those plans got ruined.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

This is the problem with 'normal' summer tyres becoming higher and higher performance, it means you end up with something that can't cope with even a light dusting without feeling terrifying.

Agree... Then add in soft snow and it turning to slush and many a driver has no chance, however careful.

Years ago we may not have had a winter tyre option in the UK, but now we do have the option of performance winter tyres, biased to our mixed climate.

BTW, go back to my younger days and we had what was known as, "Town and Country", tyre options.

[lethbridge]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Agree... Then add in soft snow and it turning to slush and many a driver has no chance, however careful.

Years ago we may not have had a winter tyre option in the UK, but now we do have the option of performance winter tyres, biased to our mixed climate.

BTW, go back to my younger days and we had what was known as, "Town and Country", tyre options.

I'm 100% a convert for my M3 - because it runs 265s and 285s you don't stand a chance in the cold if you hit standing water or slush on the stock MPSS tyres even with 4mm+ tread depth - immense grip in the summer but the grip vanishes in the winter. Last winter I managed to pick up some 763M wheels with Alpins at a great price and they have transformed the feel of the car in the winter. I will the run MPS4Ss in the summer and expect these to be a massive improvement in wet conditions too.

[sensible]

Originally Posted by Kermit

What on earth are you talking about?! You don't *need* winter tyres to drive in that!! Just take it easy. Every other road will be clear anyway.

There is only one way off our estate and it is uphill. Normally, the RWD cars get stuck about two thirds of the way up.

Yes, I will be driving tomorrow and taking it easy, but having driven with my winter set on the difference is night and day in these conditions.

I will be putting the winter set on later in the week when I get a dry day.

There are always those that say you don't need winter tyres, and most of the time you don't. Usually the people who say that have never used them.

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by sensible

There are always those that say you don't need winter tyres, and most of the time you don't. Usually the people who say that have never used them.

Yup, when you've used them and compared the difference it is night and day.

I have avoided several accidents by having winter tyres fitted, including being able to drive clear of a car sliding sideways down a hill towards me.

I've also had a minor very-low-speed accident when I didn't have winter tyres fitted, that resulted in a total write-off, which I can absolutely guarantee would have been avoided had I got winter tyres fitted to that car.


Many of the ones who say they aren't necessary are the ones that can manage to get going, either through careful throttle or the advantage of AWD.
But neither careful throttle nor AWD will help you slow down. Only winter tyres will help that.

But I'm a good driver and I drive to the conditions, ie slowly, anticipation, blah blah bullshit. If someone fails to stop at a junction and careers straight across the road towards you, summer tyres ain't gonna help you stop suddenly. Winter tyres are a damn sure guarantee you'll stop in a vastly shorter distance, or at least hit that car/child/wall at a much slower speed if you don't manage to quite stop.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by sensible

There are always those that say you don't need winter tyres, and most of the time you don't. Usually the people who say that have never used them.

I know users argue they can get around on summer tyres, maybe, but it is so hit and miss, according to what kind of snow we are on and particularly difficult on slush. Can be a bit like saying "you can drive without brakes, if you drive carefully and to the conditions".

I personally have run summer and winter wheels on the same car, same day, on the same roads. A true comparison, the evidence is, "no contest".

I've also been caught out on summer tyres up here, with unexpected early snow. You soon realise how much extra safety the right tyres give you, when used to winter tyres on the same vehicle, in like conditions.

I remember one autumn evening coming back into the Highlands from near Edinburgh, with my son and family in his X3, on summer tyres. We had gone down the day before in mild conditions. Coming back up the A9 we hit a snow storm and had 40 miles across the mountains in typical Highland conditions. That was a long 40 miles, even without other traffic to worry about.

It was the constant feeling, even at slow speeds, you were driving on or near the limits of xDrive. Compared to my RWD car, on winter tyres, where a lot of that trip could have been at twice the speed, with plenty of reserve for braking and car control.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by BBri89

I have avoided several accidents by having winter tyres fitted, including being able to drive clear of a car sliding sideways down a hill towards me.

I've mentioned before, I avoided a car on two wheels and out of control on black ice. Was able to brake and control the car, due to the winter tyres.

That one event made the tyres worthwhile. My escape route, or if braking was non existent, was into the trees and down towards a railway line. A few minutes later a car did just that, ended up in the trees. The accident being cleared up, when coming home, an hour or so later.

[Kermit]

Originally Posted by BBri89

I have avoided several accidents by having winter tyres fitted, including being able to drive clear of a car sliding sideways down a hill towards me.

Lots of people have all avoided accidents by not feeling it necessary to go out in the snow/ice when they don't need to in the first place, just leaving those that feel like they need to justify to themselves why they bought winter tyres in the first place on the roads instead!

[McBeemer]

Another advocate for winter tyres.
Not just for snow, but general cold conditions.
The car feels much more secure on the road with them & it also gives me a chance to give the other wheels a deep clean & coating of C5 for next years use.
I live in an area where we can get deep snow & the car has never let me down, however deep.

[Armaan]

It would be interesting to hear from someone who has run all season, summer and winter for comparison.

Only reason would be the change over and storage for some people, whereas all season might not give the optimal performance in summer or winter, just generally a good all rounder.

Armaan

[BBri89]

Originally Posted by Kermit

Lots of people have all avoided accidents by not feeling it necessary to go out in the snow/ice when they don't need to in the first place, just leaving those that feel like they need to justify to themselves why they bought winter tyres in the first place on the roads instead!

Not everyone has the luxury of not going out in the snow.

I can't work from home, I can't walk to work, the hours I work public transport isn't possible.

If it snows, or it's icy, pretty tough really I just have to get in somehow. And car is the only option.


Plenty of people who have to have access to wheels in bad weather, including first responders in more rural areas where for Red 1 call outs the ambulances cannot make it within the required 8 minutes (sometimes they take 3x that or more), so the local first responders have to get there instead.
Sorry your wife is dying but it's a bit snowy so gonna have to stay in today.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Armaan

It would be interesting to hear from someone who has run all season, summer and winter for comparison.

Only reason would be the change over and storage for some people, whereas all season might not give the optimal performance in summer or winter, just generally a good all rounder.

Armaan

I know a few up here who run the Michelin Cross Climate, with success. Being used on less powerful vehicles and FWD.

I'm open minded on the latest offerings, like the Cross Climate. Tempted to look at them more seriously, before replacing any tyres.

I think if I was running an xDrive vehicle, I'd definitely be looking at the latest high performance All Season tyres. Could be a good compromise with the right choice.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Kermit

Lots of people have all avoided accidents by not feeling it necessary to go out in the snow/ice when they don't need to in the first place, just leaving those that feel like they need to justify to themselves why they bought winter tyres in the first place on the roads instead!

Staying home is the best advice. There are a lot out there who pose a high risk. A bit like COVID.