[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by NanasBack

Snow socks.
Put them in the boot and if you are away from home when it starts snowing, you have every chance of getting home again.
If you are at home when it starts snowing, don’t go out!

Have you ever tried putting any on? Had them for a Jaguar with not much clearance under the arch and it didn't matter how much I tried, I couldn't get them fitted. Waste of money.

For 2,000 miles a year I'd be getting the tyres out of the tyre hotel and sell them on eBay, just stick with summers all year.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Goneinsixtyseconds

Have you ever tried putting any on? Had them for a Jaguar with not much clearance under the arch and it didn't matter how much I tried, I couldn't get them fitted. Waste of money.

For 2,000 miles a year I'd be getting the tyres out of the tyre hotel and sell them on eBay, just stick with summers all year.

Absolutely true, snow socks are an utter waste of time!

[doncarlyon]

Originally Posted by teaston

Absolutely true, snow socks are an utter waste of time!

Well that all depends... i remember a bad winter back in 2010 ish.

Bloke down the street had them on his Scirocco for best part of a week and got around when nobody else could.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Chill59

Please forgive the numpty type question, but my 4 series is the first sports saloon type car I've owned.
When running sporty biased tyres (such as, say, Michelin PS4's) HOW necessary would you say are a set of winter tyres?
I work from home so don't absolutely NEED to use the car every day in winter. I only do about 2000 miles a year total.
It's an auto which will make traction worse.
Could I get through a winter running 'summer' tyres?
I live in yorkshire and we haven't had particularly snowy winters recently.
What's the consensus?
(It's a 428i with 255 rears)

A big reason not to run summer tires in the winter isn't the snow, it's the cold temperatures. I've got Michelin PS4S and their compound is only designed to be driven in temperatures down to 40 degrees F. Winter tire compounds are the opposite and all season tires are pretty much a compromise between the two so that they can be used year round.

A less costly compromise for winter than purchasing winter tires that will keep you, and others sharing the road with you, safer would be to purchase a used set of wheels with the stock runflats that have useful tread on them. They are all season tires that will perform adequately in the cold within a margin of safety. Not sure what's available near you but I see 18" model 400M in 225/45-18 runflats come up for sale regularly. I've also seen staggered setups with 255 rears.

At the prices I've observed you should be able to purchase a used set of wheels including all season runflats for less than a set of winter Michelin X-Ice or Blizzaks. With the low miles you drive a decent amount of tread on the runflats should last you years. If the winter tires you already have are better then mount them on the used wheels and sell the runflats.

[Wills2]

I need to put some winters on, it's hilly round here and you can get stuck very easily, also having winters means you can use the moorland roads when the main roads in the valley are gridlocked.

I know it doesn't snow that often but they have saved my bacon on many occasions over the years when I've been 200 miles from home and had to get back, much better on rain soaked roads as well.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by doncarlyon

Well that all depends... i remember a bad winter back in 2010 ish.

Bloke down the street had them on his Scirocco for best part of a week and got around when nobody else could.

Did he avoid all the gritted roads somehow? You can't use snow socks on clear roads at all.

[NanasBack]

Snow socks!

Comment is aimed at the OP or anyone who only travels 2000 miles a year!

I've used them.
I still have them.

I eventually decided to put winter tyres on my E90 (RWD) because of the mileage I was doing. (20k+). I also had little control over when i had to make a journey, or where to.

I then kept the snow socks in the F30 (Xdrive) before I eventually bought a set of winter wheels for it.

Although the F30 is 4wd, it is shit in the snow on the Continental summers.
(Admittedly, I never had to use socks on the F30. But it would have been really easy to get the socks on those wheels!)


Snow socks!

[doncarlyon]

Originally Posted by teaston

Did he avoid all the gritted roads somehow? You can't use snow socks on clear roads at all.

He ruined them, then put another set on

But he got around!

[NanasBack]

Qué?

Every time you drive they get rotated.

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by NanasBack

Qué?

Every time you drive they get rotated.

Think he means rotate front to rear to even out wear.

[Misschief]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Think he means rotate front to rear to even out wear.

Which isn’t always possible when you have different sizes front to back. As many BMW’s have.

[tjlees]

Normally bmw Fxx winters are symmetric, well at least mine are, which allows for rotation.

Whether or not winters are required for the UK are usually a annual polarised discussion thread.

For me, being self employed, I absolutely need to get to work/clients, so regardless 2-10 days of snow on surrounding 1:6 hills i can get around, and for several frosty mornings with black ice, my tyres don't become ditch finders.