Winter tyres

[familychoice]

We can't afford a decent 4x4 so thinking about putting winter tyres on the car for a few months at a cost of £80 plus vat each. Not sure if that includes putting them on and off again, probably not, but cheaper than upgrading our car. Got to do it after last winter as Mrs FC lost 3 weeks worth of holiday when she couldn't get into work.

Has anyone used them, and if so are they any good?

[sickpuppy]

One of the guys at work with rear wheel drive bought snowchains last year. It stopped snowing after he did. I'll see how he gets on this year.

[familychoice]

One of the guys at work with rear wheel drive bought snowchains last year. It stopped snowing after he did. I'll see how he gets on this year.

We're hoping for a similar effect, but spending thousands on a 4x4 is a bit extreme just to encourage a mild winter.

[Steve Lampkins]

Over here it's the law to use them at certain times of the year. And people are so used to changing them, it's not a big deal. Supposedly quite easy.

[familychoice]

Over here it's the law to use them at certain times of the year. And people are so used to changing them, it's not a big deal. Supposedly quite easy.

Yeah, I heard it was a legal requirement in some countries. Apparently they're supposed to be good on cold wet roads, as well as snow and ice so they should come in useful here for the summer too.

[sarahA]

I used to use them in Austria. I would imagine at least the first time the £80 would cover swapping them (or be cheeky and ask). I used to have to pay to get them swapped over. Only point I'd make is that if you're just buying the tyres (and not the inner hubs) then your tyres (both summer and winter) could degrade quicker. So if you can afford it, get full inner bits too so that you just have to swap the wheels. I heard stories of people losing tyres to just swapping them over and back again every season.

As for using them. Amazing difference providing the roads have at least been partially cleared/gritted. When i first got to Austria I just had normal summer tyres on, and then one day it snowed about 6 inches and I simply couldn't take my car home from the slopes and had to leave it there. The next day most of the roads had been cleared (much more efficient than the UK funnily enough!) but even then, the drive to the garage to get tyres wasn't fun as I was still catching little patches of snow or ice and slipping. Once I had the winter tyres on I had so much more grip, and although I had the occasional skid and my traction control was flashing up, I never felt out of control.

Only time I had a big problem was a hill covered in thick snow and no grit (unknown to me), then again, you have to go tobogganing whilst there, even if it was in a Smart  (and a lot of the locals crashed too that day so it wasn't just me!).

[Matt]

I had two new tyres last week, and I asked the guy - he said they make a huge difference - and really helps with the amount of snow we have. Apparently more and more people are buying snow tyres.

My brother took his Corsa from Kidderminster to 100m outside Prague and had to have them put on, I think it cost him £12 in total to have them put on.

[sarahA]

Over here it's the law to use them at certain times of the year. And people are so used to changing them, it's not a big deal. Supposedly quite easy.

Yeah, I heard it was a legal requirement in some countries. Apparently they're supposed to be good on cold wet roads, as well as snow and ice so they should come in useful here for the summer too.

I wouldn't use them once the snow has gone (unless you expect it back eg. swap in Nov/Dec time, and back again in Feb/March time). They'll drain your petrol because the car has to work harder (so I was told) plus, I don't know about the UK but in Holland I'm sure my friend told me that it was illegal to use winter tyres in the summer.

[Steve Lampkins]

They are actually a little dangerous in regular weather, I believe. So it's against the law to use them outside those months.

EDIT: As Sarah mentioned

[familychoice]

Thanks for the replies, the bit about Welsh summertime was my lame attempt at humour so ignore that bit.

All sounds good, I'll price up the innertube/wheel thing but whatever it costs it'll be reassuring to know that Mrs FC can get to work, and jnr to nursery more safely.

[Steve Lampkins]

My brother took his Corsa from Kidderminster to 100m outside Prague

Wow, he really wanted those tyres.

[sarahA]

Thanks for the replies, the bit about Welsh summertime was my lame attempt at humour so ignore that bit.

I realised that bit, but was just pointing out not to use them outside of snowy periods

[Steve Lampkins]

Same, but I wasn't going to get fished in by your Welshism trolling.

[Matt]

My brother took his Corsa from Kidderminster to 100m outside Prague

Wow, he really wanted those tyres.

Not sure about the tyres, but he really wanted his 1.1ltr R reg corsa over there. Took him 3 days to get there.

[sickpuppy]

he really wanted his 1.1ltr R reg corsa over there.

I'd have thought you could carry it on as hand luggage?

[wilberforce]

Over here it's the law to use them at certain times of the year. And people are so used to changing them, it's not a big deal. Supposedly quite easy.

Sorry for my ignorance but where is "over here"?

A friend of mine and an aquaintance of Yawner lives in Finland has studded tyres and puts them on in November.

I am led to believe that the Snowtrak tyre from Vrederstien are the dogs  I have some on order.

[sarahA]

Over here it's the law to use them at certain times of the year. And people are so used to changing them, it's not a big deal. Supposedly quite easy.

Sorry for my ignorance but where is "over here"?

I think I'm right in saying he lives in Finland, or somewhere northern europe where they get snow

[Steve Lampkins]

Aye, just round the corner from the North Pole Shell station.