Anyone else getting their Winter tyres ready?
 

Afternoon!

Anyone else getting ready for Winter? According to the weather frogs, Autumn has began and that means that Winter ain't far now... We have a Winter tyre law here, saying that you MUST fit Winter tyres if driving on snow/ice and other conditions. If you don't, you'll get points (but no prizes) and a nasty fine...

So, I've been getting my rims and tyres ready and thought I'd ask here: anyone else doing so? Anyone else here drive Winter tyres - even though the standard "English Winter" is rather warm and wet compared to a German Winter - except the last couple of years (last X-Mas I was probably the only moving vehicle in South-East England around Harwich :D).

Just thought I'd also show what I'll be using this year (again):
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/...750719a0_b.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/...80538c7c_b.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/...30e5cbbc_b.jpg

Yep, white walls! ;)

So, what will you be driving this Winter? :)

Very cool!

I just sold a set of Avon Ice Touring tyres i had for my old car. I got Continetal wintercontact (or something similar) for the Lolvo. Need to get some for the Honda next

Dunno what size you'll need for your Honda, but I now swear by Barum tyres. They are from Conti (in the Continental group) and are made in Europe - which is for me a very important thing, simply to stablise the € - and have normaly got good results in tests etc. :) Had the Polaris on my old Volvo 960. Have the Polaris II on my C30... My mum's S80 has the Polaris II in 16" - and even there: top results (we had last year loads of snow - unusuall in this area - and they coped very well... :)

grit
 

hi daim,do they not grit the roads over there,i know its a good idea winter tyres but points for not useing them,your winter sleigh looks great,:car:

185/60/14 OR if i go for a spare set of 13 inch steels. Then im not sure on the size.

It currently runs Barum general purpose tyres and they're brilliant! I was only checking them today for general wear and still look perfect.

I think the Volvo will get most use this winter being more resistant to rust, I was also noticing today the Civic's body is not looking so great as they were never very good at resisting rust!

The do grit the roads, but in the last 2 years, as we had a fair bit of snow, the council ran out of snow - two years in a row... They didn't learn.

The reason being is, that there are massive traffic jams caused by lorries and cars not being able to travel up a hill or who simply spin round. Law says, the tyres must be fitted, when the weather requires it. The police won't stop you when traffic flows, but if you cause a jam, you'll get 1 or 2 points and a fine between €40 and €200. If you at the same time are involved in an accident in bad conditions without the appropriate tyres, it will be either your fault or you'll have "part fault". Lets say I drive along with Summer tyres and stop at some traffic lights on ice. I stop with no issue. The car behind WITH Winter tyres can't stop in time and hits me. Normally law says: he pays. In this case law says: he pays and I pay a part - even though I didn't cause an accident...

That is law in Germany ;)

The worst thing though is, that the council will also say "no, we won't grit the roads YET as a lot of snow is yet going to fall". Living at the edge of 3 different councils (DH -> Diepholz, VER -> Verden (Aller) and HB -> Bremen), we get the snow plowed when all the other villages and towns are clear...

So I really rely on my Winter tyres and have a very well educated driving skills on snow and ice (had enough training and can easily take a curve sideways without any issues :D) - of course as well on dry Summer roads... So, with the above mentioned facts and my "skills", I don't want to miss my Winter tyres... :)

Barum really does know how to make a tire :) You confirm my statement with them. My tyres have been driven around 40k km (about 25k mi) and still have a lot of tread. My brother's Dunlop tyres held about 3 years and ~30k km (20k mi!). He paid twice the price a tire (even though smaller etc.). Dreadful things... :(

I'm not ... I'd need to get a set of 4.

If it snows, I've got AWD that'll get me moving. If it thaws and refreezes I will just walk or ride to work. Not worth the risk.

That is what a lot of people think... I pulled an Audi A6 Quattro up a hill last year... My car has FWD and it was only snowing a little bit. The hill wasn't really even noticeable as a hill... I'd more so call it a slight incline ;)

AWD still requires the matching tyres... Otherwise an SUV would be as good offroad, as a Defender with it's rugged tyres... ;) AWD doesn't equal traction... As traction is given via tyres :)

Yep, the difference between traction and grip. Or something like that anyway lol

We had dun-a-plop tyres on before. Loads of meat on them. But had to be replaced as the sidewalls were so cracked i didnt trust them.

Gave em to a "drifter". At least they went out in a blaze of glory!