Wheels/Tyres: Anyone else getting their Winter tyres ready?

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by 961

What has confused many (including local councils, airports etc) is a succession of mild winters over the last 10/15 years

Leaving that aside, once you get over the initial cost, running winter and summer tyres costs little more than sticking with summer tyres all year round

The only difference is the fact that when winter comes you can continue to get around safely

Yes its the initial cost. We need 20 tyres!

[Daim]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Yes its the initial cost. We need 20 tyres!

Well, cut down on cars then

Just kidding... If you need 20 tyres, then ask for a price if ordering 20 tyres - normally a lot cheaper.

My dad needed winter tyres for his 2007 Transit. Cost €600 + fitting... After me having to drag him up a little hill 2010, he decided to buy tyres...

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Daim

Well, cut down on cars then

Just kidding... If you need 20 tyres, then ask for a price if ordering 20 tyres - normally a lot cheaper.

My dad needed winter tyres for his 2007 Transit. Cost €600 + fitting... After me having to drag him up a little hill 2010, he decided to buy tyres...

Wife and I , kids and a work car. Rims are 14, 16 17 18 inch.And that is without counting up the rest of the family! More than likely everyone has the same issues I suppose!!! The 18's in Nokian come in around £175-00 ish a corner!

Probably a better bet to stock up on Coca Cola and JD and stay in!!!!

[golly]

nice wheels
:

[961]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Wife and I , kids and a work car. Rims are 14, 16 17 18 inch.And that is without counting up the rest of the family! More than likely everyone has the same issues I suppose!!! The 18's in Nokian come in around £175-00 ish a corner!

Probably a better bet to stock up on Coca Cola and JD and stay in!!!!

Know exactly where you're coming from

Is it reasonable to do a couple of cars to allow those that must to go and stock up the rest with Coca Cola to stay at home

After all, the MetOffice may be wrong. Balmy winter!

[Bill_56]

Indeed, we have only kitted out one of our cars (my S60) - I've tried to argue the case for getting winter tyres for the Polo too, but never succeeded.

The trigger for us was two years ago when, for the first time in 37 years' driving I got completely stuck at the end of the lane and had to ask neighbours for help. Then it happened twice more in the same week, I was mortified. So I accepted that the combination of modern (summer-only) high performance tyre compounds, unnecessarily wide S60 wheels, and our current location at the end of a steep and unadopted lane, meant that something had to be done.

BTW, when the snow comes down we both in fact work from home, no point point taking unnecessary chances just cos I've got the tyres. But at least we know we can still get out for essential shopping shopping and the likes, if the mood takes us.

[Volvo6]

My take on winter tyres is that (to take inspiration from aviation, something I spend a lot of my time doing...) in order to achieve maximum safety on the road one has to take a holistic approach to it, make margins of safety large and stack the odds as high as possible in one's favour. Usually this involves driving a modern safe car with good active and passive safety, driving to the conditions and driving to the highest standard possible...

Now in the winter there is no argument over the fact that usual safety margins are reduced in ice and snowy conditions and short of driving everywhere at 5mph or not driving at all it is impossible to entirely compensate for that by driver skill alone.

Winter tyres however have the potential to put some of that safety margin back (which road safety has always relied on and explains way deaths on the roads have fallen so dramatically over the last 40 years as active and passive safety systems have improved) and are part of that holistic approach that must be adopted to achieve maximum safety. My V50 is safer in possibly every conceivable way than its equivalent of even just 10 years ago...why throw that all away when the going gets tough under the false pretence that just because you've never needed them you never will...

On a separate point it did reach the point last winter in Scotland where parts of the country were practically shutting down due to the snow, the road outside my flat in Scotland has perhaps a 5% gradient to it but with ice and slush on it the V50 barely struggled up it on summer tyres. I have no desire to be stuck in my house and restricted to places within reasonable walking distance...hence winter tyres.

[gjd]

Originally Posted by Volvo6

My take on winter tyres is that (to take inspiration from aviation, something I spend a lot of my time doing...) in order to achieve maximum safety on the road one has to take a holistic approach to it, make margins of safety large and stack the odds as high as possible in one's favour. Usually this involves driving a modern safe car with good active and passive safety, driving to the conditions and driving to the highest standard possible...

Now in the winter there is no argument over the fact that usual safety margins are reduced in ice and snowy conditions and short of driving everywhere at 5mph or not driving at all it is impossible to entirely compensate for that by driver skill alone.

Winter tyres however have the potential to put some of that safety margin back (which road safety has always relied on and explains way deaths on the roads have fallen so dramatically over the last 40 years as active and passive safety systems have improved) and are part of that holistic approach that must be adopted to achieve maximum safety. My V50 is safer in possibly every conceivable way than its equivalent of even just 10 years ago...why throw that all away when the going gets tough under the false pretence that just because you've never needed them you never will...

On a separate point it did reach the point last winter in Scotland where parts of the country were practically shutting down due to the snow, the road outside my flat in Scotland has perhaps a 5% gradient to it but with ice and slush on it the V50 barely struggled up it on summer tyres. I have no desire to be stuck in my house and restricted to places within reasonable walking distance...hence winter tyres.

Hello

Agreed, though I do drive one of those 10 year old cars you refer to!

If you have responsibility for vulnerable people (elderly parents, even when they live only a few miles away, for example) you might find it necessary to brave the elements to make sure they are OK, or to visit the supermarket on their behalf.

Those of us in that position can't shrug our shoulders, and say "I'll just walk" - winter tyres it is.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by 961

Know exactly where you're coming from

Is it reasonable to do a couple of cars to allow those that must to go and stock up the rest with Coca Cola to stay at home

After all, the MetOffice may be wrong. Balmy winter!

Must admit over all the years I have been driving I have never ever once considered winter tyres. And we have had some bad winters if my memory serves me correct 79 was especially bad along with 91 I think it was.

Have been stuck a few times although carried the essential shovel, carpet, blankets etc - once years ago even had the car starting to slide down a hill when it was stopped with the hand brake on when trying to dig out and get it moving.

I think we shall put winters on the smallest 2 wheel drive car and take a chance on the AWD leaving the summers on, which should be ok with getting moving. Stopping will be worse without winter tyres on the AWD mind, although surely stopping on summer tyres at 20MPH in snow will be similar to stopping on winter tyres at 30+MPH. Must admit if I was driving a tracked tank I still wouldnt go fast in ice and snow!

[mhl]

I'm about to invest in a spare set of wheels + winter tyres for my V50. Is it better to stick with the standard V50 wheel/tyre size (17" x 7"; 205/50 x 17)? - my local tyre specialist has suggested going down a wheel size (16") and changing the tyre profile accordingly.

BTW, what is the standard wheel offset for the V50?