2014/2015 Snow & Winter Weather MegaThread

[Pscylo 10]

Just been having a look at winter tyres that would be suitable for a Zafira... cheapest of the four available are £92 each (so £368 total), it's a significant amount to pay, when you haven't got that kind of money spare.

 

Do you have your winter tyres on throughout the winter, or do you just put them on as the weather forecast predicts snow/ice, and then replace them once that bad spell is over, and keep changing between tyres based on the forecast?

 

Wrong time of year to be buying them really, you will pay through the nose now. I have these:

 

http://www.klebertyres.co.uk/gb/The-Range/All-season-tyres/Quadraxer

 

Put the front two on around July, rears went on a couple of months ago. I live up an old farm track, probably about 1 in 3 in places, certainly 1 in 4 most of the way. Uneven stone surface, not tarmac. Yesterday, I managed to get up the hill after the snow had come. Felt like it as going to lose traction in a couple of places, but each time it just gripped again. Previously if there's snow, I have always been unable to get to the top of the hill.

 

They're an all season tyre that gets the snowflake rating, so I don't need to run two sets. Got them from here:

 

http://www.tyres-pneus-online.co.uk

 

Genuinely surprised at the difference they make. They were about £50 a corner (local garage fitted them for £5 a corner), took a few days to arrive from the continent.

 

You can get dedicated winters cheaper than that (less than £40 if you look hard enough), but I can't be bothered to run two sets. Taxi drivers recommended these for longevity and winter grip, and I guess they should know better than I.

[stereolab 10]

Snow always brings out the idiots who think that gritting 1000s of miles of roads can be done in a matter of minutes, that's it's somehow magically able to melt away 5inches of snow.

 

Then there's those who think that winter tyres somehow prevent you from being stuck behind every other car that's out.

 

*****

[Eater Sundae 12]

Snow always brings out the idiots who think that gritting 1000s of miles of roads can be done in a matter of minutes, that's it's somehow magically able to melt away 5inches of snow.

 

Then there's those who think that winter tyres somehow prevent you from being stuck behind every other car that's out.

 

*****

 

...and those who post without adding anything useful to a thread.

[d71146 10]

I bet the teachers will be miffed that they have missed a perfectly legitimate way of not getting into work........................legs it

True but not nice lol

[kidley 48]

info that some people including me, dont know

 

http://cars.about.com/od/adviceforowners/a/snowtires.htm

[ricgem2002 11]

 

Assuming you`re not caught in the gridlock of everyone else being stuck !

because they didn't plan ahead Edited December 27, 2014 by alternageek

[Mac_Plas 10]

What's it Like at the minute?

 

I'm heading back this afternoon, hopefully it will be gone

[beansforyou 10]

...and those who post without adding anything useful to a thread.

 

Apart from common sense.

[tzijlstra 11]

What's it Like at the minute?

 

I'm heading back this afternoon, hopefully it will be gone

 

Should be fine, just the side roads that are still covered. Use your brain and there is no issue.

[Justin Smith 10]

Someone was asking what the best approach to having winter tires. Seeing that you didn't like my answer have the good grace to suggest your own answer.

 

I`m sorry I didn`t think I was being ungracious, I was simply pointing out that in the real world it isn`t practical. I`d have thought that for people who needed to be as mobile as possible in the winter they`d probably be better off buying a 4WD. When I say 4WD I don`t mean one of those big things (which are a road safety issue in my book as they`re far more likely to kill you if they hit you in an accident....) I mean a 4WD version of a normal car.

[kel-lou 10]

Will I be able to get over the woodhead pass today?

[Justin Smith 10]

Should be fine, just the side roads that are still covered. Use your brain and there is no issue.

 

It doesn`t matter how good ones driving technique is if you have to go up a steep hill and it`s covered in thick snow and/or ice, particularly if you can`t take a run at it. But if you can that`s not exactly safe is it because by definition you`re not really in control of the vehicle, as in stopping would be rather more difficult than if there was normal levels of grip and steering wouldn`t be as certain either.