For all those questioning why they bought snow tyres

Of course they also just work better in temperatures below 7C and when it's wet, which is pretty much the whole winter for the UK. They don't only need snow!
 
A2Steve said:
Yes i'm aware of that, that's why I have them . The title was tongue in cheek :)
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It is strange that every forecast I have looked at right now, including the Met office does not even mention it, so I wonder where the express is getting this news from???

Not doubting it but when the coldest temperature I have seen for Wednesday (for example) is 10 degrees positive!!! it does make you wonder.

Thanks for the heads up though Steve, I only hope that the express reporters are totally wrong

Steve B
 
A2Steve said:
I don't put much faith in The Express but will be interesting if it happens.
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Indeed.

Just googled "express weather forecasts" and they seem to be notorious for this.

I even checked on the daily express weather forecast for next week for Durham (seems North enough to give a balanced forecast?) and apart from -5 overnight on Tuesday the temperatures forecast are around 0 degrees???

We will see.

Steve B
 
Just to note, winter tyres is a more appropriate description, unless you genuinely have the type of studded snow/ice tyres that would be great around an ice rink..

Speaking of which, are snow chains effective over summer tyres or do they need winter spec to perform as intended?
 
Guaranteed that article will come reality if i go out and remove my winters and fit the summers, "sods law".:D
 
sailesh said:
Just to note, winter tyres is a more appropriate description, unless you genuinely have the type of studded snow/ice tyres that would be great around an ice rink..

Speaking of which, are snow chains effective over summer tyres or do they need winter spec to perform as intended?
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Chains will work over summer tyres but winter tyres will get you much further before you need them, if at all.

Spent January in the Alps with my FWD auto A6 on winter tyres, drove often on/after/during heavy snow and didn't need to use the chains once. Went way further than I would have guessed and stopping downhill on hard packed snow and ice had to be seen to be believed. Now wonder the locals get away with driving like lunatics.
 
Gonzo said:
Chains will work over summer tyres but winter tyres will get you much further before you need them, if at all.

Spent January in the Alps with my FWD auto A6 on winter tyres, drove often on/after/during heavy snow and didn't need to use the chains once. Went way further than I would have guessed and stopping downhill on hard packed snow and ice had to be seen to be believed. Now wonder the locals get away with driving like lunatics.
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Hi,

Are you sure that you mean winter tyres?

Winter tyres here do not have studs of any design and the tyre tread is very similar to normal tyres but with some extra slots etc. to aid drainage.
I don't think that this type of winter tyre would get you very far in snow and would certainly skid if you press the brake hard downhill on packed snow and ice.

So I think that you might be confusing these "winter tyres" with "Snow" or "Studded" tyres?

Steve B
 
I mean winter tyres Steve, that are on my cars sat on the drive now and are generally installed from November to March.

They really do give fantastic traction and braking on snow. I can speak from this year's and previous experience. I was expecting to have to crack out the socks or chains on several occasions but they just kept going beyond what I'd expected to be their limits.

Here in the wilds of suburban Essex we live on a slight hill which is not gritted. And from the hill my small drive is uphill. When it snows, getting in and out is severely hampered which is why we got the tyres after the December 2010 snow.

You probably wouldn't actually feel the benefits if you didn't have to drive regualry on ice or snow but they really do work.
 
Hi

That is pretty impressive performance from non-studded tyres.

What make are they?

Cheers
Steve B
 
Conti Winter Contacts. Well worth the money, although I got them on rims from someone on the VWAudiForum - he bought them new for his A4 but they didn't fit!

The Michelin Alpins on the A2 are also impressive but haven't had the same degree of testing! I'd actually expect the A2 to be far better on snow.
 
I know they are called winter tyres but I have always wondered could they just be kept on all year round? Why not if not?
We don't exactly always have the most consistent hot/dry summers?
 
They could be kept on all year around but they are made of a softer material and so wear a lot quicker in warmer temperatures than normal tyres.
 
scott said:
I know they are called winter tyres but I have always wondered could they just be kept on all year round? Why not if not?
We don't exactly always have the most consistent hot/dry summers?
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I've had mine on now for nearly 2 years - don't really do a great deal of mileage in Tank these days, so can't be bothered changing to the summer alloys. No real ill effects in the hottest of weather (I did use the car to move house last summer) other than the ride being quite bouncy, as my winter tyres are 195/55 16's, so quite balloon-y!

Cheers,

Michael

PS The compound on winter tyres isn't necessarily softer, it just doesn't go hard at low temperatures like 'summer tyres do.
 
You could certainly keep them on all year round.

I know several people who do that for convenience but Steve is right - they'll wear more quickly, the ride will be slightly more squidgy (a possible benefit in an A2 :roll eyes:), they'll not handle as sharply and are noisier (noticeably so on my A6 with 245 width tyres). The winter sizes also tend to be narrower but not always.
 
Skipton01 said:
PS The compound on winter tyres isn't necessarily softer, it just doesn't go hard at low temperatures like 'summer tyres do.
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Thats interesting...something I wasn't aware of. It would make sense then that they wouldn't necessarily wear quicker in that case.

I'm itching to get my alloys back on now though and will probably be putting them back on a week saturday. It may be a bit early but I miss the handling of the lower profile tyres on the alloys and the look of an A2 on 17's.
 
Thanks for your replies to my question. Once I finally get tyres for my new 17's I may do something fun/crazy with my 16's for the winter and stick winter tyres on them simply because of how I have read how poor the a2 handles with the wider 17's in the snow (not that it snows much her but just incase) but the a2 never stopped in previous snow with the 16's!

Thanks

Scott,
 
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