Winter Tyres!

[The Dogfather]

Well just placed my order for some winter tyres.

Last time we had some Nokian WRG2s and thought they were great, but they've not performed as well in the 2009 tests compared with some of the newer tyres so went for some Dunlop SP Winter Sports 3D instead. Hopefully they'll be a good match for my driving style, bit of a risk but we'll see.



I will report back with details of how they perform over the coming winter...

If anyone lives in an area that gets a reasonable amount of the white stuff I would strongly recommend getting some winters. My Mx5 would turnaround on the spot rather than going forward, once the winters went on I overtook a snow plough uphill

[Craig]

got my Nokians on order at the mo. They will be fitted to a refurbed set of S Spokes for the winter... Wheels about to go off to powdertec and once the tyres arrived they will be fitted.

With my original S Spokes back on the car (the ones that came with the car) it's veering all over the road again with the power on. Thinking of getting the diff checked as it only seems to happen when "on it" on motorways about 50/60

[AndyP & Lenore]

Do these winter tyres work OK on non-snowy roads? Do you get a lot of road noise from them, and do they wear down really quickly because they are a soft compound.

No longer have a 4X4 to keep us going over the winter now, so need to think about something like this for the winter.

A.

[Craig]

these tyres are designed to work on cold, wet, slushy and snow covered roads. They seem to wear well (according to all the reviews I have read) although maybe Paul could give a better idea of durability.

I am fitting them due to the wheels only being used in the winter and from everything I have heard (and read) they seem to give great grip in all conditons (ice excluded ) and with having more power I will be glad of the extra security..

[The Dogfather]

I got two winters out of my Nokians they had about 3mm after about 15k from memory. Slightly noiser than the standard tyres - Michellins - but not as noisy as Federals.

The Nokians are really an all weather tyre, so they can be used all year.

Its not so much the keeping going on snow as mud pluggers could do that, its the cornering and stopping that these tyres give. Wait till some pleb in a 4x4 follows you thinking that he's got better grip on his mud tyres only for him to slide into a ditch at the first bend.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Cheers guys.

Do they come in 18's? Will they work as well in 18's? Should we really be looking at putting a cheap (ish) set of 17's on for ultimate grip over the winter months?

A.

[The Dogfather]

They do winters in any size, obviously narrower tyres will perform better in deep snow but for the dustings we get 18s will be fine. That way you have less of a drop in performance when there is lying snow.

My last set of winters were 215/45R17s, I've only gone for 16s as both the wheels and the tyres were cheaper

[Smitty]

Just drive slower and safer - then you'll havwe no problems in the snow, and no need for (waste money on ) winter tyres

I don't think I have much need for winter tyres - Midlands is hardly a signifcant snowfall area - with last year being the exception! But can see the sense if you live on high ground or in the North of Scotland.

[ianking]

Ive never bought winter tyres before and Ive never had any probs with the Mini. You just need to know how to drive in those conditions.
We get a fair snowfall where I live.

[The Dogfather]

Just drive slower and safer - then you'll havwe no problems in the snow, and no need for (waste money on ) winter tyres

I don't think I have much need for winter tyres - Midlands is hardly a signifcant snowfall area - with last year being the exception! But can see the sense if you live on high ground or in the North of Scotland.

Sorry Smitty but this is absolute rubbish, the benefit of winter tyres is better grip in cold conditions as well as snow. And, if you want to be safe in the snow the only way is to have the right tyres, either that or stay off the road.

When I lived in the Midlands (Leicester) I saw three major snowfalls in the year I was there, I also saw a few minor accidents as a result of the weather.

As for wasting money the only cost is for the rims or the change over, whilst I'm driving on winters my summer tyres are sat in my garage not getting worn so they'll need replacing less.

Anyway here's a video