Mega Winter Tyres thread, all questions here!!

BostonB

In that case TG you found winters.

Winters are vastly better, more so the more extreme the conditions, and if they simply don't clear roads, or grit them. But many people can get around safely on summers if they drive properly. That what people have done for decades. Granted last winters snow was unusually extreme. If that repeats, we would all need Winter/snow tyres.

Anan1

BostonB wrote: »

But many people can get around safely on summers if they drive properly. That what people have done for decades. Granted last winters snow was unusually extreme. If that repeats, we would all need Winter/snow tyres.

It all depends on your definition of 'safely'. For example, is it safe to drive on bald tyres in heavy rain, if you 'drive properly'? My mother spent something like six hours in the car trying to get home one night last year, as a direct result of clowns thinking they could drive on snow on summers. IMO, responsible drivers have two options for snow & ice - get the correct tyres or leave the car where it is.

BostonB

You're implying anyone on summers is not safe in the winter. Including yourself before you bought winters.

Anan1

BostonB wrote: »

You're implying anyone on summers is not safe in the winter. Including yourself before you bought winters.

Not quite. I'm saying that anyone on summers is not safe on snow & ice unless they drive so slowly as to be a nusiance to other road users. Including myself before I bought winters.

BostonB

Is driving on snow and ice at 50+ on winters that great an idea?

tossy

BostonB wrote: »

Is driving on snow and ice at 50+ on winters that great an idea?

Yes plus its great craic - i loved getting flashed by the Joe Duffy brigade.

kennyb3

BostonB wrote: »

Is driving on snow and ice at 50+ on winters that great an idea?

Yes - visit germany or austria any winter

BostonB

I guess then we should have the same limits as they have. As we have the same standard of road clearing, and enforcement on winter tyres, as they have. Not.

BostonB

TBH it reminds me of one night a few years ago, when we'd had a bit of snow. Some muppet was racing up and down the road, showing how great his 4x4 was in the snow, when he lost control and slid into a line a parked cars. Nice.

tossy

BostonB wrote: »

TBH it reminds me of one night a few years ago, when we'd had a bit of snow. Some muppet was racing up and down the road, showing how great his 4x4 was in the snow, when he lost control and slid into a line a parked cars. Nice.

How do the above 2 or 3 posts remind you of that? I seen a guy in a celtic tiger block layer crew cab do a 360 and bounce of 2 kerbs and ruin his alloys - the moral of the story? buy winter tyres,then you can show off and not make a tool of yourself.

Matt Simis

BostonB wrote: »

TBH it reminds me of one night a few years ago, when we'd had a bit of snow. Some muppet was racing up and down the road, showing how great his 4x4 was in the snow, when he lost control and slid into a line a parked cars. Nice.

This is scaremongering and mud flinging. That story is in no way relevant to driving on Winters in snow. As you have been told by everyone that tried them, its night and day difference. As unbelievable as it sounds, they do allow you to drive at higher speeds, brake better, corner better and generally be much much safer. Winters are not for driving like you have summers (ie super slow and on the edge of your seat the whole way) "but safer". That would be pointless.

Just try them and see, this theorycraft is pointless, we all have a before and after to directly compare to!

BostonB

The point was simple, were you unsafe before you had the winters.

Anan1

BostonB wrote: »

The point was simple, were you unsafe before you had the winters.

Honestly, what part of 'driving on snow & ice on summer tyres is unsafe' are you having trouble with? As pretty much anyone who's used winter tyres will tell you, the difference is night and day.

Edit: Sorry if this sounded a bit rude, I didn't mean it to. But the difference is night & day.:)

BostonB

But the fact is many people have got around for years, simply driving correctly for the conditions. For example driving super slow, is the perfect example of how to get stuck. As did many people, crawl up to slow, get stuck, then sit there digging little trenches by spinning the wheels. I'm not disagreeing that winters are night and day better.

But I'm dragging this off topic. So I'll stop.

testarossa40

fletch wrote: »

The quatracs aren't brilliant in the snow...check out the Autoexpress Winter Tyre Test.

Really? A couple of quotes from the article you provided:

1. "The Quatrac once again demonstrated that you only lose a little performance on snow by going for a four-season option."
2. "We were impressed with Vredestein’s Quatrac, which performed admirably in nearly every category."

And as a RWD Quatrac 3 user myself I concur having experienced excellent performance from them during the last freeze.

Of course a snowflake standard All-seasons Tyre is not going to be as optimised for true snow/ice conditions as a Winter Tyre but rest assured it will be far superior in such conditions than a Summer Tyre.

GTE

BostonB wrote: »

Anan1 wrote: »

You honestly think you can drive safely at 50km/h on snow/ice/slush on summer tyres?

What did you do before you bought winter tyres?

I can answer this.

Most memorably I drove along the Slane to Navan, going slower then 50 and I nearly slipped off the road at every change in direction. Forget corners which were mental, keeping straight was bad once i needed to slow.


It really is the worst advice or implication that Summer there are OK the the snow.

regedit

I am pricing winter tyres for my 2010 Octavia RS. The car comes with 225/45/17 so I think I am going to go with 205/55/16.
Based on reviews, I would love to get Good Year Ultragrip 7 Plus.
Prices so far:
Reifen: 104 Euro per tyre (set of 4 including delivery: 435)
Pneus-online: 125 Euro per tyre (4 tyres delivered to Ireland: 500 Euro)
Eire Tyres: 112 Euro per tyre (for a set of 4, delivered to Ireland 449 Euro)
Camskill (out of stock) but cost: 114 Euro per tire if they had them.

I have checked by email with Reifen and they will deliver to Ireland for a fee of 25 Euro even though IE is not listed on their web site. Also, I just found out that Eire tyres is actually Reifen. So, almosat identical proice between Reifen Tyres and Eiretyres.

I don't know what you think about the prices, service provided by these companies and what prices have you found for winter tyres

E39MSport

I went with the Alpin A4 from pneus-online.

After lengthy research and searching for appropriate rims for the bus I went and ordered the wrong btard size tyres 16s instead of 15s. Dick.

We should have a winter tyre meet on a mountain somewhere during the expected freeze

cjmcork

winters ordered - wooohhoooo............

fletch

cjmcork wrote: »

winters ordered - wooohhoooo............

Me too! Probably won't snow for another 5 years now ha

cjmcork

fletch wrote: »

Me too! Probably won't snow for another 5 years now ha

yeah and I got steelies aswell!!! they're going on the first weekend in November by hook or by crook!

PaddyTheNth

cjmcork wrote: »

yeah and I got steelies aswell!!! they're going on the first weekend in November by hook or by crook!

Can I ask where you got the steelies and roughly how much you paid? I've rung about 5 scrapyards in Dublin and none of them have them and they mostly say they don't get many in.

Considering the eiretyres package but it does add a fair bit to the cost.

Also is it normal to get narrower/smaller tyres when buying winters?

opinion guy

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

Considering the eiretyres package but it does add a fair bit to the cost.

Agreed - its quite expensive for steelies!!

E39MSport

So, I have 2 sets on the way :rolleyes:

One set is going back at no cost to me unless anyone wants to buy them at face value: -

4 X 215/65 R16 98 H MICHELIN ALPIN A4
600 Eur

Otherwise, all I have to do is refuse the delivery and they get sent back and I get refunded.

cjmcork

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

Can I ask where you got the steelies and roughly how much you paid? I've rung about 5 scrapyards in Dublin and none of them have them and they mostly say they don't get many in.

Considering the eiretyres package but it does add a fair bit to the cost.

Also is it normal to get narrower/smaller tyres when buying winters?

I got mine in a scrapyard in Cork like! €80 for the 4 - I know some people were saying not to pay for steels, but I haven't the time to be hunting for them, and I wanted them fast.........I don't know anything about reducing size, so I've bought the same size tyres as I'd have on during the year

fletch

I got steel wheels and Winter tyres on eiretyres. Cost about €600 all in.

regedit

fletch wrote: »

I got steel wheels and Winter tyres on eiretyres. Cost about €600 all in.

What tyres did you go for fletch?
I can see that eiretyres charges an extra 40 euro to deliver the steel rims...

fletch

regedit wrote: »

What tyres did you go for fletch?

Nokian WR D3's. They are a new tyre from Nokian, so couldn't really find any reviews online but decided to give them a shot.

kennyb3

Have a look at gumtree lads - i was prob lucky but got 4 cheap 16' bmw alloys for €150. Bit more than steelies but still a bargin and look better. Plenty of cheap steelies on there too im sure

fletch

I toyed with the idea of getting a set of alloys alright but I couldn't justify the expense of buying a new set and I didn't want a battered second hand set. Oh and I kinda think the car will look purposeful on black steelies with Winter tyres