virden Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Can anyone please recommend a winter tyre capable of handling 3-4" of snow. For use on SWMBO's Renault Megane Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricol Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Any of 'em to some degree. Your limit will be the car and skill of the driver in maintaining progress. I've used Colway remould winters (good but no longer exist), Kingpin remould winters (excellent! Supplied by local garage - any tyre place can get them) and currently Nokians (good - from Mytyres.com). Bri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naddy Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Quoting Bricol: Any of 'em to some degree. Bri Second that I've used Nokian WRG2 to great effect on an A4 quattro but buy early in the season to avoid horrific prices. On the other hand a mate of mine who drove a fiesta van for a living got caught out mid-winter and had little choice but to buy some unheard of Chinese winter tyres from a local fitter because it was all they had... Against his better judgement he went for it and was amazed how good they were. They kept him in work and he had no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Locust Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Avon Ice Touring ST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve, Carol and little Cl Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 If you tell me the size of the wheels and tyres I could look to see what the ADAC and the independent "Stiftung Warentest" recommend. They test different sizes each year and publish the results. If you understand German, the ADAC test is here, and the Stiftung Warentest is here. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony1956 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I buy ours from our local (swiss) co-op, probably remoulds or similar, work just fine. In other words anything will do, more important to get the tyre size width profile as narrow and High profile as possible, preferably on smallest steel wheels that will fit over the calipers. More here edit: 3 to 4 inches of snow makes narrower more important. assuming not hammering along motorways or other high speed use. anthony Edited by - anthonym on 7 Sep 2011 20:49:02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPA Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Further to the first question - can anyone advise where I should go to obtain steel wheels & winter tyres to temporarily replace the 18" alloys on a tin top? I want smaller wheels and a larger profile tyre - but whilst I guess it's relatively straight forward to calculate the rolling diameter required, how do I ensure the wheel fits over the disc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricol Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Breakers yard and try 'em. Or find a model in the range with steels and find some on ebay, breakers etc. Mytyres last year, and I assume this year, would flog you winter tyres already mounted on suitable steel wheels - price wasn't tooooo bad. but I found steels for mine, brand new, for a tenner each on ebay. Or rather, Alfa 156 steels that with suitable spacers to correct the offset, fitted my integrale. Bri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil B Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Thumbs up for Mytyres, bought a set of winter tyres mounted on steel rims for my daughter's tin top last year. They came inflated and balanced ready to fit straight on. Mytyres is the UK portal for Reifendirect.de so all the stuff they sell is specced for the German market where winterreifen are pretty much compulsory. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussM Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 2nded the smaller wheel option, that way the tyres are also cheaper. I got a set of OEM alloys of a lower spec model via ebay, fitted Michelin Alpin A4 tyres (brand new with stickers again off ebay) and the difference was amazing last year in the snow in the Peak District. It's also worth mentioning to check in the owners manual what size is recommended for a winter wheel/tyre combo; that way insurance is also not bothered, (mine wasn't anyhow) there was some discussion on various forums on this point last year. Also worth putting all 4 as against 2, as can affect the car balance otherwise. Anyhow I've heard there are two trains of thought on winter tyres, those who don't believe in em (never tried em) and those that use em. In my youth tyres seemed to have a lot more sipes and less circumfrential grooves than they do now. Although I'm sure someone will be along shortly to put me right..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickh7 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Huge Fit them and you will see why people swear by them . They dont work miracles but are very good and make a huge difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricol Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Definitely do all four! You think you'll only do the driving wheels for getting out of snow covered roads, but what happens when you get up to speed on snow covered main roads and need to turn or brake . . . you might find it fun and be able to hang on to it, but your wife . .. with your kids on board . . . sideways into the truck coming the other way . . . You probably fit super duper tyres to your seven for the 500miles a year you do it in, so fitting more suitable tyres to your tin top for the winter for rather more miles to me is a no brainer. Bri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john aston Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 God yes. When I first bought winters I put them on front of Golf GTi Mk2. It ovesteered like a MK 2 Escort. But novelty wore off when I lost it under braking after ...ermm..a mile. To paraphrase the bard," I am not the Stig , nor was I meant to be". Tried lots of makes. They all work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony1956 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 and this one: http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=HP5&url=/index.jsp 'nuff said. Edited by - anthonym on 9 Sep 2011 21:48:58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony1956 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Steve A - ask the manufacturer, or ask a tyre place to look it up - I bought 4 steel wheels homolgated for my car - my mondeo with 215/45 18" wheels came down to 15" 185/65 .. something like that. Use an online tyre calculator like this one: http://www.etyres.co.uk/tyre-size-calculator.htm there are others. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted September 9, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted September 9, 2011 Need to get some for the 21. Thinking about the choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irrotational Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Well I got my 4 steelies from breakeryard.com...realised I'd lost my locking wheel nut, ordered and obtained a replacement from honda...and now ordered some vredstein wintrac's from mytyres.com Will there be any snow!? will i get stuck!? With a baby due on Dec 18th then I really really hope they work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Just picked up some winter tyres thanks to the POBC All four even fit in the boot of the Mazda !! Just got to get them fitted week after next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve, Carol and little Cl Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Changed the tyres on the Ibiza and the Disco yesterday, as the temperatures have plummeted below the magic 7 degree C mark (it was snowing on Saturday ) after it was around 25 degree C the weekend before. The winter tyres aren't just better on snow, but at low temperatures too. As I mention earlier in this thread, the ADAC do a comprehensive test of most of the major manufacturers winter tyres (and summer tyres in the spring) in three or four different sizes. The results show that some are slightly better in some characteristics than others (i.e. performance in the dry, performance in the wet, braking, noise, wear, performance on snow, etc). They quite often show that the cheaper, no name tyres are not as good as the major manufacturers products. They are definitely advantageous over normal summer tyres in anything below 7 degrees C. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6speedmanual Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 The SMMT have been raising publicity about the benefits of winter tyres over the past couple of years. This winter the message seems to have got through a bit better. Maybe this is helped by the fact that we actually had some bad weather last winter? Also I believe the SMMT has been canvassing teh manufacturers National Sales Companies to get behind it and promote it through their service departments. Franchised dealers are starting get on the bandwagon. My BMW driving neighbour has been offred a wheel/tyre package by his dealer which includes swap over and storage of the out of season wheels. Audi are running adverts in the national papers. Oddly, I have not noticed anything from Kwikfit or National Tyres? I would have thought they would see money to be made. Maybe franchised dealers are ahead of the game because the people who take their cars in there are generally able to afford more running expense. As mentioned in a couple of threads on here, it is not too difficult to sort out another set of wheels and tyres. Apart from the initial investment, the increased running cost is not very much as the annual tyre wear is distributed over two sets. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irrotational Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Quoting 6speedmanual: Oddly, I have not noticed anything from Kwikfit or National Tyres? I would have thought they would see money to be made. Maybe franchised dealers are ahead of the game because the people who take their cars in there are generally able to afford more running expense. I would guess that is why - plus you're probably cost concious so the idea of paying to store tyres etc would sound too expensive! You'dbe cheap like me and probably go down my route of scrapyards and internet sites 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted October 10, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted October 10, 2011 Quoting 6speedmanual: Franchised dealers are starting get on the bandwagon. My BMW driving neighbour has been offred a wheel/tyre package by his dealer which includes swap over and storage of the out of season wheels. Audi are running adverts in the national papers. Oddly, I have not noticed anything from Kwikfit or National Tyres? I would have thought they would see money to be made. Maybe franchised dealers are ahead of the game because the people who take their cars in there are generally able to afford more running expense. Peter: I agree that there would be money to be made: I remember doing the BMW promotion/information to their dealers about the winter tyre promo (sometime in the spring) and the video overlay about performance with/without was impessive. Quite why ROSPA or some other body don't promote winter tyres baffles me - it could be financed by the tyre companies or even better the insurance companies (who probably have most to gain). There is every good reason for high street operators to find a way to make a small margin, they need a bit of space (and most of them have absolute barns as premises) and some black pallet wrap. AS it happens, I think that Yoko 21s have done pretty well in winters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted October 10, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted October 10, 2011 So, I have been looking around for tyres for the GJT over the winter (despite having a new set of Yoko21s). On the mytyres.co.uk website - these are offered - I have never heard of Nankang. Any comments? Attn: 6sped/Peter - the Kumhos which you recommended previously are no longer listed in 13" (Kumho KW17?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative bluenose Posted October 10, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted October 10, 2011 I was looking at winter tyres on steel wheels at Mytyres and Nankang came up as reasonably priced at £545 for a set of 4 17"wheels for my BMW. I found this review here Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted October 10, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thanks but that is for a different tyre (SV2 rather than S600) My choice is limited by the size: I'm looking for tyres to fit 13" rims. Edited to add: the SV2 are available as 175/70R13 - I was looking for 185/70/R13 as the Yokos are the latter but narrower may be more suitable (but I will loose some clearance). In fact I find that once I drop to 175/70 R13 I get lots of choice, including some Kumho 7400, Nokian W+ and Vredenstein (those are more expensive). Am I right in having prejudices in favour of brands with a reputation for winter tyres? All are pretty good value (£37 to £52) Edited by - Golf Juliet Tango on 10 Oct 2011 15:03:36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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