gaddafi

I've always considered these to be a waste of time and money in the balmy south east.

I've never used them, nor been tempted too, despite driving predominantly powerful rwd drive cars over the last three years.

However, I needed to buy two new tyres for my (not very powerful) beemer beater (summer Hankook all round) and I normally combine that with a wheel refurb.

Looking for tyres I chanced on a winter tyre (Conti) and wheel set for about the same price as a pair of summer tyres so it was silly to turn down.

I now have a new set of winters on newly refurbed wheels on my car and the original spare set of wheels and summer tyres to get ready (buy two more Hankooks and refurb all four wheels) for March or whenever.

When I collected the new set driving on the originals it was -3.5 and yet again I didn't crash to death.

The winters are now on and temps are closer to zero but it will be interesting to see if I can detect any improvement.

What's the betting?

Meanwhile I haven't crashed to death in my STR or DD6 either.

lovegroova

They might help avoid a similar situation to that when you dinged your old BMW on a sign post in the snow (IIRC).

But given it so rarely snows down here, probably a bit of a waste of time.

gaddafi

If they have anti stupidity filter then maybe.

Best not try to replicate though. I've never understood all that oppo/drifting cobblers!

RobinA3

I always run winter tyres on my E90 330i and also on my wife's Touran, means we do have 2 sets of wheels to store away all year round but I like to have them on the cars knowing that the are better in cold temperatures and also in rain. People will argue that they aren't required in the uk as the weather is rarely bad enough which can be true but I like knowing that stopping distances will be better in freezing temps and bad rain with winter tyres.

Ultra_Nexus

Makes a lot of sense. I'm running around with 595RSRs on and the cold renders them absolutely useless - comical really.

Having said that I went for a 250 mile ride on the Sportsbike a couple of days ago and there was ice on the road. My tyres are indeed summer tyres and again they were bloody useless in the cold - wheels spin and bucking bronco the order of the first 30 minutes whist I got heat into them/the day warmed up. I ran all weather tyres on my Hornet and they really did work well from cold.

So yeah, the difference is huge and but if you're running a Goodyear Eagle, or Toyo Proxes, or Continental Contisport, and you know how to drive, you'll be fine. IMO.

Again, not knocking people who fit them cos it does make sense to get the best grip available.

The danger is the people think that winter tyres work on snow

Nick Graves

It seems AD08Rs work pretty damned well in sub-zero temperatures, too. Someone should tell them they're supposed to be a semi-track day tyre.

Winters work somewhat better than summers on the wrong type of snow, but not much. But not as well as studded, admittedly. It was only when we got the proper winters about a decade ago that they really came into their own, when being held up by useless BMWs was a PIA.

I'm still awaiting a proper winter so that I can demonstrate the overwhelming superiority of SH-AWD. And my own ineptitude, no doubt.

Nottm_S2

I'm further north and it does snow on the odd occassion here. I like to trot out my rationale at this point but it is S2000 bias.

years ago I used to have a commute to Northants from sunny Notts. Me and a few neerdowells car shared a bit. One day it snowed a bit while we were at work. I returned to my car shares pad where my S was parked on a very mild hill. The snow was maybe 30mm deep. Nothing I could do to get the S up this hill. Tried crawling, tried reverse. I was at it for 10-15 mins before a passing gent shoved me up the bloody hill!

I fitted winters.

same winter it snowed again heavily. Winters on I scaled my drive which is steeper than K1 (arsie can attest).

They work even though you don't need them often. Like AA cover to me I guess.

having said that mine aren't on yet. But will be by Monday eve

my SC S2 must be driven with much care in this weather on summers

arsie

More of a K20 really Nottm

Same here. My story from my second S is going the long way round home from work ten miles in Norfolk when it snowed to avoid what passes for a hill round here. It was only with the utmost difficulty and tail-wagging that I managed it up the 'hill' that I forgot up from a railway bridge that the road ducks under. About 5 cms of snow was almost no go. In the spring soon afterwards we got a dog wagon AWD Subaru which became my daily driver.

I put as much power to the weight down through my rear tyres now. Winters went on a couple of weeks back.
Local BMW dealer swaps and stores for free The tyres last longer out of the sun.

edit: really cold snow and ice is forecast as coming - worst since January 2010.
Nick's studded tyres may be needed if we get ice sheets!

unclefester

I've run winter tyres on the S2000 for a few years ( when it was my DD) and also run them on the Aygo. Continental Winter Contact, they work well and are hilariously slidey when it's a bit warm for them. I still maintain any tyre is ok when it's just cold, it's only when you get snow / ice that winter tyres really come into their own.

All that aside, a higher profile tyre on a smaller rim is no bad thing when it's 'bouncing off kerbs' weather or more often, having to mount a kerb to get away from some other sliding out of control dipstick in yet another urban tank on summer slicks fitted to their 22" cruiser rims. AWD gets their 2.5 tonnes moving but it cannot defy gravity when it comes to stopping the thing on slippy tarmac.

arsie

Aye forgot to add that thanks UF. Narrower tyres dig down and grip better.
I already sold my cruiser rims to .... Nottm