South of UK - Winter wheels thoughts

[WuffvonTrips]

Even a couple of meters shorter stopping difference could mean the difference between running over somebody and not doing.

Indeed. But that sort of margin could be gained by just driving a few (5?) mph slower in adverse conditions, and might be less reliant on any following vehicles having winter rubber.

Sponsored

 

[f1eng]

Good for you. I've never said they aren't safer. I said no doubt they give better grip. I said I don't need or want to buy them based on 30 years of driving every winter in the NE.

I would have said the same, as a northerner even though I live down south now, until I had a company car in France that automatically had winter tyres fitted when appropriate and I experienced the actual difference.
When I came back to the UK I bought my own for mine and my wife’s cars.

Most people in the UK haven’t tried them IME so like me didn’t realise.
I am just trying to dispel the shortage of experience.

Anyway suit yourself, obviously

 

[Porsche-Guru]

Hi All. I'm prepping for delivery of my car in *some time period* soonish. One thing I've umm'd and ahh'd about is getting a set of Winter Wheels and tyres.

Been living in Hampshire for over 20 years. Been driving RWD all my life. Currently have a 535 and a F82 M4.

Never used Winter Tyres until last Christmas - we decided to drive to Chamonix, France on my 535. The France trip was fine, got a bit of snow, ice.... and it was all good. Winter Tyres handled as expected.

The remarkable difference I saw (back in the UK) was on wet roads on cold days in the early parts of this year.

The difference is quite stark.
- If I wanted, I could constantly swing the rear of my 535 at almost every roundabout on summer tyres; the fronts would lose grip on tight but it takes a lot more violent throttle input to do so with winters.

Having driven RWD almost all my life; I always believed winter tyres to be an overkill, especially for the mild winters we get in South England.
I have always believed that modulating my right foot is the key to better driving (and I still go by that) - but now having actually driven a car with Winters, I am convinced it is a very good investment.

I am going to put Winters on my M4 later in October.

The other thing to have in perspective is that winters do not just perform better in the snow - which we hardly get any in Hampshire anyway; but is it is in the regular cold (sub 10C) wet conditions where the winters actually shine...

My 2c ...

 

[im85288a]

One thing I think no one can deny here is that if winter tyres were mandatory in UK there would be a lot less accidents on the road. This in itself should be enough justification to put them on your own vehicle when temp is below 7 degrees. Each to their own of course but for me (and now my kids) it's something I insist on.

 

[kempez]

Been living in Hampshire for over 20 years. Been driving RWD all my life. Currently have a 535 and a F82 M4.

Never used Winter Tyres until last Christmas - we decided to drive to Chamonix, France on my 535. The France trip was fine, got a bit of snow, ice.... and it was all good. Winter Tyres handled as expected.

The remarkable difference I saw (back in the UK) was on wet roads on cold days in the early parts of this year.

The difference is quite stark.
- If I wanted, I could constantly swing the rear of my 535 at almost every roundabout on summer tyres; the fronts would lose grip on tight but it takes a lot more violent throttle input to do so with winters.

Having driven RWD almost all my life; I always believed winter tyres to be an overkill, especially for the mild winters we get in South England.
I have always believed that modulating my right foot is the key to better driving (and I still go by that) - but now having actually driven a car with Winters, I am convinced it is a very good investment.

I am going to put Winters on my M4 later in October.

The other thing to have in perspective is that winters do not just perform better in the snow - which we hardly get any in Hampshire anyway; but is it is in the regular cold (sub 10C) wet conditions where the winters actually shine...

My 2c ...

Found the same with my C63. The RS3 nowhere near as marked because it was generally more of a 'playstation' car, imo. And hence why I'm thinking of getting some spare wheels. The fact I can store at the dealer is good, my wife hated them in the garage, despite it being a reasonable size!

Now I wait for the dealer to respond about swapping summers for winters on the 20" wheels. I'm not hugely fussed about getting 21" but the extra rubber could be nice. Depending on the answer, I'll order some additional wheels. We shall see!

 

[Porsche-Guru]

One thing I think no one can deny here is that if winter tyres were mandatory in UK there would be a lot less accidents on the road. This in itself should be enough justification to put them on your own vehicle when temp is below 7 degrees. Each to their own of course but for me (and now my kids) it's something I insist on.

Agree,

I really wish Winters were made obligatory in the UK. A lot more tyres would be available at reasonable prices, as the market demand would be huge....

... and to the more important aspect, it would inadvertently help (a little!) the stupid drivers who cannot seem to visually distinguish between a wet damp road riddled with autumn leaves on cold days compared to dry tarmac on a 30C summer day.

 

[Sidicks]

Good for you. I've never said they aren't safer. I said no doubt they give better grip. I said I don't need or want to buy them based on 30 years of driving every winter in the NE.

I guess the point being made is that whether you you ‘needed them’ or not, it doesn’t mean that there were not multiple occasions when they would have been a (significant) benefit.

 

[WRC_1S]

I guess the point being made is that whether you you ‘needed them’ or not, it doesn’t mean that there were not multiple occasions when they would have been a (significant) benefit.

No doubt. But I've never crashed once in the winter in 30 years. Not once. I drive slower, take more care, give way to nuggets who look like they are driving too fast. So yes no doubt there were 1000s of situations that having winter tyres would have made me even more of a safer driver than I am. No doubt at all.

 

[jontybutts]

lol well sometimes I venture above the A303

Did go to the Northern city of Bath once, never again...

 

[WRC_1S]

Did go to the Northern city of Bath once, never again...

You're all Cockneys South of Middlesbrough anyways!

 

[Sidicks]

Did you watch the video that @Mathys posted?
That was one I mentioned earlier but didn’t find.
I would say it makes it clear why all seasons are worth using in a typical cold wet UK winter but, personally, I want the most grip I can get in summer.

Edit:
I also expect the wear of the all-seasons will be high if pressing on in hot weather.

I hadn’t watched it until now. And now I will amend my comment to say that it clearly makes perfect sense to choose all season tyres in a typical cold wet winter!!!


I would previously have expected that the all season tyres would be more compromised (compared to winters) as the temperatures got closer to (and below) zero, but it seems it would be actual snow on the ground, rather than just cold weather, where that might be the case.

I think it certainly emphasises the benefits of changing summer tyres between (say) October/November and February/March, regardless of whether you choose all season or winter tyres for the replacement.

For my current car (RS4) I was able to purchase second hand wheels with winter tyres at a very attractive price, which made it a no-brainer. For my Taycan, when (if?!) it ever arrives, maybe I will choose a second set of wheels with all season tyres rather the winters.

However, in this part of Kent we do seem to experience snow and cold weather (below zero) on many more occasions than many other parts of the South East, so I do end up driving on snow more than might be expected.

 

[Sidicks]

Did go to the Northern city of Bath once, never again...

As far as I’m concerned, Plymouth is classified as ‘Up North’.

 

[kempez]

Did go to the Northern city of Bath once, never again...

there’s nothing North of the Watford Gap. So I’ve heard

 

[W1NGE]

With global warming we (in the UK) are unfortunately least likely to need them...just sayin'

As an aside please don't offend / upset @f1eng - this man knows a thing or three and then some!

 

[Sidicks]

With global warming we (in the UK) are unfortunately least likely to need them...just sayin'

As an aside please don't offend / upset @f1eng - this man knows a thing or three and then some!

Global warming also comes with more extremes of weather too!

Sponsored