Snow Tyres

[Lancet Fluke]

Don't leave em on!

Snow chains will rip the shit out of your tyres if you use them on anything other than pack snow.

That's what I thought, possibly not great for your alloys either. The issue in the UK is that on a journey you find 50% of roads cleared and 50% still covered in snow, especially in the countryside which is where I do most of my driving. Personally I swear by winter tyres and don't really see it as an extra cost (aside from the one off price of the second hand alloys) because you're not wearing your summer tyres down while you have the winter tyres on, if that makes sense.

 

[BlueSniffer]

The snow chains i bought from Costso are not actual chains, they are made from a rope like material. You can also buy ones made from a thinner velcro type material that are supposed to work just as well.

If you're on a budget, the snow chains will be at least a quarter of the price of snow tyres.

 

[fatbloke]

Get yourself some snow socks. I bought them out of desperation because I was absolutely skint and they were the cheapest option available, they're the best car product I've ever bought and I absolutely swear by them. Our street is very steep and has two very tight bends which makes driving up it impossible in a regular car, even 4x4's struggle because you need the momentum to get up the hill but you need to reduce speed to get round the corners safely if that makes sense. BMW's and Merc's are fucking hilarious with rear wheel drive, we can sit there for hours watching people try and fail.

My little Fiesta didn't get round the first tight bend without the snow socks, with them on I managed to drive up and down the street about a dozen times (we have a care home at the top of the road and quite a few elderly residents who needed a lift up to the top as it's impossible to walk up safely). They literally give you so much grip on snow and ice that if you're sensible you're never going to get stuck anywhere. They take literally less than a minute to get on and off when you get to gritted roads.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Get yourself some snow socks. I bought them out of desperation because I was absolutely skint and they were the cheapest option available, they're the best car product I've ever bought and I absolutely swear by them. Our street is very steep and has two very tight bends which makes driving up it impossible in a regular car, even 4x4's struggle because you need the momentum to get up the hill but you need to reduce speed to get round the corners safely if that makes sense. BMW's and Merc's are fucking hilarious with rear wheel drive, we can sit there for hours watching people try and fail.

My little Fiesta didn't get round the first tight bend without the snow socks, with them on I managed to drive up and down the street about a dozen times (we have a care home at the top of the road and quite a few elderly residents who needed a lift up to the top as it's impossible to walk up safely). They literally give you so much grip on snow and ice that if you're sensible you're never going to get stuck anywhere. They take literally less than a minute to get on and off when you get to gritted roads.

My mate swears by snow socks to get him started.

 

[fatbloke]

I keep them in the boot over winter because they literally roll up and take up no space. I would recommend them to anyone as an emergency get you home aid, they're fucking brilliant. One bloke whose got an X5 at the top of the street was so pissed off, he's a rag too so it made it all the more pleasurable driving past him stuck on the ice where everyone else had been spinning the wheels and compacted the snow. The only other thing getting up and down our street was a Land Rover Defender with big beasty tyres.

 

[Max_Headroom]

We sell winter tyres at work we don't tell customers they are better than standard tyres in snow but they are far better than "normal" tyres in winter conditions below 7 degrees, if you want to get grip in snow and don't want the hassle of fitting and removing chains/socks etc go for snow tyres but bear in mind as someone else has said in the majority of situations you can only go as far and as fast as the car in front with normal tyres fitted.

 

[BlueSniffer]

FB - Sounds exactly like my street - incline with 2 bends. The neigbours do there shopping on line and didn't think to tell the Asda delivery driver that he would have problems getting back up the road. Took them 3 hours to get the thing up the street and this was only a couple of cm's of snow. Taxi drivers were the same.

Snow socks! I couldn't think of what they were called in my previous post although remembered they felt like velcro.

 

[MikeF]

Well, I've had quotes for a budget range at £100 each, £125 for uniroyals but narrower than what I have now ie better in the snow and £150 for the same width, again uniroyals so think I'm gonna go with the £125 option.....I'd rather not shell out at all but as I've moved to up in t'hillls, little option as I'll be fecked if I can't get out!

Oh, and of course I meant winter tyres not snow!

 

[skyblue1894]

We sell winter tyres at work we don't tell customers they are better than standard tyres in snow but they are far better than "normal" tyres in winter conditions below 7 degrees, if you want to get grip in snow and don't want the hassle of fitting and removing chains/socks etc go for snow tyres but bear in mind as someone else has said in the majority of situations you can only go as far and as fast as the car in front with normal tyres fitted.

I work in the tyre industry too & recommend fitting winter tyres if you can afford them. They grip better due to the compound (softer rubber)as well as the tread. They only become worthwhile at 7 degrees & below (as posted above) but will wear out quicker than conventional tyres especially if driven in warmer/drier conditions. You should be able to get them cheaper than £100 though as I see the prices our company pay wholesale. PM if you want any more advice or where to get them.