[jonwilliams40]

Please forgive me for being stupid but do I need winter tyres?

My Up! is coming with the 16" Triangles as included with the sports pack. I have bought myself a set of the 16" silver classics to replace them as I've gone off the triangles. I've now bought myself a set of 14" steelies shod with Hankook Kinergy Eco tyres in a view to run them down and replace them with winter tyres. I guess using steelies in the winter is to protect your alloys from the road salt etc, which I understand.

The main point is that I only do 5000 or so miles a year, live in the south of Lincolnshire where we don't seem to get much winter anyway and can count on one hand the number of times I've had to drive in snow over the last five years or so. Am I just following the pack or do I really need a set of winters on standby? I've been driving 28 years, bikes, cars, hgv and psv and never used winter tyres before, well not to my knowledge anyway. Do I need 'em or have I wasted my money?

 

[juux]

Need? No.

Good idea? Yes, if you've the money, space* and time to change them over twice a year. A worthwhile investment.

*or more cash to have them stored.

Edited by: juux

 

[markup]

No

 

[luckyjimmy]

Why don't you just buy a set of all weather tyres for the Classics rather than the winter (snow) tyres for the steel wheels. This would be a good compromise, taking account of your annual mileage and our changing weather patterns.

 

[markup]

I thought it was summer from today..so why don't we start this thread in October haha

 

[Allybasher]

In a word, no.

 

[Ian986]

Depends on where you live I guess down in the south of the country we don't get as harsh winters but saying that I did purchase some winter tyres for our up as where my girlfriend lives is only country lanes and no gritting and as she works for the emergency service she can't not come in due to bad weather

 

[move up!]

http://www.ford.co.uk/FordFleet/NewsAndReviews/FordForBusiness/2012/October/Winter-Tyres-Stopping

'Winter Tyres are not ""˜snow' tyres and will outperform Standard Summer Tyres in all conditions below 7�°C, not just snow and ice. The average temperature for all areas of the UK from November through March can actually be below 7°C'.

http://www.halfordsautocentres.com/Landing-Page---Miscellaneous/Seasonal/wintertyres/

http://www.btmauk.com/data/files/Why%20fit%20winter%20tyres%2030%20May%202012.pdf

'The perception that winter tyres only give benefits on snow or ice is years out of date. Modern rubber compound technology and advances in tread pattern design mean that the modern day winter tyre also provides higher levels of road safety on cold and damp road surfaces too'.

 

[Bob Up]

Hi Jonas you know i bought a spare set of classics to put winter boots on later on in the year, never bothered before now to be honest but with the recent bad winters and the council not gritting the access roads around the estate decided that winter boots are a prudent investment. Time will tell & at the very least I have a spare set of same type alloys in case one ever gets kerbed/dented etc - as we are keeping the car for a good few years its a win win me thinks

 

[uphu]

I've been driving 28 years, bikes, cars, hgv and psv and never used winter tyres before

The tyres were different in the old times, they were something like the all weather tyres nowadays.

 

[Supermegamonkee]

Well having both I could tell a difference. Buy if you have the spare cash - go for it! I would now wait till later in the year now. I don't care what any says, they make a huge difference in the bad weather, people who say different have never used them.

 

[jonwilliams40]

Hi everyone, Thank you so much for your views and opinions. I think for someone who covers a lot more miles than I do and particularly on higher, less suburban and untreated roads could possibly benefit from a set of winter boots. I only have to drive about 800 yards before I'm on clear gritted roads and we don't ever seem to be hit that hard weather wise when certain areas of the country grind to a halt. I am very rarely forced to drive when the weather is really bad, being able to postpone most journeys until conditions improve. With the development and improvement in modern rubber technology, I think a decent set of all rounders should fulfil my requirements. Thanks again.

Oh, and markup, you're dead right. It was the first day of British summertime when I decided to start worrying about winters, I've sort off missed the boat on this one. I like to get things organised early ok, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it. lol! As the kids would say, I had to laugh.

In that case then, does anyone out there want to buy a set of Hankook Kinergy Eco 165/70 R14 shod steelies with full original VW wheel trims. They've only done a handful of miles, from the showroom to the chaps house where they were taken off and replaced with beautiful black classics. I paid £300 for them which I thought was pretty reasonable. I'll have some sports pack 16" triangles to flog soon if I really don't like the look of them.

 

[_1S_]

In fairly flat terrain, you can easily get by on summer tyres in winter.
I've done so for ages, in all kinds of weather, and I've done so this long winter after a couple of winters on winter tyres.

Winter tyres drive better in winter conditions though - there's no denying that.
If you have hills to climb or descent, it becomes a no brainer to fit winter boots - it'll be a lot safer.

 

[uphu]

If you have hills to climb or descent, it becomes a no brainer to fit winter boots - it'll be a lot safer.

and if you have legs to put on the brake in some situations on flat terrain, it becomes a no brainer to fit winter boots - it'll be a lot safer.

 

[Allybasher]

I live in the Derbyshire hills where we have had 5' drifts the last few weeks. I've had no problems starting, steering or stopping on the standard tyres. I have driven along roads where the only other traffic was 4x4's.

 

[Bob Up]

valid point Nick... dont fix what aint broke! My lil Nemo van battled thru the last lot from Newcastle to Portsmouth passing several "ulitimate driving machines" going nowhere along the way (PMSL) & from what u saying the Up! will cope just as well - but here's hoping we get a summer before I have to put her to that test lol

 

[Allybasher]

That's right Bob. My honest opinion is that while winter tyres probably are better under some conditions, on the Up the difference is not enough to make it worth the extra expense and hassle. Now if I still had a BMW, I would probably think otherwise.

 

[Mulo]

Even if I lived in the sahara, I would still have winter tyres!

 

[M12MKD]

I run them on my citigo. It's not just about snow, grip in wet cold weather is better. It's down to personal choice I've seen enough to warrant the expense to me.

In fact I run winters on both Octavia and citigo.Edited by: M12MKD