[NoHero]

Think I might wait, as much as I want it now its only going to be stuck on the drive.

I don't think I want my new cars first journey to be in enjoyable and petrified of dinging it.

 

[Truth-seeker]

Wise decision.

 

[Allybasher]

I got mine yesterday and my first trip was a 70 mile round trip to work in a blizzard. It was great in the snow and the heated seats were nice and toastie!!!!


The main problem is that it's now absolutely filthy after 1 day on the road
Edited by: Allybasher

 

[NoHero]

Hah, congrats on the new UP!

 

[timbo58]

Quite wise I think.My high up! black has been abandoned in the office CP tonight/this weekend as it was a horrendous 8 mile struggle to work with front wheel drive only, not knocking the UP, as she behaved impeccably but a 2 wheel drive car is a silly thing to drive in snow/ice although a great car otherwise I don't want to risk her driving in these crappy conditions.
Had a few wheelslips and ABS warnings, so she can stay where she is for now.

 

[Allybasher]

I was pleased how well the Up coped with the arctic conditions actually. It must be a combination of front wheel drive and skinny tyres. Mind you, last time it snowed I was driving a BMW which was abysmal.

 

[Creesey]

Same here - my last car was a BMW and dreadful in ice or snow. The up does really well just do not touch the brake on bends.

 

[b82ry]

I'm reading these "snow in UK"related topicsand smile doesn't go off my face.Ok, if you people are driving on summer tires.. but if you have M+S or winter ones, the panic is too big.

I have snow from the end ofOctober, Ok, my Up with factory sport suspension is shoveling all snow on the road, but it haven't stuck nowhere. So don't be so afraid from snow!

 

[Allybasher]

Winter tyres are a waste of money over here in my opinion as it really only snows one or two weeks a year. If you have something competent like the Up you will cope anyway. Last year I parked the BMW and used my wife's Fox which was also brilliant in the snow.

 

[uphu]

Winter tyres are a waste of money over here in my opinion as it really only snows one or two weeks a year.

Winter tyres are not only for snow, but for wet and cold slippery roads as well. Regarding the waste of money, if you have an accident, than your costs will be several times the price of the winter tyres.

 

[vwild1]

Winter tyres are a waste of money over here in my opinion as it really only snows one or two weeks a year.

Then you miss the point of "winter" tyres, it's more about temperature than snow. Even in (winter) rain winter tyres will out perform summer tyres.


[TUBE]8ncga6UxlHM[/TUBE]




Edited by: vwild1

 

[streakypaws]

Mine is 4 months old now and im still not happy driving it in the snow but have no choice really - just going extra slow at the moment - enjoy youre new up! I'm sure you will - it'll be worth the wait!!!

 

[Zigster]

Winter tyres are a waste of money over here in my opinion as it really only snows one or two weeks a year. If you have something competent like the Up you will cope anyway. Last year I parked the BMW and used my wife's Fox which was also brilliant in the snow.

Bit of a daft comment given people in this thread are talking about not taking their car out because it is snowing!

I've fitted Nokian W+ winter tyres to my Mii Sport. From mytyres, including a set of steel wheels, they came to about £320. And while I'm using my winter tyres, I'm not wearing out my summer
tyres. So the actual cost is pretty minimal - if you think they are a
waste of money, you've probably missed this point.


I've been perfectly mobile since the snow came last Friday - no concerns about getting stuck or sliding off the road. On Sunday, I went up an uncleared, 1-in-6 "private" road where the only other vehicle moved was some jacked up L200 (or something like that) which had enormous off-road tyres. Barely a hint of a slip from the driving wheels.

The problem with four wheel drive vehicles, which many 4x4 owners don't seem to understand (and my other car is a Volvo SUV), is that having four wheel drive doesn't give you miraculous powers of steering and stopping compared with two wheel drive cars. I'd rather be in a two wheel drive car on the right tyres than a four wheel drive car on the wrong tyres.

Germans cope perfectly well in the winters they have (much worse than ours) despite driving RWD BMWs and Mercs. The difference is that they have appropriate tyres for the circumstances.

As others have said, winter tyres are not just for snow - not sure why this confusion seems to be so prevalent in the UK. The Nokian website has quite a good explanation of this - the "Nordic" tyres you would use in constant snow in northern Scandinavia are different from the "European" tyres you would use in cold, frost, light snow, slush, etc that you get for a number of months in the UK.

As a rough rule of thumb, if the temperature is below 7C, winter tyres will have better grip than the summer tyres that are a ridiculous standard fitment for the UK. Most people use their cars in the morning (the commute) when temperatures are below 7C for something like 147 days of the year.

 

[NoHero]

But then commute back when it's not morning

 

[Zigster]

The positives of winter tyres in below 7C temperatures outweigh the negatives in above 7C temperatures, at least in the typical UK winter daytime temperatures.

 

[vwild1]

As others have said, winter tyres are not just for snow - not sure why this confusion seems to be so prevalent in the UK.

2 reasons..

Number 1: TheMountain Snowflake Pictograph

Number 2: M + S (Mud + Snow)

Nowhere does it state: "Best used on cold chilly days below 7° celsius"..!

 

[Zigster]

There was me thinking that the S stood for "sand". And that anti-freeze meant making my mother's sister stay outside in the cold when she comes to visit.

 

[streakypaws]

Haha thats funny lol!!!

 

[move up!]

I switched to using Winter tyres on my cars in 2007, and the difference is amazing! Currently have Bridgestone Blizzak LM20 on my car.

As you say, on cold dry tarmac, or cold wet tarmac they stay soft and grippy. The tread pattern, the sipes ('cuts') in the tread, the casing construction, the rubber compound are all designed to grip better in low temperature conditions, as found in the UK from October to March. And you're not wearing out your Summer tyres, which then last ages. You can only have one set of tyres on the car at any one time, so I can't see where the waste is. Plus, you can always sell the winters if you get rid of the car...