Winter Tyres

[Endeleus]

So it's getting towards that time of year again, and my local cabbie conveniently reminded me last week that "we don't come down your way when it snows".

I just managed to survive the winter last year, having moved to the Peak District 2 days before someone turned the blizzards on, but want to be a little more prepared this year as I have a fair old trek to get to a gritted / plowed road if and when the snow does come.

I'm looking at Cooper Discoverer M+S for the winter - I currently run 20" rims on a 2000 P38 2.5, but have the original 18" wheels stashed to one site with set of Pirelli Scorpion ST which look a bit low on tread, so will probably fit these for the winter.

Can anyone give me the good/bad/ugly on the Coopers, or come up with a better suggestion?

 

[DM68]

BFG AT's or General Grabber AT2 on 18" rims will get you anywhere or if it's that bad where you are, snow chains to get you to the major roads. No experience with Coopers so can't comment.

 

[kooky_guy]

I second the General Grabbers!

Mine were brilliant last year in the snow. I only came unstuck once on sheet ice going down a very steep hill. They still got me back up it though!

They are being superseded by a new General Grabber tyre. Not sure what it's like but LRO reckoned it was at least as good and slightly quieter than the AT/2 , although I've not noticed any road noise from mine.

Guy

 

[magictiny]

I have just put General Grabbers on and love em - not tried in the snow yet but already good on the wet grass of the fields

 

[Endeleus]

I appreciate the General Grabbers are a great All Season / All Terrain tyre, but I'm specifically looking for a Winter compound that's going to keep me on the icy tarmac over the next few months.

It's already down to 4 or 5 degrees overnight here, so good time to be changing to get the benefit of the softer compound.

I don't go off-road, and my sport rims do a grand job for the summer, so I'm really just looking for a pure winter tyre that'll see me through from now to Easter.

 

[Datatek]

I seem to remember last winter, Vredstein (if thats how it's spelt!) were rated as good for snow.

 

[Andras]

The winter tyres are made of different material. The M&S ones are not that good for snow, they have more agressive pattern only. Below 7C always should have winter tyres on. Most of Europe have two sets of wheels, one for summer and one for winter.
These Vredestein ones are very good and they well priced. I will be getting some myself..




VREDESTEIN TYRES / WINTER SNOW 4X4 / VREDESTEIN WINTRAC 4 XTREME - 255/55R18 109V XL TL :: £125.58 :: Winter - Snow - Cold Weather - 4x4/SUV Tyres :: R18" - 255/55/18, 255/55 R 18 ::

 

[lowfat]

I have a lot of experiance on snow and ice..

Studless winter tyres are okay on fresh snow you can also use chains or snow socks, on ice they are better than summer tyres but you only have marginal better grip.
They need to be new and clean.If you find you are losing grip try washing the tyres with soapy water it really does make a difference.
I spend time in Scandinavi and the Baltics I have studed tyres....no contest.

 

[wammers]

The winter tyres are made of different material. The M&S ones are not that good for snow, they have more agressive pattern only. Below 7C always should have winter tyres on. Most of Europe have two sets of wheels, one for summer and one for winter.
These Vredestein ones are very good and they well priced. I will be getting some myself..




VREDESTEIN TYRES / WINTER SNOW 4X4 / VREDESTEIN WINTRAC 4 XTREME - 255/55R18 109V XL TL :: £125.58 :: Winter - Snow - Cold Weather - 4x4/SUV Tyres :: R18" - 255/55/18, 255/55 R 18 ::

You learn summat new every day. Did not know Marks & Spencers made tyres.

 

[lowfat]

You learn summat new every day. Did not know Marks & Spencers made tyres.

:doh::hysterically_laughi

 

[rasheed]

nokian.

i have a lot of regard for datatek, really i do, but the difference between where he lives and i do is about another minus 20 degrees in the winter!

 

[Datatek]

nokian.

i have a lot of regard for datatek, really i do, but the difference between where he lives and i do is about another minus 20 degrees in the winter!

15 cetimetres of snow and minus 17C last winter, cold enough? I live at the bottom of a river valley and the last 4 winters it has been impossible to get out without a 4 X 4 Goodyear Wranglers are OK but more grip coming down the hill would be a bonus

 

[wammers]

15 cetimetres of snow and minus 17C last winter, cold enough? I live at the bottom of a river valley and the last 4 winters it has been impossible to get out without a 4 X 4 Goodyear Wranglers are OK but more grip coming down the hill would be a bonus

You should know a lot about the French living there. Tell me why do they have a tri coloured flag but the only part they ever wave in battle is the white bit?

 

[Datatek]

You should know a lot about the French living there. Tell me why do they have a tri coloured flag but the only part they ever wave in battle is the white bit?

You should read up on the history of WW2 with particular reference to the French resistance and the batalions that fought alongside us on the invasion, rarely mentioned in the english version of history, same as the Yanks version has the USA winning the war single handed.:mooning:

 

[wammers]

You should read up on the history of WW2 with particular reference to the French resistance and the batalions that fought alongside us on the invasion, rarely mentioned in the english version of history, same as the Yanks version has the USA winning the war single handed.:mooning:

Yeah i know lots of VERY brave French men and women. But considering the fact that the French army was the largest on earth in 1940 they did not do too well. Invasion by Germany 10 May surrender 22 June. Bet there were a lot more Frenchmen in the German army than came ashore at Normandy with ours.

 

[Datatek]

I don't know, what would you have done having seen what the Germans had done in Poland etc. The French had already suffered huge losses of the male population in WW1, it was thought better to save the population from a repeat of those horrors and apart from the Vichy fight a terrorist war from the inside. Large numbers of French were in any case sent to slave labour camps and of course concentration camps. Other people might have done it differently, for sure if it were not for the Channel the Uk would have fallen too. You have to live her to see the horror of it all. Visit Oradour, the village wiped out in cold blood by the Nazi's as just one example.

 

[wammers]

I don't know, what would you have done having seen what the Germans had done in Poland etc. The French had already suffered huge losses of the male population in WW1, it was thought better to save the population from a repeat of those horrors and apart from the Vichy fight a terrorist war from the inside. Large numbers of French were in any case sent to slave labour camps and of course concentration camps. Other people might have done it differently, for sure if it were not for the Channel the Uk would have fallen too. You have to live her to see the horror of it all. Visit Oradour, the village wiped out in cold blood by the Nazi's as just one example.

Yeah i know mate possibly being a bit harsh. But a lot of the countries we now deal with in the common market (sorry) United states of Europe as it is now becoming. Fought against us in the war. The common market as it was started life as a French benevolent fund and to a large extent still is. One fifth of the entire European agricultural subsity budget is distributed in France. Europe is now controlled by them and Germany, something the Germans tried by force and failed to manage by now do by stealth. It makes you wonder sometimes just who actually won that particular war. We beat Napolean so the frogs could not tell us what to do. We beat the Germans so they could not rule us. (Twice) But now between them they do. Did not do much good all that British blood flowing did it?

 

[rasheed]

so glad you've all accepted that nokian do make really rather good winter tyres. smashing! right then, carry on chaps.
:bolt:

 

[Andras]

Yes, it is very intresting what the topic about winter tyres can come to...
Perhaps the Landyzone can open up a separate place for member Wammers and crew to discuss recent history events...

 

[rasheed]

why would they do that? wammers and data are amongst the most well-rounded and interesting members at least in the rangie area. if you don't want to stick around for a chat no one's forcing you surely?