Winter tyres

Panicracing

Junior Member
Messages
376
Just trying to get a bit of feedback on winter tyres. I've never bothered before but albeit this is not for my GS which is tucked up in storage but for my daily E63 AMG. After 2 months of ownership and a remap the car is a real handful on the Pirelli P Zeros so today decided to purchase from Germany full set of genuine AMG wheels shod with Pirelli Sottozeros at a very good price.
After research winter tyres seem to be a good option as even with our conditions nowhere near as bad as our European neighbours them seem to work better in lower temperatures and even with the expense it means my summers tyres will only do 7 months a year mileage.
Would be interested to hear feedback from anybody that uses winter tyres.

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jasst

Member
Messages
2,313
I have used winter tyres for a few years now, used to put them on the car, but as the Maser wont be driven much, if at all in the winter wont be bothering, and don't really use cars that much in winter to warant them, but I do put them on the van, and I swear by them. Few years ago I had just put some on the van (front wheel drive, so with weight in the back pretty useless) and we had 6"of snow one night, went out for a play, and the only things moving were tractors, 4wheel drives, and my van! ended up pulling out stuck cars uphill, so well impressed. They work better than summer tyres at temps below 7deg. They say that a rear wd with winter tyres is better than a 4wd with summer tyres.
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,756
I put winters on my GranTurismo a few weeks ago and it transformed it. I'll not use the car much over the winter, but if/when I do, it makes sense to be using the most appropriate tyres.

Having two sets of tyres costs no more - it simply spreads the mileage and life over a longer period. So why not? If you intend to use the car at all in the colder months, gets some winters. (For what's it's worth, mine are Michelin Alpin 4's.)
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Picked up a set of winters for the GS and put them on my old summer wheels from the 4200 I had in the garage. They are now on the car so I can use it any time I want to over the winter. They take a bit of getting used to as they move around on the blocks a bit but I have to say they taught me far more about handling the car than almost anything else.
 

JonW

Member
Messages
3,259
I'm a strong believer in Winter tyres.

Before I had my Granturismo, I had a BMW 530 Touring and a 335i convertible. Both were sh1te in the Winter, but were transformed with a winter tyre. I now have a full set of Pirelli SottoZeros for my GTS, and it definitely makes it a lot nicer to drive, and much less scary, between November - March / April.
 

Panicracing

Junior Member
Messages
376
Thanks for the feedback chaps, hopefully money well spent.

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Ewan

Member
Messages
6,756
What you spend on winters is saved by reduced wear and longer life on your summers, so you are not actually spending any money at all.

Man maths!
 
Messages
308
Have a summer set and winter set of wheels and tyres for the Forester. Makes life easy as just need to swap wheels. Michelin Pilot Sport 4’s for summer and winter continentals for the winter.

They went on this week. I agree that the difference in performance sub 7 degrees is crazy. I love them. You can drive just as well in cold sh*t conditions as you would with good quality summer tyres in the summer
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
But more importantly, perhaps, is you can stop quicker. It's the other Numpties you need to be wary of. Driving in snow and icy conditions should be compulsory training in some areas.
 

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
But more importantly, perhaps, is you can stop quicker. It's the other Numpties you need to be wary of. Driving in snow and icy conditions should be compulsory training in some areas.

+1. Lots of idiots forgetting to extended braking distances on summer tyres in winter conditions and then those that drive at 35mph everywhere and get in your way.

Winter tyres are ace, got into them in the bad winter of 2010.
 

outrun

Member
Messages
5,017
Another vote for winters on my daily drivers. I have a 530d m sport which is full of torque and slides on a warm day, never mind in the winter. All rear wheel drive cars should have them north of Birmingham. Can't see any politician pushing a law that costs the common man £500 but they really should. Haven't bought them for my leased Volvo as it goes back in the summer (unless I buy it) but I should have when we first got it. It's **** in the wet and cold, torque steers all over the place as it's pushing about 225bhp through the front tyres (front wheel drive, not four wheel drive). I used the Vredestein all season Quatrac 4 on my Mini and they are a good compromise for those that want an all year round solution. Gave me that piece of mind that it would move safely in all conditions and had a slow wear rate too which is nice.

You also tend to see an extra couple of mpg from winters, helping the man maths calculator to make them feasible. As other have mentioned, if you consider that you're not wearing the summer tyres for 4 months or so of the year, the cost quickly becomes covered.
 

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
Plus winter tyres do more miles than summers so they are actually very cost effective despite the change over costs.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Adding to the VFM; one set of winters should do many years service, they have huge depth of tread :)
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
Adding to the VFM; one set of winters should do many years service, they have huge depth of tread :)

They normally do 3 to 4 winters, depending on driving obviously. They lose a lot of effect once they get down to 5 to 6mm though, hence you see lots of offloaded second hand sets, on the usual places, from the continent.
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
I have a set of wheels and tyres for my daily driver with a full set of good year ultragrip tyres for winter and i think they help a lot, better in the cold and wet, better grip in cold and night and day in snow and ice from the summer tyres. i would agree that the mileage you save on the summer tyres offsets the cost of the winter tyres. Having used them in the snow and ice i would not be without them,definitely worth it.
 

outrun

Member
Messages
5,017
What happens to the TPMS when you swap wheels?

Provided you have TPMS sensors in both sets, nothing happens. They're about £60 each or so or £389572395785795 if you buy the Ferrari Maserati branded ones!