Winter tyres

[Jon TDI]

Soon I'll be taking the 18" Audi alloys off the Leon & putting the standard 17" alloys back on.

I'd like to fit some winter tyres on the 17's as the 2 fronts are low anyway.

I've heard some good reviews of the Vredestein Wintrac's but they're not cheap!

Just done a search on ebay for Vredestein tyres & there's a pair of Ultrac's on there.

I know these aren't proper winter tyres but the price is very attractive.

I live at the foot of the North York Moors, so it can get pretty wintery at times. A normal winter might see a few days worth of snow, but no where near as bad as around 5 years ago.

Do I stump up the cash for the Wintrac's or go for the Ultrac's?

[KenONeill]

Does the Leon have traction control and ABS? If so, then I don't think snow tyres are worth bothering with.

[Lady Elanore]

I have had a couple of VAG Diesels (nice and heavy over the front wheels) with ELD and ABS etc and they were both next to useless in the snow around Co Durham:(. They were OK with gentle gradients but on the steep stuff only 4 x 4s and people with aggressive Winter tyres (if you know what I mean by aggresive) seemed to have any real traction.

I am dreding snow in my 1 series, it can get stuck on the flat in snow!:eek:

[Jon TDI]

Does the Leon have traction control and ABS? If so, then I don't think snow tyres are worth bothering with.

Yeah - traction control is tied in with the ESP & ABS as standard.

Just had a chat with a colleague & we came to the conclusion that a set of good wet weather tyres will be just as good......... so I've ordered a pair of Ultracs on ebay for £145!!

[KenONeill]

My reasoning is partly that I've never got my Elegance with ASR and ABS stuck, and I have for it to go up snowy hills that need peak torque revs, so I reckon that if you can get stuck with good "normal" tyres you shouldn't be out in a 2wd car anyway.

[Tom_vRS]

The 328 is terrible in slippery conditions. Had to be pushed out of wet grass recently!

I say go for the Ultracs. EDIT - Good choice!

[Lady Elanore]

My reasoning is partly that I've never got my Elegance with ASR and ABS stuck, and I have for it to go up snowy hills that need peak torque revs, so I reckon that if you can get stuck with good "normal" tyres you shouldn't be out in a 2wd car anyway.

I wondered if the ELD was a bit too abrupt in it’s operation and so traction was lost with the constant breaking effect of the spinning wheel and sudden transference of the load to the other wheel. It was very hilly and steep though.

[KenONeill]

I wondered if the ELD was a bit too abrupt in it’s operation and so traction was lost with the constant breaking effect of the spinning wheel and sudden transference of the load to the other wheel. It was very hilly and steep though.

That's quite possible, and please don't take this the wrong way, but snow is one place where "enthusiastic" use of the throttle doesn't help one bit. Unless I actually need the power for a climb, I tend to move away at idle revs and be upshifting before the turbo really wakes up.

[Jon TDI]

That's quite possible, and please don't take this the wrong way, but snow is one place where "enthusiastic" use of the throttle doesn't help one bit. Unless I actually need the power for a climb, I tend to move away at idle revs and be upshifting before the turbo really wakes up.

Very true.

If things are bad, I tend to set off in 2nd & slip the clutch a little to get things moving.

[sharkrider]

my friend changes the wheels and tyres for winter ones this time of year (he uses the ultracs in the summer! he says they are brill) he puts winter tyres on this time of year ....

generally normal tyres (like my F1's) will go off at 5 celcius, bridgstone and goodyear don't reccomend using them at all below freezing point (many will testify the crappness of F1's in snow) .... winter tyres will always be better than any summer tyre at temps below 5 celcius (especially slushy conditions ect) but will always be worse at temps above 5 celcius.......

if I had the money, I'd get a set of steel wheels and winter tyres to swop over from this time till about march time......

[cheezemonkhai]

Wintrak xtremes in V rated should be fine for autumn, winter and early spring.

I almost got a set but needed 4 new tyres earlier in the year. Very hard to get hold of though.

[loskie]

Ultracs are a summer tyre. Vredestein Quatrac 3 is meant to be a 4 season tyre with M+S markings. Price for my size on Camskill about £50 each (195/65 R15)

[Decron]

generally normal tyres (like my F1's) will go off at 5 celcius, bridgstone and goodyear don't reccomend using them at all below freezing point (many will testify the crappness of F1's in snow)

F1's are leathal in v. cold/snowy weather. They should come with a warning.

[jaymd]

I have had Ultracs before and have just got another set 225/45 17 from my local dealer £265 as i know someone who will fit them for me.

They are a very good tyre and wear rate is alot better than the F1's i have on at the moment.

[Lady Elanore]

That's quite possible, and please don't take this the wrong way, but snow is one place where "enthusiastic" use of the throttle doesn't help one bit. Unless I actually need the power for a climb, I tend to move away at idle revs and be upshifting before the turbo really wakes up.

Me too. I often used 2nd and let the idle revs pull me away, but sometimes you just need welly!!!! I found switching the ELD off sometimes help keep traction rather than reverse and I attributed this to my earlier hypothesis. I haven’t read anything that says I am right, it just feels like that’s what is happening.

[WW_VRS]

F1's are leathal in v. cold/snowy weather. They should come with a warning.

Yeah, they sure do and they caught me out a few times that way..

The estate currently has stock power levels with decent wheels/tyres and suspension partly tweaked so not having any trouble yet, but once the project moves on again, it will possibly change again

[KenONeill]

Me too. I often used 2nd and let the idle revs pull me away, but sometimes you just need welly!!!! I found switching the ELD off sometimes help keep traction rather than reverse and I attributed this to my earlier hypothesis. I haven’t read anything that says I am right, it just feels like that’s what is happening.

Just to confim ELD - Electrickery Locking Diff? If so, I think you've got to be right, because switching difflocks on and off at speed is worse than not having them!

[Lady Elanore]

Just to confim ELD - Electrickery Locking Diff? If so, I think you've got to be right, because switching difflocks on and off at speed is worse than not having them!

I am pretty sure that SEAT refer to ELD as a clever locking diff sort of thing, when in reality it is just the spinning wheel that is braked, ie only one wheel drive still applies and that drive bounces from side to side once the dammed thing starts to kick in. Proper diff locks are brilliant……… do you think this sort of comment is why I am single?:(

[KenONeill]

Depending on how hard it brakes and fast it cycles, if it works by braking the spinning wheel it just might work!

Why should comments like that mean that you're still single? To me all it means is that you don't meet the right sort of men! In which context, and being serious, I'd view it as a positive although I don't know you well enough to know if I'd be interested in a romantic relationship or not. I'm just saying that IME relationships between couples with common interests work out more often and better than between couples who just want to jump each other!

[Jon TDI]

I've never had the ELD operate in the Leon, only in my old Ibiza TDI Sport.

It's neither use nor ornament really. It only works below 20mph I think, & is very aggressive. Sounds like somebody's taken your drive shafts out & dragged them along a metal railing!!

[KenONeill]

So not even as good as ASR, which works by cutting back the engine fuelling?

[Lady Elanore]

I've never had the ELD operate in the Leon, only in my old Ibiza TDI Sport.

It's neither use nor ornament really. It only works below 20mph I think, & is very aggressive. Sounds like somebody's taken your drive shafts out & dragged them along a metal railing!!

I think this is why it’s rubbish in snow, it is way too aggressive.:(

My BMWs system is much moe subtle, mind you it's pants in the snow anyway:(