Are winter tyres really needed?

[andyspan]

Not being funny, just a serious question. I think driving on ice/snow is probably more down to technique than tyres. I know tyres are a factor but they wont make an inexperienced driver or a driver without a feel for the road surface one that will be good in these conditions. I've known drivers of go-anywhere Land Rovers come to grief through poor driving skills and I managed to travel around last winter with no problems in my trusty old Berlingo van with Conti van tyres on. I would just like find out if the expense of wheels/tyres is justified considering our relatively kind winters before I make a decision on purchasing.

[BossFox]

No.

They are not "needed" in the South of England IMO.

But we still fitted them to give better traction.

[Guest]

There are probably more benefits to running them but if they were really needed don't you think they would be a required like in Germany?

[lee67]

no!! i live in an hilly part of yorkshire and always have bad winters...3ft deep snow is normal here....my 1.2 s model managed great, infact i was the only one on our close who got on and off during our bad winter just gone...with standard goodyear excellance tyres ...infact all of my previous skoda's have been great in winter

[The Plumber]

From my own experience than yes. Been driving around for years in snow etc. on standard road tyres with care without to much issue. However with my first Yeti I discovered things were not as before after loosing control trying to descend a hill in a heavy snow fall. This I felt had a lot to do with the standard fit wide, low profile and high speed rated sports tyres, which I had no prior experience with in winter conditions. Decided on advice to replace the standard set-up with 16" winters; problem solved. A year later (after letting the first Yeti go) my wife's new Fabia experienced similar issues; kept getting stuck or trying in to spin in the snow or ice (ESP constantly having to correct); again down to sports tyres. Another set of winters and you guessed it back to being drivable again.

During this period we were also running firstly an old Corsa van and then an early Fabia Classic, both on skinny standard road tyres, these unsurprisingly both remained drivable if driven sensibly, although no match for the winter tyre equipped vehicle.

TP

[rockhopper]

In sunny South Croydon with all it's quite steep hills then yes they are very useful.

The only vehicles that got up some of the hills around me were either using snow chains, autosocks or winter tyres.

Oh and me on my mountain bike....... (didn't have winter tyres then....or a snow monster).

Remember that winter tyres are not (just) for snow & ice, but for when the temperature drops below 7 degs. They will help stop quicker than any vehicle equipped with summer tyres in the same conditions.

Personally I think they should be made a legal requirement.

[Gizmo]

No.

They are not "needed" in the South of England IMO.

True we don't get enough snow down here to warrant them:

This was taken on the A20 coming out of London this winter (this all fell within an hour and lasted a few days).

No, winter tyres are not needed but they do make the going much easier, a good driving technique will be better than just winter tyres alone, but add the two together and they are almost unstoppable.

We never used to 'need' them partially due to narrower and taller tyres (remember when 60 profile tyres were considered to be low profile!)

A 1.2 base model (so not fitted as std with stupidly low profile tyres) is just want you need in snow - or winter tyres!

During the last lot of snow we had I was coming home in the snow (in the Superb with the winter tyres fitted), whilst going up a hill I accelerated pretty briskly without any fuss or wheelspin, my stepson who was following me saw how effortlessly I accelerated away from him, yet he almost got stuck as he could not gain traction.

[cjb]

I would have said no before having my Leon and Fabia, especially the Leon. On wide, low profile sports tyres it's a nightmare on snow/ice, on winter tyres I was cheerily driving down lanes packed with snow/ice with the 4x4 owners not believing... Never had any trouble with previous cars- I just think modern sports tyres really don't cut it on snow/ice.

[Lady Elanore]

As mentioned above, don't forget that cornering and braking will benefit too from Winter tyres when it's cold, damp, icy or snowy. As long as I can afford them I will buy them. They really are remarkable and people sadly, are still making the mistake that they think they are only for use in snow :(

[rockhopper]

As mentioned above, don't forget that cornering and braking will benefit too from Winter tyres when it's cold, damp, icy or snowy. As long as I can afford them I will buy them. They really are remarkable and people sadly, are still making the mistake that they think they are only for use in snow :(

Very true.

[Trevorminor]

Get a set, try them and you will wonder why you ever doubted them.

The financial cost and hassle of getting them fitted is completely outweighed by the benefits in terms of acceleration, cornering and braking when the weather is cold enough for there to be any chance of ice on the roads.

My wife is totally convinced, having fitted 'winters' to her Roomster last winter. Having driven her car through a couple of icy winters on regular summer tyres before switching last winter, the transformation is simply staggering.

I personally would welcome their mandatory fitting in the UK as in some other countries. It will never happen because lets face it most motorists could really not be bothered. That's why all of the roads totally clog up with crawling traffic when snow hits the ground.

And what's this about not needing them down South? My memory of the seemingly never ending freezing temperatures and dodgy roads from the last two winters leads me to think that Essex (or my part of it) must have moved north!

[JCP]

They are not needed but after last winter -in St Albans and with a few journeys to north Norfolk- in a Leon I have bought a set for my newly acquired 140 4x4 Yeti.

One journey was difficult and I was at risk of getting stuck driving around a car which had gone partly off the A505 meaning I couldn't continue along the relatively clear ruts.

It is possible to get about well on summer tyres and van tyres are probably quite good. 215/225 section tyres don't cut through the snow/slush as well as narrower ones. The cost of a set of winters is negligible compared with my insurance excess and the inconvenience of having to abort a journey.

It is true that an experienced and competent driver on normal tyres will do better than an inexperienced/incompetent driver with a 4x4 or with winter tyres, that doesn't mean that winter tyres do not have a benefit. Normal tyres are designed for a range of temperatures down to 7c.

Winter tyres are designed to retain their full grip below 7c.

[Yeti_Man]

Personally, after my first winter on winter tyres compared to the others, driving on summer tyres. I'd never go back. They afford so much better traction and control that, to me at least, I wouldn't take the chance of travelling on summers unless I really really had to. Funnily enough, the only people that have ever told me winter tyres are a waste of money in this country, have never used them. I've never known anyone that swapped over to winters say they regretted it either!

[ChrisRs]

I use them on both our cars

The best investment Ive ever made on an 'extra' for the cars

As L Elanor quite rightly states..They arnt just for snow

To the OP....If you think its down to driving technique.....you really havent got a clue how these tyres work

Dont think about it..Get some!!!

[shark_90]

After buying some winter Tyres for the last winter, I'll be using them every year from now on. Much, much better to drive on.

[the_raz]

And remember: Winter driving is not only about being able to keep moving. Being able to break and steer is also an important part of winter driving, and for these parts the winter tires outperform summer tires any day. And no matter how good the driver is, if the tires don't have grip the car won't stop.

I do agree that an experienced driver on summer tires might get further than an inexperienced driver on winters, but imagine what an experienced driver on winter tires will be able to do...

[KenONeill]

According to some of you, I should have had a crash last week, because the temperature here was down to 6C!

OTOH I only ever lost control of my car once in the depths of last Winter, and that was due to a skin of fresh (sticky on tyres) snow over sheet ice. On a separate occasion, I was found driving at 60mph on thin but fresh powder snow.

[faboka vrs]

I see it as this.

Are winter Tyres essential? No

Are summer Tyres essential? No

Are ditch finders good enough to drive on? Yes

Will a more experiance driver find more grip on a normal day with ditch finders than Michelin PS3? Probably

It's all down to a personal thing. But until you try a set you will never know. However unless you know someone with a set you can try you will have to spend money :( to make up your mind.

Some people say you need a remap. For me I'm happy with out.

After running autosocks last year I'm very tempted to purchase a set of winters.

[Bobdog]

Are anti-lock brakes necessary? Are anti-skid/traction control technologies necessary? Are etc etc etc necessary? The answer to all these questions is of course no. A car without any of them will go/stop/steer adequately most of the time for most people. Are any of these things desirable and do they enhance safety and performance in some or all conditions - almost certainly yes. The same is true of winter tyres. You can undoubtedly get by without them, but you would (generally) be safer with them. You pays your money and you makes your choice ...

I'm choosing to buy some next winter, not least because this is the road to my house, halfway up a Pennine hillside, and because I'll drive out to the Alps to ski a couple of times during the season.

[oldstan]

According to some of you, I should have had a crash last week, because the temperature here was down to 6C!

OTOH I only ever lost control of my car once in the depths of last Winter, and that was due to a skin of fresh (sticky on tyres) snow over sheet ice. On a separate occasion, I was found driving at 60mph on thin but fresh powder snow.

I'm wondering what urgent mission you was on that required youi to do 60 on thin but fresh powder snow?

[andyspan]

Well, thankyou all for your valued replies, it would seem the general consensus is that for those that use them they are dog's whatnames. Think perhaps I'll have a look out for a set of wheels/tyres or leave the Yeti in the garage and use the Berlingo in slippery conditions, not so paranoid about damaging that :yes: