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Winter Tyres: Keep your no-claims discount this winter!



fizzy_drink

fizzy_drink

  Clio 197
Winter Tyres: Keep your no-claims discount, and make your summer tyres last longer.

Hiya,

As you know, once the temperature drops below 7c, your summer (or all-season) tyres do not get up to operating temperature very easily. Potential results:

1- Unnecessary wear & tear on your summer tyres
2- Reduced grip/traction/safety.

I have ordered some Hankook Icebear W300 tyres - 175/50/16. They're not the best winter tyre for deep snow (due to not having deeeeep groves), however they will offer much better grip/traction/safety compared to my STD PE2s.

They cost me under £250 for a set of 4 - £100 less then the PE2s that I run in the summer.

The only REAL extra cost is the spare steel rims (which cost me £160 incl centre caps, brand new)... but you can get them put onto your std rims if you want. Remember... you'll be putting wear & tear onto your summer tyres anyway, so it doesn't actually cost much extra to run two sets.

Potential Benefits:

1- Pull away better (due to specific winter tread & compound)
2- Corner better
3- Stop better
4- Less aqaplaning
5- Tyres last twice as long (due to spreading the wear & tear on two sets of tyres).
6- Alloys last longer, due to less exposure to winter grit/salt & due to less usage.
7- Fewer claims on your insurance in the long run.


They'll be fitted this Saturday... I should have put them on in November really, but I've been otherwise engaged.

Oms.
 
skiptontweed

skiptontweed

  Clio 200 Cup
Oms said:
Winter Tyres: Keep your no-claims discount, and make your summer tyres last longer.

Hiya,

As you know, once the temperature drops below 7c, your summer (or all-season) tyres do not get up to operating temperature very easily. Potential results:

1- Unnecessary wear & tear on your summer tyres
2- Reduced grip/traction/safety.

I have ordered some Hankook Icebear W300 tyres - 175/50/16. They're not the best winter tyre for deep snow (due to not having deeeeep groves), however they will offer much better grip/traction/safety compared to my STD PE2s.

They cost me under £250 for a set of 4 - £100 less then the PE2s that I run in the summer.

The only REAL extra cost is the spare steel rims (which cost me £160 incl centre caps, brand new)... but you can get them put onto your std rims if you want. Remember... you'll be putting wear & tear onto your summer tyres anyway, so it doesn't actually cost much extra to run two sets.

Potential Benefits:

1- Pull away better (due to specific winter tread & compound)
2- Corner better
3- Stop better
4- Less aqaplaning
5- Tyres last twice as long (due to spreading the wear & tear on two sets of tyres).
6- Alloys last longer, due to less exposure to winter grit/salt & due to less usage.
7- Fewer claims on your insurance in the long run.


They'll be fitted this Saturday... I should have put them on in November really, but I've been otherwise engaged.

Oms.
Click to expand...

What car are you running the steel rims on? Ive considered doing this with my 172 Cup but dont know which rims to use.
 
G

Gumby

  Chelsea tractor
Fred said:
the uk - the only country in europe where winter tyres aren't a legal requirement (i think)
Click to expand...
Don't think France is, just the local council/police enforce snow tyres/snow chains in the mountains.

Seriously, Michelin Alpin's aren't much more expensive and they are awesome.
 
V

vincent

  dci126 & H&R'd 1*2
Fred said:
the uk - the only country in europe where winter tyres aren't a legal requirement (i think)
Click to expand...

Gumby said:
Don't think France is, just the local council/police enforce snow tyres/snow chains in the mountains.

Seriously, Michelin Alpin's aren't much more expensive and they are awesome.
Click to expand...


In Belgium & Holland winter tyres arent required either, but rumor has it they'll be obliged by next year, well here in belgium that is, dunno about holland. In Germany, no winter tyres gets you a 1000€ fine:S


Anyways i have some Falken eurowinter's , which have massive grooves and i have to say i'm pretty impressed with them
 
Gardus

Gardus

  Megane RS 250
In Italy they are required only in some mountainous regions, and only when it's been snowing.
Winter tyres and chains are interchangeable, but the tyres must have M+S and the snowflake sign on them.

I went for 4 15" from a clio 1.8 painted matt black by myself and a set of pirelli snowsport w190 and i've been very happy, after 2 days i had mounted them it snowed a lot, the difference in grip was astonishing.

They're not bad on dry tarmac, below zero they are much more grippy than the re050 on the mini. The car is a bit "floaty", a lot less precise turning in the corners, i guess due to higher and softer shoulders.
And the low speed code, only T (190kph) it's evident at very high speeds.
 
_WILL_

_WILL_

ClioSport Club Member
  172 Cup
Once had 2 fitted on the front of my mk4 golf (they were going cheap and i need a cheap set of tyres as i was getting rid of the car in a couple of months) didn't think it would make much difference. Then it snowed and i was amazed, wished i had a set of 4 on, but just 2 on the front made for sum exciting driving. Snowy oversteer anyone? :cool:

If i had the money i would do this. Have been considering it for a while. Where do you order the steelies from and do you have to inform your insurance?
 
fizzy_drink

fizzy_drink

  Clio 197
I got my steelies directly from Citroen - they were under £40 each new, and EXACTLY the same dimensions as the STD alloy wheel.

My dad had to buy a new steelie for his Mercedes, and it cost just over £40. So even if you drive a Merc, they ain't that expensive.

I had to argue with my insurance company... but eventually they agreed to make a 'note' on my policy that I was running steel rims over the winter.

First of all, watch the speed rating of the tyre you're going to purchase. I went for an H rated tyre (130 MPH)... which is more than enough for my C2 VTS.

Also watch the load rating. The tyres that come with your car are sometimes more than you need - check the actual requirements with your manufacturer.

You won't necessarily get the exact size you need. For example, my std tyres are 195/45/16, but couldn't get that size... so I went for 175/50/16 which is nearly identical in rolling radius.

Watch the width of your rims. My rims are 6.5J, so I couldn't go for the 205/45/16 option - which many of you 172/182 drivers would go for!
 
Addz

Addz

ClioSport Club Member
  Trophy, TVR Tamora
is there any need really? just be carefull and there's no need for them
 
C

Cooksport

  Cooksport Fleet
Seems like a good idea.

Fair play for doing it, some people just talk and never get round to doing it.

Thanks for the Info.
 
A

adam1942

  Fiesta ST2
I drive a lot with work and would consider them. something to note you are getting tyres with a rating of 130mph... for the ice and snow? are you f**king rally driving?
 
Last edited:
fUbAr

fUbAr

Spoonie said:
Pointless IMO
Click to expand...

how is it pointless? The point you think is missing is the following:

Its winter. Temps drop during the winter and there's a high chance of snow/ice on the roads. Winter tyres are designed to perform in these conditions. If you decide not to run winter tyres thats your choice, but they're far from 'pointless'

Great info Oms, happy motoring!
 
ForceIndia

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
Tbh this is the first time since I've been driving that they would of been useful.
 
@

@Spoonie

fUbAr said:
how is it pointless? The point you think is missing is the following:

Its winter. Temps drop during the winter and there's a high chance of snow/ice on the roads. Winter tyres are designed to perform in these conditions. If you decide not to run winter tyres thats your choice, but they're far from 'pointless'

Great info Oms, happy motoring!
Click to expand...
In the UK, just drive to the conditions, better cornering listed as an advantage? What figures are we expecting 20mph? Doubt it. On sheet ice no rubber alone is going to help.

Fair enough if you have the £300 to splash out but I really don't see the need.
 
ForceIndia

ForceIndia

ClioSport Club Member
  Gentlemans spec 200
Spoonie said:
In the UK, just drive to the conditions, better cornering listed as an advantage? What figures are we expecting 20mph? Doubt it. On sheet ice no rubber alone is going to help.
Fair enough if you have the £300 to splash out but I really don't see the need.
Click to expand...
As said, I've never felt the need before this yr, but you might wanna watch this fella
[YOUTUBE]GlYEMH10Z4s[/YOUTUBE]
 
@

@Spoonie

Interesting video, i do now see that these can help, I take my pointless statement back but do still believe they are limited in this country as our winters tend to be wet rather than freezing as they have been the past few weeks. Could all change though.
 
_WILL_

_WILL_

ClioSport Club Member
  172 Cup
I understand why some of you don't see the point of them, but having used a set briefly i was impressed. I think it is a lot of money, but if they are going to last for a few years, and you can afford them, then i don't see the problem? To be fair tho its prob a bit late now! Plus I gotta get my car through its MOT which my cost a fair bit!!!

Also think it depends where you live? In North Wales, for example, it would make sense as the conditions tend to be worse there more often!
 
MarkCup

MarkCup

ClioSport Club Member
I didn't think the point of winter tyres was all about snow/ice/damp/wet conditions - as Oms clearly stated in his OP the point of them is that they work at cold temperatures whereas normal 'summer' tyres do not.

For a tyre to 'work' properly the tread has to work to turn the car as shown below...a summer tyre at low temperatures will not have the flexibility within the tread for it to do this as it should when turning hence the lower apparent lack of grip...

wheel-slip-angle-1.jpg


Makes a lot of sense to me.
 
Andy_con

Andy_con

ClioSport Club Member
  clio 182
very very interesting.

where would one find the correct winter tyres for a 182?

16inch ideally
 
chrispy.clio

chrispy.clio

  TrackCar & F30 330d
Quite an interesting video.

I suppose when i get a proper job and i get a commuting car then i would maybe think about getting a set of winter rubbers. but i wont be buying any for the 182.

My PE2's are gona be better then my R888's
 
Vish

Vish

  330Ci (Fail)Sport
If we were expecting winters like this every year, especially with a few weeks of snow, I'd definitely get a set of steelies and winter tyres.

Would prob have to jack the coilovers up though for more clearance lol don't think it'd go this high though

2006FOS_-_Burns%27_Subaru_Impreza_WRC_-_001.gif
 
Gaz.

Gaz.

Vish said:
If we were expecting winters like this every year, especially with a few weeks of snow, I'd definitely get a set of steelies and winter tyres.
Click to expand...

Could be a reality in the next decade or two, depending on the gulf stream.

TBH, even just by having a brand new set of "rain designed" tyres has been better this year, due to the softer sidewalls probably.
 
fizzy_drink

fizzy_drink

  Clio 197
Let's forget the snow we've had this year...

...let's go back to when I had my 182, and winters were cold, but not icy.

I remember a VERY pronounced knocking sound when moving the car off the driveway in the morning.... it was the sound of the tyres, which were so cold that they weren't flexible enough to smoothely get me off the driveway (due to the fact that I needed to apply full lock).

That's because the temperature was below 7c - and unless you make huge effort to get them warm, your tyres probably aren't going to warm up to temperature.

PE2s are good in the wet... but not in the cold IMO.

I wouln't spend the money unless I thought it necessary... trust me, I'd rather go Skiing!
 
fizzy_drink

fizzy_drink

  Clio 197
bmh.01 said:
+1

Can't the point of them in "normal" british winter conditions, its not like i'm driving like i'm on a lap timer when its cold cold anyway.
Click to expand...

Dude... my 225 was complete sh*te over the winter months.

It's been greatly improved since then (with the trophy, cup pack, etc...) but it was shocking at the time. If I'd known about winter tyres (I was totally ignorant), I might have gone for some.

PS It ran continentals as STD at the time... which was part of the problem.
 
Andy_con

Andy_con

ClioSport Club Member
  clio 182
i know nothing about tyres and would like some guidance on the correct winter tyres?
 
fizzy_drink

fizzy_drink

  Clio 197
Winter tyres have the following markings on the sidewall:

1) A snowflake (sometimes)
2) "M&S" which stands for Mud and Snow.

Or just go to mytyres, and click on "winter tyres" when selecting...
 
Andy_con

Andy_con

ClioSport Club Member
  clio 182
many thanks for the links guys

so what do you do, buy the tyres first and find rims to match?

or buy the rims first then find the tyres to match?

is there there a correct size i should go for, for the 182?
 
Christopher

Christopher

ClioSport Club Member
  Z4M
Oms said:
Let's forget the snow we've had this year...

...let's go back to when I had my 182, and winters were cold, but not icy.

I remember a VERY pronounced knocking sound when moving the car off the driveway in the morning.... it was the sound of the tyres, which were so cold that they weren't flexible enough to smoothely get me off the driveway (due to the fact that I needed to apply full lock).

That's because the temperature was below 7c - and unless you make huge effort to get them warm, your tyres probably aren't going to warm up to temperature.

PE2s are good in the wet... but not in the cold IMO.

I wouln't spend the money unless I thought it necessary... trust me, I'd rather go Skiing!
Click to expand...

I have the knocking sound too! Never knew it was that!

Good thread!
 
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