My car is useless in the snow!

[hawk20]

If you change the spec of the wheels is this a modification and does it have to be reported to the insurers? I can see it now ....a crash and the assessor spots "non standard wheels"......one rejected claim.......

Yes; you do need to notify them but obviously they normally won't mind a bit. Your answer earlier about snow scoks is much the best solution in UK where snow is now a brief and fairly infrequent visitor.

Odd that when I lived in the Peak District and snow came every winter, we usually managed to find our way around with no problems. I think one of the problems today is none of us gets much practice in snow. And the silly fashion for oversize boy racer wheels with low profile tyres.

 

[glojo]

I think one of the problems today is none of us gets much practice in snow. And the silly fashion for oversize boy racer wheels with low profile tyres.

I think it tacful to suggest the latter. I don't care what type of driver you are, with wide, low profile boots you are an accident waiting for somewhere to come to a halt.

Just watch motor racing and when it rains the old style slicks were terrible. I have literally seen formula 1 cars travelling at walking pace slide off the track. The tyres were floating on a layer of water, just like these latest low profiles will 'float' on the surface of the snow. No matter how good a driver you are, this ype of tyre will not penetrate the layer of snow.

Far better to be forewarned.

Sadly there will be those that will ignore this thread and probably blame just about everything other than themselves.

Hindsight might be an extremely expensive option.


John

 

[shadowninja]

Last year, apparently a lot of clueless 4x4 drivers went back to their dealers complaining that their car was sliding all over the place in the snow. That'll be the 22" alloys with "sports" tyres, you muppets!

 

[Silestanix]

Last year, apparently a lot of clueless 4x4 drivers went back to their dealers complaining that their car was sliding all over the place in the snow. That'll be the 22" alloys with "sports" tyres, you muppets!

My freind was one of them with his X5, haha.

This is what my Vito's handbook says

I was going to post up exactly what you said.


I'd try deflating the tyres a little...it worked with my old car when it snowed, I could go up inclined roads locally where other people would struggle. Mum has snowsocks for her car, they work wonders in the snow.

 

[rf065]

All of these posts are the best adverts for winter tyres I've ever seen.
Glad I've got some.

Russ

 

[jeremytaylor]

All of these posts are the best adverts for winter tyres I've ever seen.
Glad I've got some.

Russ

Me too. I have no worries!

 

[GeorgeA]

All of these posts are the best adverts for winter tyres I've ever seen.
Glad I've got some.

Never got my head round this winter tyres requirement.

Do you have a complete set of winter wheels and tyres or simply the tyres themselves?

When do you decide to fit them?........ or remove them?


When it snows I drive extremely carefully (....and slowly) and have had no problems.

 

[MBManInKen]

cough cough!!!

You need to do something about that cough, dear!

 

[jeremytaylor]

It's best to have them on a seperate set of rims - mine are on a second hand set I picked up - that way you won't have salt or other winter debris damaging your nice shiny rims, and it's a lot easier to swap them over.

I tend to put them on over Christmas, before venturing to the Alps, and keep them on until March-ish time. Last time I used them on my old E320CDI we had better grip in the snow than the in-laws in their Subaru Forester 4x4 (on standard tyres).

They are a lot grippier and quieter in the dry too.

 

[Colin_b]

Never got my head round this winter tyres requirement.

Do you have a complete set of winter wheels and tyres or simply the tyres themselves?

When do you decide to fit them?........ or remove them?


When it snows I drive extremely carefully (....and slowly) and have had no problems.

I have a set, on a £20 quid set of steel wheels. Put them on when the temp looks like its going to stay below 10c (last sunday, I decided), and off again usually around 1st week of april, depending on the forecast.

They do wear rather quicker than normal tyres, but do grip better on ice and snow, though aren't a substitute for chains, more a get you home type thing. And no, not on the merc, on the family bus.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=43882

 

[crockers]

Mum has snowsocks for her car, they work wonders in the snow.

How long before they wear out? I was thinking of getting a set for the rears or should I get fronts too?

 

[mercboiuk]

Quote:
Originally Posted by pammy
cough cough!!!

You need to do something about that cough, dear!

It must be from the snow

Darren

 

[hawk20]

Much cheaper to buy snow socks than winter tyres and I think I am right in saying tests have shown them to be much more effective.

 

[Rory]

Much cheaper to buy snow socks than winter tyres and I think I am right in saying tests have shown them to be much more effective.

I have a set of snowsocks but I hope never to have to use them - they're for emergency use only, like chains. You couldn't drive any distance with them on.

Winter tyres would be better called "cold weather tyres", they should give all round better performance than summer tyres once the temp is under 7C. With decent tread - needs to be at least 4mm - they really do make a night and day difference in snow compared to summer tyres.

 

[grober]

Just try putting them on in a blizzard at the side of the road in sub zero temperatures. An extract from the snow sock web site Q/A''s with the relevant bits highlighted
Q3: What sort of conditions can I use them in?
A3: They'll improve traction on any snow or ice - even in soft, deep snow, or in wet snow. It's recommended that you take them off when you get back to tarmac, although the reality is that they probably will be driven on tarmac during those intermittent tarmac / snow / tarmac / snow conditions experienced before leaving the snow for good. (The TÜV test included 50 kilometres at 50 kph on dry tarmac. AutoSock passed this "Misuse test", but of course tarmac driving is not recommended as it increases fabric wear very considerably.)

They do sound a good idea to get you out of a jam but from what they say wont last on tarmac/snow mixed driving situations--a bit like snow chains they work best in conditions where snow is present all the time. In the UK where there is widespread salting/gritting leading to rapidly changing road surfaces tarmac-snow-slush they are not going to last long if you arn't prepared to change them often. May I suggest this can be a very hazardous action in situations of limited visibility/road grip.
Modern winter(Cold Weather) tyres offer the best compromise for safe winter motoring in the UK at present IMHO

 

[hawk20]

Just try putting them on in a blizzard at the side of the road in sub zero temperatures. An extract from the snow sock web site Q/A''s with the relevant bits highlighted
Q3: What sort of conditions can I use them in?
A3: They'll improve traction on any snow or ice - even in soft, deep snow, or in wet snow. It's recommended that you take them off when you get back to tarmac, although the reality is that they probably will be driven on tarmac during those intermittent tarmac / snow / tarmac / snow conditions experienced before leaving the snow for good. (The TÜV test included 50 kilometres at 50 kph on dry tarmac. AutoSock passed this "Misuse test", but of course tarmac driving is not recommended as it increases fabric wear very considerably.)

They do sound a good idea to get you out of a jam but from what they say wont last on tarmac/snow mixed driving situations--a bit like snow chains they work best in conditions where snow is present all the time. In the UK where there is widespread salting/gritting leading to rapidly changing road surfaces tarmac-snow-slush they are not going to last long if you arn't prepared to change them often. May I suggest this can be a very hazardous action in situations of limited visibility/road grip.
Modern winter(Cold Weather) tyres offer the best compromise for safe winter motoring in the UK at present IMHO

Good point. Having heard your well-made case I think I now agree. It is so rare to have solid snow for days on end without at least most parts of any route being cleared or partially so.

 

[Rory]

They do sound a good idea to get you out of a jam

(Snowsocks)
That's exactly why I bought them when I first got my MB - I've managed OK (quite well, even) in FWD cars, but even after an inch of snow none of the RWD cars could get out of our works car park, which had the most gentle of slopes up to the road (main problem was they had to stop to see if road was clear, then couldn't get going again).

In the UK, if the snow is so bad on main roads that you needed snowsocks or chains then all the other traffic would be stopped too, so you wouldn't be able to get anywhere anyway.

 

[pammy]

You need to do something about that cough, dear!

Mm - what do you suggest? Get rid of the irritation?

 

[MBManInKen]

Mm - what do you suggest? Get rid of the irritation?

Sounds promising and potentially entertaining. Make sure there is someone around to film it, nothing like a bit of squirming .

 

[grober]

How not to drive in Winter!

Found this little gem on how not to drive a pick up truck in winter conditions on JALOPNIK. http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-p...or-hoonage-bad-for-insurance-rates-325313.php

I don't think the big truck driver was a happy bunny.