Not long until the winter tyres go on!

[Dieselman]

Also, how come the braking distances are shorter in the snow than in the wet?

Isn't that where Winter tyres excel, in snow?

 

[John Jones Jr]

Ah, gIzzE, how the devil are you?

Great photo by the way and brings back a few memories. If there was ever a case to justify fitting winter tyres that photo is it. Winters & Summers for me, wouldn't fit 4 Season/All Season again.

 

[Anders]

The ones that have used winter tyres in the appropriate conditions would never want to risk using summer tyres during winter. It may be that during a typical UK winter there will be a few days with light snow and that the majority of the time it would just be wet and cold, but the safety and confidence in the car's ability to handle freezing conditions, with or without snow, that winter tyres provide is for me priceless.

Those that swear that they never got stuck or that winter tyres are a vaste of money will not be convinced, no matter how much praise is heaped on the winter tyres. Unfortunately.

For the record, I will change to winter tyres as soon as night temperatures drop below 5 degrees.

 

[R2D2]

I have to drive long distances and do Scotland fairly regularly and it was on one such journey that I decided that I would never do winter without winter tyres again. I was driving on the M74 at night on dry roads when it started to snow. A mile later it was laying. Another mile and cars were leaving clear cut lines in the snow, another mile and they could cut a track in the snow and a mile later we reached a hill which had lorries sideways , cars spinning- it was franking a frightening situation where my rear drive, summer tyred C Class was 99% useless. If we had not been heavily laden we would have never got off the motorway. Most people spent the night in the snow
Since that occasion and several more minor slips and slides I always use winter tyres over the winter as they make my car much safer.

 

[Chrishazle]

After my first winter experience with the S203, I would not contemplate winter with a C class and "summer" tyres - as that first winter I had almost new Falken FK452's on the car and could not get off the swept driveway! Following winter, on Dunlop winter tyres, I was out and about without sweeping the driveway!!

C class and winter = winter tyres if you want to remain mobile. The S204 will be getting hers on fairly soon, and they'll stay on until March. Added advantage that I can thoroughly clean and wax the wheels while they're off, doing the inside as well as the outside!

 

[gIzzE]

Ah, gIzzE, how the devil are you?

Very well cheers!! You?

 

[Dieselman]

After my first winter experience with the S203, I would not contemplate winter with a C class and "summer" tyres - as that first winter I had almost new Falken FK452's on the car and could not get off the swept driveway! Following winter, on Dunlop winter tyres, I was out and about without sweeping the driveway!!

This was the point I made in another thread. You had worn budget summer tyres on and swapped them for new premium winter ones.

Remember, the Falken winter tyres did poorly in the winter test so worn out summer ones would have been useless.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Very well cheers!! You?

I'll lie and tell the you everything is great! Thanks for asking

 

[wemorgan]

I thought he said he had new Falken 452 on, which when you look at their ratings make them more mid range than budget.

Granted you need to compare apples with apples.

 

[Dieselman]

I thought he said he had new Falken 452 on, which when you look at their ratings make them more mid range than budget.

Granted you need to compare apples with apples.

No Falken tyres are premium and worn out ones won't be any good at all.

 

[wemorgan]

After my first winter experience with the S203, I would not contemplate winter with a C class and "summer" tyres - as that first winter I had almost new Falken FK452's on the car and could not get off the swept driveway! Following winter, on Dunlop winter tyres, I was out and about without sweeping the driveway!!

No Falken tyres are premium and worn out ones won't be any good at all.

But he said that the nearly new Falken summer tyres was no good in the snow. Then he swapped to Dunlop winter tyres (doesn't say new or old) and they were better. That sounds like a fair comparison to me.

 

[Dieselman]

But he said that the nearly new Falken summer tyres was no good in the snow. Then he swapped to Dunlop winter tyres (doesn't say new or old) and they were better. That sounds like a fair comparison to me.

I missed the nearly new Falken bit, but the Falkens did poorly in the test by Auto-Bilt anyway.

imho, it demonstrates more about premium brands.

 

[Howard]

I can testify that driving with worn out 452's in snow is terrifying lol

Coming back from Haslemere , climbing up towards Guildford with rear tyres that I had been trying to squeeze the last thousand miles out of. Snow started to fall heavily , I honestly thought I was going to have a night out at the side of the A3 ! No fun at all.

Drove with (new) 452's all last winter , were fine in the snow on my car. I just adjusted my driving style to suit , much lighter on the throttle , much longer braking distances etc . I guess it's subjective though , I only do local runs anyway. Never any motorway work in the snow.

 

[Dieselman]

I can testify that driving with worn out 452's in snow is terrifying lol

Coming back from Haslemere , climbing up towards Guildford with rear tyres that I had been trying to squeeze the last thousand miles out of. Snow started to fall heavily , I honestly thought I was going to have a night out at the side of the A3 ! No fun at all.

Ironically, I had bought four new Michelins but was attempting to wear the old ones right out, (rears on 3mm, fronts on 2mm) when the snow fell this year.

I didn't have any real problems but had a lot of fun in the uncleared work carpark, but thought it would be daft to crash the car having already got new tyres waiting, so had them fitted.

No issues at all with new Mich's on, surprisingly good.

 

[Chrishazle]

I thought he said he had new Falken 452 on, which when you look at their ratings make them more mid range than budget.

Granted you need to compare apples with apples.

Just ignore DM, he doesn't fully read threads and is antagonistic for the sake of it - without contributing anything useful.

Yes, the Falkens I had on the S203 that first winter were almost new, only a couple of months old. No, they are not budget tyres - they had good write-ups on both Porsche and both MB forums I frequent, which is why I bought them. Yes, they were useless in the white stuff, especially the compacted stuff on the road (cul-de-sac) in front of my driveway. The following year I bought winter tyres (and wheels) from MB Ashford, and that winter I was mobile - so now I have MB winter wheels for my S204.

 

[Dieselman]

Yes, the Falkens I had on the S203 that first winter were almost new, only a couple of months old. No, they are not budget tyres - they had good write-ups on both Porsche and both MB forums I frequent, which is why I bought them. Yes, they were useless in the white stuff, especially the compacted stuff on the road (cul-de-sac) in front of my driveway. The following year I bought winter tyres (and wheels) from MB Ashford, and that winter I was mobile - so now I have MB winter wheels for my S204.

We've already covered the Falkens being almost new and that the tyre testers consider Falkens to be a budget brand which didn't work very well in testing.

I don't understand people buying expensive cars then penny pinching on second rate tyres.

 

[Anders]

I don't understand people buying expensive cars then penny pinching on second rate tyres.

I don't understand people buying expensive cars then penny pinching on summer tyres in the winter.

HTH

 

[R2D2]

How long until we get to only 7c and the winter tyres go on? Last year I changed to mine on 1st November...

 

[C43AMG]

How long until we get to only 7c and the winter tyres go on? Last year I changed to mine on 1st November...

That was three pages ago Greg !!!

 

[R2D2]

That was three pages ago Greg !!!

I needed to remind myself what the thread was about