winter tyres
Turbo Mini Forums

anyone got any experience/ opinions on manufacturer etc?

Having gone from 4wd to 2wd in the past couple of months and with the weather up here starting to turn, I've been thinking about getting a winter set of wheels and tyres for the golf. Currenty standard fit are 225 45 17s although I see no issue with going down to 16s (i'll need to check they fit mind you).

The other thought was if I could get away with the driven wheels only or should I go for all 4 corners

rob

On the pug i always had new tyres on for the winter, when it was really snowy or icy i would run low tyre pressures worked brilliantly for me so with snow tyres which i belive run at lower pressures (what i made out at ats euromaster the other day) world be perfect. only thing is the.comparisons are done to summer tyres not all year so prob wont make much diff, just get some bigger side wall 16's and new big tread tyres

Drives
-Ford S-max Mk2 Ecoboost
-Rover 100 VVC #2 - track project

Searching is all you need on TurboMinis

Winter/snow tyres run the same pressures as normal tyres.
They use a different rubber compound which remains soft and pliable at cold temperatures, and they have little cuts/sipes in them which again allow the tread to move which helps prevent them clogging with snow/ice.

And having used them for the first time ever last year, I was well and truly amazed at the difference they make.

But I would advise to fit 4. Having only 2 can result in some very sideways handling.
That may sound fun once or twice if you are expecting it to happen, but not so fun when you dont want it to happen.

First pair I got were Marix remoulds, for no other reason than it was all I could get. As soon as I found another pair I bought them too for a set of 4, they were Avon's. Snow had cleared up then so never got to use them.
All 4 are now ready for action this year.

Edited by stevieturbo on 2nd Dec, 2011.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

I've driven in snow in Germany on them (rwd car)and they are amazing.Do fit them to all wheels though.

'Where does the engine go?'

I have a set of Dunlop winter sport 3D for my Audi, I also have set of Hankook ones for my Mini which I didn't ever get round to fitting before I took it off the road.

Last year I fitted them in mid November, this year they just haven't been necessary yet. Last year I had them on my Audi Cabriolet auto which should be quite poor in the snow, but they were fantastic, I found they were so controlled and never came close to getting stuck. This year they are going on my Audi 80 quattro, that is if it ever gets cold enough. I'm really hoping for snow and lots of it as it should be even better with 4WD.

Something a guy i work with told me from when he used to work in a tyre fitting place.
Most winter tyres arent rated the same as all season tyres and arent always rated correctly for the car. Stories of insurance companys kicking off due to this aswell

David.

i've got hold of a set of standard alloys for my 200sx, getting a set of winter tyres for them next week ready for when the snow hits.
Couldn't get it off my drive last year and when i did i managed to get it stuck a few times on the road, wasn't much fun at all.

yes, heard this as well. may be worth a call to my insurer about it as well. the argument could be applied to every tire not ftted by the factory though

Do you think that the A048's on mine will be ok?

In the 13's at last!.. Just

On 3rd Dec, 2011 theoneeyedlizard said:
Do you think that the A048's on mine will be ok?

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

I have a new signature

I fitted some on our Smax last year and went everywhere I wanted with them on, I only put them on the front and even my wife could get about in the snow. We have Nankangs on it and I know they are not the best make in the world but as far as working in the snow and ice they are bloody brilliant. My sister has some on her TT and thinks the same, On my vivaro van I have Maxmiler GT Snow tyres and again a bit of an unheard of brand but do the job a treat. Check out mytyre.com and I would say read the tyre test reports and buy based on that. Some of the bigger and more popular tyres dont get such good reviews and the ones that do are scary money. They are a really good site to deal with and dont take any money until the tyres are actually being dispatched.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Winter tyres?

PAH! Bring it on!

Try turning or braking with that thing without winter tires...

http://www.jbperf.com/

I have Vredestein Snowtrac (3) on the V70 and wouldn't go through winter without. That said, my car weighs in at about 1600kg (and no 4wd).

Dazed and Confused....

I wish Tom ;- looks a bit too clean though for a 4x4

unfortunately the cost of running 2 4x4s is too much for me at the moment; the reality check is making a saving of around £350 a month at the moment on fuel by running the golf as my main driver

On 3rd Dec, 2011 Tom Fenton said:
Winter tyres?

PAH! Bring it on!

On 3rd Dec, 2011 theoneeyedlizard said:
Do you think that the A048's on mine will be ok?

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

^^^ relatively speaking you mean...
I have factory sports suspension and drove it one winter with summer tires, no way I will do that again (having said that, those were champiro tires that were fitted before I bought it, brrrr!)

Edited by Yo-Han on 4th Dec, 2011.

Dazed and Confused....

I would say that a typical small fwd car with snow tyres would be better in the winter than a big heavy 4wd without proper tyres.

it'll grip well, steer well and brake well.

The big heavy 4x4 may get up to speed ok, but steering and braking will still be poor.

Ultimate of course is a 4x4 with proper tyres.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

http://www.jbperf.com/

It is wearing proper AT tyres, last winter it went anywhere I asked of it.

Snow tyres?

http://www.jbperf.com/

Coldest I seen here during darkness last year was -20degC !!

Although it generally warmed up to almost freezing during the day.
The winter tyres I had remained very soft and pliable the entire time. Almost made me consider using them as race tyres lol

Normal tyres I had before, were rock hard. When I had two winter tyres up front and normal at the back. The rears just turned into large balls of ice with no grip whatsoever.
The fronts remained as tyres should with amazing levels of grip considering the conditions.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will