Manners Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) This is all relatively new to me as iv only had FWD cars in the past, and none of these had anything near the power my zed has, i spoke to someone at work yesterday, and on the off chance he mentioned i should be getting some winter tyres on as it had certainly done him the world of good in the past. Now, im not too heavy footed, and i drive sensibly in adverse weather conditions, but accidents happen, so in everyones opinion, is it worth getting a set of winter tyres from now until Feb/March time? if so, what brand/tread/style would people recommend, and what should i do with the normal ones whilst they are off? Thanks for any info in advance! Edited October 26, 2015 by Manners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundy Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 nope, unless you live in a snow prone area - I.e. Scotland. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manners Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thanks for the reply mate! I'll hold off then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 indeed, how are the roads around Lincoln, and your usual route to work? Down in sunny leamington we didn't get any snow this year, so kept running on summers no problem. but just aware that grip levels will be somewhat reduced in freezing conditions! if you do decide to get winter tyres, the people who tend to make good summer tyres also make decent winter tyres - with the addition of Nokian, who are Finnish, and so also know a cold winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azure350z Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) I'm not far from you in Notts and I use winter tyres on my Z. The first year that I had my zed I stuck with the Pilot Super Sports in winter but I found a significant lack of grip when it was cold, especially when accelerating at a normal pace up a hill when the car had just been started up. The following year I purchased some Michelin Pilot Alpin's and I love them, I can drive in the freezing temperatures as i would in summer and last year when I drove in the snow i was amazed at the grip that I had, it's surprising how much more grip they give you in the cold. I found the pilot super sports became very hard in the cold and dind't grip well until you had driven for a while and got some heat in them. I wouldn't say it was dangerous to drive on summer tyres through winter but you do loose a surprisng amoung of grip when cold, the winter tyres though will give you some reassurance that you have enough grip on the road. They are winter tyres, not snow tyres but keep in mind that even winter tyres seem crap on ice. Edited October 26, 2015 by Azure350z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy78 Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 There are a large number of factors to consider. Winter tyres are not just for use in snow, but also provide better grip in conditions under 7C, which happens a lot in this country. I've personally never really had an issue and if it get's so bad that I can't drive the car, I'll leave it at home, but not everyone has that option. There is also the factor of increased tyre wear in the winter as summer tyres are designed to operate at higher temps. I guess you'd be looking at around £800 for a set of new winter tyres as well which is quite an investment. How many miles do you do during the winter, if it is a lot and you absolutely cannot be without your car, then the switch may be worth it. I've not heard anyone who has switched complain or say it was a bad idea, but I don't think it's an absolute necessity... now a BMW on the other hand, absolutely needs winter tyres as they are shocking in the snow / ice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilMH Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 There will be a lot of people who say it's not worth it - just drive to the conditions. For what it's worth I have bought a spare set of wheels and winter tyres on many of my RWD cars. I bought both wheels and tyres second hand in each case. Advantages - more confidence in cold conditions. Anything below 7 degrees particularly if wet as well, I prefer to have them. Downside is cost but tyre wear on each set reduced by approx half. When I sell the cars, I sell the winter wheels and tyres and have pretty much got my money back each time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manners Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thanks for all the replies and the info guys, nice to see a range of opinions. My usual journey is a mile or so around a cul de sac/built up area, then onto a main road leading straight onto the dual carriageway for the rest of my journey to work, its 13 miles each way and not the worst of journeys as the main road and dual carriageway will be fairly clear and they are straight-ish which helps! unfortunately there is no alternative means of transport to my work place, £800 does seem quite steep especially if the standard tyres are suitable for low speed/sensible driving. i dont plan on drifting round roundabouts just yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Snow is not the only issue, frosts and ice are a key factor, water displacement is greatly improved too. I can easily get stuck in my village, so little option for me. Changed mine to Winters yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadtrip Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 I paid £666 (easy to remember ) for my Hankook winter tyres and will be switching over for the fifth winter sometime this month. I originally got them as every journey where I used to live involved a long steep hill and snow socks were a pain. These days I don't drive much but when I've got to get somewhere or back from wherever I happen to be then it's good to know I can regardless of the weather. Even if the weather doesn't get particularly bad, during the colder months I get to enjoy better braking and traction and also have the freedom to choose whichever tyre I want for summer. I'd say if you need to use the car and have the money and space to buy and store a second set of wheels then go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Chris Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Thanks for all the replies and the info guys, nice to see a range of opinions. My usual journey is a mile or so around a cul de sac/built up area, then onto a main road leading straight onto the dual carriageway for the rest of my journey to work, its 13 miles each way and not the worst of journeys as the main road and dual carriageway will be fairly clear and they are straight-ish which helps! unfortunately there is no alternative means of transport to my work place, £800 does seem quite steep especially if the standard tyres are suitable for low speed/sensible driving. i dont plan on drifting round roundabouts just yet But, if there is the merest sniff of snow/ice/slush on a minor incline you may regret that choice. If you can afford them, put them on. Swap back in spring. With two sets of tyres both will last for years so in the long run its no financial loss. Mine get fitted on Thurs, but not for the Z it's true. Look at these monsters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z Enthusiast Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Hello mate I live in Lincoln as well. I could of written the same description of your trip to work! 13 miles each way but mine involves the inclines in the middle of town. I will be purchasing some in the next week or so. Admittedly last year wasn't too bad for snow but I think I would of benefitted from winter tyres (I'm not heavy footed and drive to the conditions) but the roads around Lincoln can get quite greasy. You can pick up a set of Kumho kw27s for £495 fitted so in my opinion it's well worth it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadtrip Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Hello mate I live in Lincoln as well. I could of written the same description of your trip to work! 13 miles each way but mine involves the inclines in the middle of town. I will be purchasing some in the next week or so. Admittedly last year wasn't too bad for snow but I think I would of benefitted from winter tyres (I'm not heavy footed and drive to the conditions) but the roads around Lincoln can get quite greasy. You can pick up a set of Kumho kw27s for £495 fitted so in my opinion it's well worth it Have you tried the KW27? My brother had them on his 3 Series (E92) and wasn't impressed but then he can be a bit heavy footed at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z Enthusiast Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 This may sound silly but I had them on my awd Evo 8 and they were fantastic, may be different on RWD though? I've read a few reviews and they generally get good write ups, hopefully someone may pop along and confirm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadtrip Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 This may sound silly but I had them on my awd Evo 8 and they were fantastic, may be different on RWD though? I've read a few reviews and they generally get good write ups, hopefully someone may pop along and confirm I've always had good results with summer Kumho tyres but I've not tried the winter ones. I guess it could come down to driving style, a torquey RWD may well be different if you're expecting to get the same traction as summer tyres in the dry. I use Hankook Winter i'cept evo (W310) in standard 18" sizes on my Zed which I've found brilliant although not tried them in anger when there's snow and ice yet. Had the same on a FWD previously and they amazed me in snow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Get some snow socks for emergencies when you're caught out and about. Reduce right foot weight for cold/wet conditions. Taxi for snow. Simples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadtrip Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Get some snow socks for emergencies when you're caught out and about. Reduce right foot weight for cold/wet conditions. Taxi for snow. Simples I agree, snow socks are only for emergencies. I tried to use them for a week as my commute was only about 2 miles each way including a steep hill, half of which was impassable snow covered roads. The problem you have is that they shred if used even on nearly snow-free tarmac for any distance at all which is why they say you should take them off, but of course where exactly is this clear, level and safe place for you to stop to do that once you're past the worst!? Where I used to live the taxis wouldn't run in snow either. I think the question really is how important is it for you to get to/from wherever it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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