 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| skribble wrote: |
As for cost I bought spare wheels for £400 and second hand tyres with 6mm tread for £150 for four. All off ebay. I keep them on for four or five months and that's cheaper than the summer road tyres which are bigger. Interestingly the cars economy improves with winter tyres on it even though the rolling radius is slightly less.
As for insurance I don't inform my insurer. There's so much evidence that using winter tyres is a very good idea that I'm confident they would not have a case in court if they described it as an uninsured modification. Common sense has to prevail. Why would I make the family car more dangerous!!! |
Couple of questions to which I don't know the answer.
Is your apparent improvement in fuel economy an artefact of the reduced radius so the recorded mileage is greater than the actual mileage?
Does an alteration have to be more dangerous to alter the insurance premium? Go faster stripes do not make a car more dangerous but they may be the marker of someone who tends to drive faster even if the individual fitting them does not drive quickly.
Likewise snow tyres may be the marker of someone who drives more frequently on icy roads where others may crash into them.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@T Bar, "Improved" economy is exactly as described, smaller rolling radius=more miles logged than actually covered, hence perceived increase in economy........
And you should always tell the insurers of any modification, the feckers'll do anything to wriggle out of a claim!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| KenX wrote: |
.......
And you should always tell the insurers of any modification, the feckers'll do anything to wriggle out of a claim! |
I told my insurer the wheels would be changed to a second set with winter tyres fitted each winter. They noted the change of wheels on the policy, at no charge, but weren't interested in the type of tyres so long as they were correctly spec'd for the car.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Exactly this, so long as you tell them you're covered and normally at no extra charge for something like this!
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Indeed, and if they get awkward about it try another insurance company!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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When I contacted my insurers they said that the only thing they would be interested in was if someone changed from a standard steel wheel to a more expensive alloy set as the value of the vehicle would go up. Sticking winter tyres and/or steel rims on is not something that I would need to tell them. Nice to see there are some firms possessing common sense.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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They changed the law on some roads in BC this year, and they changed the signage too. The upshot of that seems to be that hire cars with snow tires (sic) are much easier to get this year... for the first time in 30 seasons I actually managed to find a hire car with them. They have a few interesting icons on them which match the ones on the road signs.
Anyway, Canada's easy to drive in if you're from the Dales, but snow tyres really are cheating. With those, as far as I can tell you can drive on anything, even in a crappy 2wd. It changes driving completely from being totally involving to being just like normal driving.
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On the subject of insurance, I'm with Tesco. Told them I would be putting on a new set of steel (non-alloys) wheels with snow tyres and they said there'd be no premium change. My advice would be to inform them, at least then they know....as I'm sure they'll try and wriggle out of anything.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Very glad we had ours for the horrendous autoroute yesterday and for the mountain road this morning
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Poster: A snowHead
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"Even with Quattro transmission it slithered a bit."
Four wheel drive with inappropriate tyres just mean you spin all 4 wheels instead of just 2. No help at all.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
"Even with Quattro transmission it slithered a bit."
Four wheel drive with inappropriate tyres just mean you spin all 4 wheels instead of just 2. No help at all. |
Partly true. It pulled up the slope no problem but it slithered slightly as I was making a 90 degree turn. However, that should not be an issue by the end of this week as I should have my winter wheels and tyres. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Has anyone here tried 4 season tyres? The Goodyear vector 4, for instance, has the mountain and snowflake symbol on it. Presumably that means it is classed as a winter tyre as far as the French police are concerned, but are they any good?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes I have but they wouldn't be as good as a full-on snow tyre I would assume.
I had Vredestein Quatrac 3 on the old 4 x 4 Mondeo and now have Nokian WR on the X Type AWD.
I did and do now use them all year round.
Both do qualify as winter tyres as they have the mountain and snowflake symbols.
I would recommend both....
As always remembering that they work well to get along but you MUST be circumspect with braking and cornering on ice and snow.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The Nokians are classed as an all season tyre simply because they work quite well in summer and you get a event mileage out of them. They are a proper winter tyre though to all intents and purposes. I run mine all year round.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have a new freelander with M+S tyres. In Glasgow the other day I was able to go up hills that a load of cars were slithering at 90deg to the road (to the pavement) and not going anywhere. I stoped to help then carried on. However, on a steep downhill (Gt George Street) I was sliding at 5mph. So I parked the freelander at the house asn jumped in my Honda accord with Goodyear ultragrip 9's and it was a massive improvement. 2 wheel drive and proper tyres. No slipping, no sliding etc etc.
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Some cars (or drivers?) do seem to be especially rubbish though. On Saturday I was trying to get up a steep little twisty section of icy\snowy lane to be met with a Volvo sliding backwards and then all over the place.
I guessed I'd be turning back (mid engined lightweight on shagged summer tires) but it was no problem. Icy for sure but with some thought not hard. Very odd.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@AndAnotherThing.., knowledge of how to drive winter conditions helps a great deal. Problem being that all the muppets have none of the essentials, actually, I think they may lack brains of any sort 
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @AndAnotherThing.., knowledge of how to drive winter conditions helps a great deal. Problem being that all the muppets have none of the essentials, actually, I think they may lack brains of any sort |
Yep. My top tip is take your foot off the blooming accellerator and just use the clutch to pull away then let the engine on slow revs take you there.
Helped a driver the other day get out of my street (after my advice was ignored). Well I helped her pass my parked car. Then she floored it and actually slowed and slid into the pavement..... then after 10 mins of squealling tyres she made it a further 30m.
Also, if you start to understeer, try taking a quarter turn off the lock.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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2nd or even 3rd gear at 'catch-point' revs is greatly under-rated, i feel... or just get some effing proper tyres. ('catch-point' being the point below spinning like a loon and above stalling and sliding backwards completely out of control).
everyone should practice pulling off (ooer) in 2nd on an upslope in the dry just to get a feel for how to use the throttle/ accelerator really, really gently. you'll know if you're doing it wrong, it'll smell foul.
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FAQ
