 Poster: A snowHead
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Start that again…..Travelling down to Les Arcs on Saturday/Sunday in BMW X5 with big plc profile tyres and wonder how the car should cope if we hit this heavy snow fall that's being predicted 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You do not need lots of snow - small amount is enough to make 4x4 useless with summer 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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Be sure not to drive fast round any downhill bends. On a snowy transfer day the police sometimes require 4x4vehicles without good snow tyres to use chains.
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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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They never stop us to check what sort of tyres we have on our 4x4 just wave us on while checking other vehicles. Not an X5 though, an X-Trail.
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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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It all depends. Reports on Snowheads last year of 4wd vehicles on summer tyres or balding snow tyres being stopped. Tends only to happen when heavy snow and busy transfer days coincide. I have to drive through albertville to courchevel and back on Saturday so don't want any holdups!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Once I've seen the local police stopping 4x4s to see if they had winter tyres fitted. It was two years ago a couple of Saturdays before Christmas and the driving conditions were extremely bad because of the amount of snow that was coming down. The police were checking in Bourg St Maurice for cars heading to Les Arcs and further up the Tarentaise to Val d'Isere, etc. All cars were required to put chains on, with the exception of 4x4s with winter tyres.
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I have an X5 too, absolutely useless in snow with wide summer tyres on. Different beast with winters on. Winter tyres are your solution or chains, best is to have both, I wouldn't do the drive without. I will be doing the drive too on Fri / Sat, though to Avoriaz. Have a good one!
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@pam w, I suspect the Gendarmes only motivate themselves when there are sufficient ill equipped vehicles to hamper the orderly !? Progress of transfers.
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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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Always bring chains - your never know about the weather in the mountains. Even the best 4WD with best winter tyres can not compete chains. And chains cost nothing!
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| Jun wrote: |
| I will be doing the drive too on Fri / Sat, though to Avoriaz. Have a good one! |
Hope you have at least a half decent week. The snow at the weekend just might make it bearable for you 'cos it's really needed. Anyway, have a safe journey and just make the most of whatever the conditions are like
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Friends had an X5 they bought winter tyres for it very quickly! If I was you I would get some winters fitted Saturday morning, your BMW dealer may stock them.
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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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@Hyst, my (4x4) car either,
A. Can't handle chains
B. Can only handle chains on the front wheels
C. Can only handle chains on the rear wheels
Depending on the translation of the manual 
We've always had snow tyres, spend much of our time above chain levels and haven't had a problem in 8 winters.
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You could always go for something besides chains or snow tyres...
http://www.flextrax.com/
But better safe than sorry. Don't risk going into the mtns with just summer tyres.
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You know it makes sense.
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Never been stopped in my 4x4 with summer mud tyres, never had traction issues but carry chains that I have used twice in 7 years.for self preservation to cross sheet ice.
Easy to fit, manual dictates chains on front stearing axle.
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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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| dsoutar wrote: |
| Jun wrote: |
| I will be doing the drive too on Fri / Sat, though to Avoriaz. Have a good one! |
Hope you have at least a half decent week. The snow at the weekend just might make it bearable for you 'cos it's really needed. Anyway, have a safe journey and just make the most of whatever the conditions are like |
Cheers. Luckily out there for over two weeks so hopefully the snow and the cold will have time to work their magic! Always do a number of days at other areas, hence driving down - this year planning on day trips to Chamonix, Les Arcs (now Tignes) and Les Houches for Anglo / Scottish and BARSC races if they go ahead, maybe a bit a bit of Pras de Lys and Grand Massif thrown in too if the weather allows. Really hoping the links open at Avoriaz, as a short ski to Linga translates into an inordinately long drive!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Decent winter tyres are worth their weight in gold. Use them in the UK when it does snow and have put many a 4x4 to shame in my Seat Ibiza 
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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, i can't fit chains on my audi have been using snowsocks the last few years and they've been fine.
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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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any car can handle chains - just a matter of choosing the wheels/tyres.
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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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| Jun wrote: |
| Les Arcs (now Tignes) and Les Houches for Anglo / Scottish and BARSC races if they go ahead |
Hi Jun, do we know you? I'm in a black Saab 9-3 estate with a personalised reg and thule roofbox. See you in Tignes (where you staying? - we are in BSM) or Les Houches.
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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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@RobW, Just there for day trips to support friends who are racing - staying (and mainly skiing) in PDS. Will pick days based on whether the skiing is good on those days in PDS. Will keep an eye out. 
@francium., OH has an Audi wide low profiles and was told that by the dealer but Thule K-Summit chains work fine. Winter tyres are the dogs nads though for most situations outside of the extremes, we run both cars on them from Oct to April (UK and Alps trips).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Two weeks ago after skiing in the Pennines, a chap managed to slide his brand new merc 4x4 off the B6277 on his way home. Silly low profile tyres and undoubtedly driving too fast. Hardly any snow on the carriage way either. He was very unlucky to hit a man hole cover, and take the bottom of his car off.
Looked like a write off 
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I keep 215/55 R17 tyres on my Forester but go for Nokian A3s in the high load, high speed rating. Last 2- 3 years all year round driving, they can squeal a bit if you rag it round summer corners though. Winter tyres are a must really if you want to avoid snow chains.
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@Hyst, I'm not complaining, in 7 alpine winters it's never been a problem, although Geneva to Zurich in a meter of fresh was tedious...
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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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This thread tells me why I wouldn't drive my Ford Fiesta to the Alps.
That and the fact that I'd be on my own and I've never driven outside of the UK!
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@Scarpa, you reckon on Nokians? I know "good enough for Finns" and all that... I think our (crappy) Bridgestones are on their last season and I am looking forward to something a little more effective next winter... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Regardless of tyres and chains: Being four wheel drive only helps when you are pressing the accelerator. When pressing the brake, 4wd is no assistance.
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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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Does anyone know what depth of tread on winter tyres renders them no good? I have 4mm all round, should I change them, before going to 3vs assuming that it snows of course.
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@DavidYacht, as with all tyres there isn't a certain mm of tread which then means they are useless. Tyres come with 8mm of tread from the factory, and as the legal limit (in the UK not sure about France, could be 2mm?) then your tyres will be fine for another winter trip.
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You know it makes sense.
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| ringingmaster wrote: |
| Regardless of tyres and chains: Being four wheel drive only helps when you are pressing the accelerator. When pressing the brake, 4wd is no assistance. |
Isn't that why ABS ASP stability controls etc etc are fitted?
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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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@DavidYacht, yes, you should change yours definetly. Especialy if you have driven on yours in summer and if they are 5 years or older. Winter tyres are made from a softer rubber compound, they get harder with time and only 4 mm of thread left might be ok for the UK winter, but if head to an alpine region they are not very effective most probably. If you do not change them, drive carefully.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Most winter tyres have two tread depth indicators (or at least mine all have had) - one at 4mm which is the recommended minimum for snow use and one at 2mm which is the usual "change me" warning.
I reckon @DavidYacht's are about ready for a summer left on the car. I'd probably leave them on for a trip out to the alps and then change them when worn down to 2mm
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Regardless of whether the French cops would stop me or not I'm not sure I'd feel very comfortable driving a heavy 4wd like a Discovery down a snowy mountain road without chains. We've got quite decent AT Grabbers on our Disco but they really aren't the same as winter tyres or chains.
As a general point to some of the comments above, winter tyres are not just for snow they perform so much better than normal tyres in anything below about 7 degrees.
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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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Anyone who drives to the Alps in winter without winter/ snow tyres (irrespective of whether they are law, ie France vs Germany, Austria or CH-land) is asking for trouble IMO. 2WD with snow tyres and chains is all you need unless you are going seriously up 30-40 degree tracks in resort. X5 wide summer tyres, Bambi in the making!!
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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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@foxtrotzulu, I've never felt the need to put them on our X-Trails, I've crossed the Col du Lauteret in heavy snow and the car was fine. We have a new car this winter, and will let the standard tyres do this season, they are all-season ones, but no snowflake symbol, so will probably change next winter.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Weathercam, I just saw someone wandering around on your webcam
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Yeah, and they need a haircut 
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@Mosha Marc, 
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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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| RichardB wrote: |
This thread tells me why I wouldn't drive my Ford Fiesta to the Alps.
That and the fact that I'd be on my own and I've never driven outside of the UK! |
I would rather drive a Ford Fiesta down to the Alps than a X5 with Carlos Fandango wheels fitted.
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@BergenBergen, agreed. A Fiesta would be fine.
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