 Poster: A snowHead
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Guessing this may have been done before so a link to an old thread would also be great.
Either way, Where can i get super cheap snow tyres for a vauxhall astravan (175/70 R14) and chains to match
Cheers 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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dulcamara, my mate had to buy his from germany,not sure where
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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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dulcamara, I think there have been many threads about winter tyres. We have just bought new winters from Tyremen who have three branches in the Hull area.
Had looked at MyTyres which have been recommended on here but when OH went back to order the tyres had gone up in price a bit (he thinks something to do with the ever falling pound v euro), so searched a bit more and found these people: www.tyremen.co.uk - there is someone that you can talk to on the phone to find out if what you need is actually in stock.
They don't deliver to a garage for fitting - but our local one is just down the road so we can sort that out easily - so they arrived with us today, as arranged, and the delivery charge was £15. I think they were ordered just a couple of days ago so good service.
The ones for the previous car together with the rims were sold on e bay and collected yesterday.
Afraid I don't know about chains - but for the first time ever we have found that the chains for the old car fit the new one.
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dulcamara, check out blackcircles or catskil
Price depends mostly on size. I bought 4 yesterday at 77.50 fitted from my local garage. Kuhmo m23 I think.
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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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dulcamara, how are the current tyres? If you would be throwing them out when you put winter boots on then do it once you get to Austria - then you can drive down on your old tyres and save a couple of hundred Ks on your new tyres.
The snow boots will be likely the same as your all season / summer tyres so a set of chains should fit both sets. Get your chains here in case you get in to any trouble when you're arriving in Austria, then get them changed ASAP.
Snow tyres are softer than normal tyres and wear faster, I would want to avoid putting a return trip on them...
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Yeah you shouldnt really take a snow tyre to more than 60kmh ideally, they heat faster and the tread can be easily damaged. Ours seem fine after a season with trips to the airport when they do a lot more than 60kmh but they are changed once every 2 seasons and do very little mileage, so not ideal to use outside a ski resort really.
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this confuses me. The first snow tyres we bought, in Albertville, the guy advised us to keep them below 80 kph. We were pretty careful about this - mostly trips to the airport - and we changed them ourselves before driving home to UK (we only had two, and we bought rims for them, so we could do it ourselves).
However that was a pain for various reaons, including stowing two tyres in the cave, and we now have four snow tyres, without rims, which we have changed in our local tyre place in the UK, at the beginning and end of the season. They are speed rated for up to 115 mph IIRC and we have driven fast (though not that fast  ) up and down the autoroute several times.
Many more knowledgeable SHs have noted that winter tyres are better once the temperatures are below 8 degrees or so, and ours certainly don't seem to have worn particularly quickly. Two of them have done 3 whole seasons, including two round trips each season from the UK to the Alps. They're still legal, but not really good enough for snow tyres, so about to be replaced.
I know snow tyres are done to death here - but it's of perennial interest, and people like me without specialist knowledge are often confused by the different opinions on offer.
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R555MAC, Sorry that is just wrong - and I assume you mean 'winter' tyres nor 'snow' tyres which are often 'studded'. All tyres have their own speed rating. I put about 10,000 kms a year on my 'winter' tyres including autoroute speeding fines ... one set of mine have done 25k and are in MUCH better condition than their summer equivalents that I just replaced.
As pam w, says they do seem to be at their most efficient at cold temps., but given where I live I have also driven them in 25-30 degrees .... they are loads noisier on all the cars where we have had them fitted, they also give a slightly 'less even' ride by perception. Their great (immeasurable imo) benefit is that they hang on better when cold and wet.
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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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Winter tyres have speed ratings the same as summer tyres. I've seen a link on Snowheads somewhere that led to a report that said that winter tyres were designed to be more effective in all conditions at temps below 7 degrees C.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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peura, that is correct my dinner was on the table as I posted that. 
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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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Sorry to hijack this thread but some of you seem to know what your talking about!
Are M&S (mud and snow) I think, tyres much different from snow tyres - I'm driving to Austria this winter and just wondering if I need to purchace 4 new tyres?
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Snow tyres and winter tyres are not the same thing. The Americans typically interchange the use of "snow" and "winter" tyres.
Here's my first stab at a tyre list (additions / alterations welcome)...
1. Summer Tyres
2. All season tyres typically marked with M&S
3. All season tyres with mountain/snowflake symbol
4. Winter tyres
5. Winter tyres with mountain/snowflake symbol
6. Snow tyres
5 are ideal for winter driving in the alps. 6 are for high level resorts but not for motorway driving. 2 can be classed as winter tyres in Austria provinding the tread depth is 4mm or greater. The performance (esp. on icy surfaces) is generally better the higher number tyre (from the above list) that is chosen.
The driver is generally responsible for ensuring the tyres are suitable for the road conditions - this includes hire cars.
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You know it makes sense.
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Ahhh, asked that question last night and went out. Just turned my computer on and my life has just got far more complicated (or at least the tyre part of it).
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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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R555MAC, I don't know what kind of tyres you are referring to but you can get Winter Tyres that are rated up to 240kph plus, most of your normal family saloons are around t or h rated which is 190 to 210kph.
Agenterre, mikeh, You are right, but the way the way the tyre boffins put it is that a summer tyre performance starts to deteriorate at -7, and continues to deteriorate as the temerature drops. Winter tyres have a different compound rubber that takes the start point for this deteioration down well below zero. This is nothing to do with the tread pattern and a bald snow tyre is as useless as a bald summer tyre. The downside of this for summer motoring in a winter tyre is that the winter tyres continue to soften as the temperature rises, although as peura, says the manufacturers are making the winter tyres more and more adaptable to speed / teperature.
New winter tyres have a much deeper tread pattern, 8 or 9mm as opposed to 6 or 7 on summer tyres and generally the manufacturers say their performance on snow will not be adequate below 5mm. The tread is cut in a particular way that forces the snow that is picked up off the road back out again as the tyre contact area goes along the road, this is why you will see a vehicle with snow tyres leaving a perfect impression of it's tread in the snow behind. They also have very small channels cut in to the tread, called sips, that lead the water away from the contact surface, again improving grip. This also works extremely well in rainy conditions.
FWIW we run 2 trucks, 1 light van and 3 cars on winter tyres, some of these we swap back to "normal" tyres in the summer and on some we run out the winter tyres from the 5mm down. We have never had a problem with a tyre failure despite lots of high speed, highly loaded journeys. There is an increased noise level, but again the manufacturers are addressing this, and yes if you want to drive at high speeds and corner very fast on dry roads then you need low profile summer tyres.
My reccomendation for winter tyres, having used these on several Peugeot and Renault estate cars in the UK and the alps over the past couple of years would be Vredstein Snowtrac 3's. Don't be palmed off with the Snowtrac 2, the 3' are definitely better. You can get these from Mytyres or Camskill and I am sure plenty of other places.
griffterski, No necessarily, but most winter tyres will also be M&s rated, making them good for traction on fields etc.
peura, The snowflake symbol signifies that the tyre satisfies a test by, a Canadian organisation I think but it is internationally accepted, for use in winter conditions.
Again FWIW I would go for a recognized make with M&S and the snowflake.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Vredstein Snowtrac 3's don't perform as well in the wet as other winter tyres Size/Dimension = 205/55 R 16 H.
I'd go for one of the top 5 winter tyres in this link
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_seiten/reifentests/winter_2009/205_55_R16H.pdf
Trocken = dry
Nass = wet
Schnee = Snow
Eis = ice
Verschleiss = wear
Gesamtnote = overall rating
Lower score = better e.g. 1 = Great, 5 =Bad
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 29-10-09 11:22; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry , but they do.
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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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skitow, I knew that  . What I was trying to say was that the tyres with that symbol have supposedly past a "test" that shows they have improved traction in "winter conditions", whereas the M+S symbol really means that the tread is a bit "chunkier" than normal. IIRC winter tyres handle worse as it gets warmer whilst summer tyres handle worse as it gets colder. 7C is the (average?) temperature at which the two have similar grip. My winter tyres have "wear bars" at about 4mm for winter use as well as the normal ones at 1.6mm for summer use. The idea is that they shouldn't be used in the winter with <4mm tread.
DB, I'd put a seventh category for studded snow tyres. With cat6 being for the softer "friction tyres". I've not found anywhere that sells either type of snow tyre in the UK. Most of the tyres you see for cars should be rated to T, H or V speeds. Not sure whether dulcamara's vans tyre size is a little harder to find winter tyres for though?
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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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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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After further research - I just found this on the Austrian Tourist website.
'Driving in Winter
All vehicles driving on snow-covered roads must have winter tires during the winter season (Nov - April) or risk a fine if pulled over. Alternatively, all-season tires (if marked for M&S: mud and snow) are also acceptable during the winter season. Snow chains are not compulsory but must be carried in areas under advisory. Snow chains on summer tires – as an alternative to winter tires - are only accepted if the entire road is heavily covered with snow and no damage to the road is caused by the snow chains. These winter provisions are strictly enforced and control points are common.'
Phew - no new tyre required!!
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DB, ousekjarr,
Yep it's all in the detail. When DB wrote " Vredstein Snowtrac 3's don't perform as well in the wet as other winter tyres " he perhaps should have said as SOME other winter tyres.
For sure they are worse than some, better than others but then the table does'nt take price, or availability into account either.
I am sure the tests are incredibly scientific but there are French tests, in which Michelin obviously would be top every time, German tests in which Continental would be top and Dutch tests in which Vredstein took top place...... Only joking, the test results are useful but just like everything there has to be an element of compromise.
FWIW I think the last part of my post is probably as important as any "I would go for a recognized make with M&S and the snowflake. "
It's good to see a lot of people are really concerned enough to want to think about and discuss this subject anyway, your life might depend on those round black things on the corners of your car.
Oh, and i already have a helmet but, luckily have'nt tested it, yet! 
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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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All very useful stuff - including the arguments - just goes to show there's life in the subject of snow tyres yet!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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everyone who lives in the alps is criminally irresponsible and should be dead
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probably true, but what does that have to do with tyres?
I just wanted cheap ones, had no idea there were different types, learning lots here
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dulcamara, in which case, if I were you I'd just head for the nearest Kwik Fit equivalent and buy whatever's on special.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yep, I think it's useful too. I have only spent 7 winters in the Alps, and not bought that many snow tyres yet, but am already well aware that the initial advice I got from the local "Kwik Fit" equivalent was bollox. The man - who could easily have sold me four tyres - insisted I only needed two. It was after I did a 180 skid, despite going incredibly slowly round a rather gentle bend that I realised he was wrong. Fortunately I remembered about not braking, and was able to "steer into the skid" into a useful pile of snow at the side of the road. Most people just go to their local ski hire shop and hire whatever the guy gives them, too - but it doesn't mean that discussions on SHs about different skis are pointless.
If people ask things, it's presumably because they're interested in the answers? I certainly am.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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going with the winter tyres from the uk as i may not throw the normal ones out, one less thing to sort out there and it may be snowing on the way in, plus mayrhofen is pretty low as far as european resorts go so shouldn't need the full snow ones.
DB, the cars in england and has never seen a mountain, if i get one that has the same dimensions is that enough to do the job or is there anything else i might need to worry about?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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How did I do that ? My post is inside Lizzards quote ! Should have previewed......
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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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| griffterski wrote: |
Sorry to hijack this thread but some of you seem to know what your talking about!
Are M&S (mud and snow) I think, tyres much different from snow tyres - I'm driving to Austria this winter and just wondering if I need to purchace 4 new tyres? |
Also depends on what M&S tyres and what they are attached to. I have driven for two winters in Verbier with BFG All-Terrains which are M+S rated. They went everywhere I needed to go, and a few other places That was on a 4x4 though, which is another variable to think about.
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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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| dulcamara wrote: |
going with the winter tyres from the uk as i may not throw the normal ones out, one less thing to sort out there and it may be snowing on the way in, plus mayrhofen is pretty low as far as european resorts go so shouldn't need the full snow ones.
DB, the cars in england and has never seen a mountain, if i get one that has the same dimensions is that enough to do the job or is there anything else i might need to worry about? |
You have various options which will probably depend on how much mileage you do and where the vehicle will be (UK/Alps). Tyres have a ca 4 to 5 year shelf life so if you have low mileage than a one tyre solution (all-season tyre) will probably be the best choice. This would also be a good choice if the car will spend summers in the UK and winters in the Alps.
You could ....
1. Drive over on your summer tyres with chains and hope that the weather isn't too bad. This gives the advantage that you can buy tyres once you get over here. The winter tyre selection is greater and I beleive cheaper than back in the UK. Disadvantage is that you would need somewhere to store the tyres, garages offer this at a cost.
2. Go for an all-season tyre either fitted in the UK or the alps. (check prices)
3. If you do high mileage you could have a set of winter tyres and summer tyres. Often the winter tyre is narrower and this gives better performance in winter conditions. (wide sports tyres slip, skinny tyres 'dig in'). Here in Austria the paperwork for the car states what summer and winter tyres you can put on it. If you send me the details (inc engine size) of your car via a PM I'll try and find out which winter/summer tyres should go on it.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Fri 30-10-09 10:32; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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dulcamara,
Some people are suggesting you wait until you arrive in Austria before you buy, to give you an idea of prices here I've just looked on the Profi Reifen website - a tyre place with a branch in Zillertal.
For winter tyres, 175/70 R14, they are quoting €49,90 per tyre for the cheapest, €55,90 per tyre for the most expensive. It says on the website that this is a special price if you buy online.
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wasn't the conclusion in another thread that you are not required by law to have snow tyres if your a visitor to Austria, but you do need to carry chains??
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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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kitenski, something like that. imho a car needs to be legal in the country of registration, but with accessories suitable for the visited country. Police are within their right to stop you if it's inappropriately equipped, though, just as they are within their rights to state as such on the police report in the case of an accident.
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I am looking at getting a full of these thse
Out to resort (flight) in a few days but then back for a few days mid Jan to collect car so will need them for then.
Has anyone had any and got any feedback, or got any better reccomendations.
Will need to be able to cope with normal condidtions of whizzing around Europe (French, Italian motorways + snow ice slush etc)
Any s working in a North West tyre shop ??
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FAQ
