Do you think you need winter tyres with 4wd?

[Andy_with_a_screwdriver]

Whilst browsing a tyre website earlier I followed a link to watch this video comparing winter and summer tyres on 2wd and 4wd cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atayHQYqA3g

I thought it was very interesting, informative and well presented.
Without wanting to spoil the outcome I'll say what happened wasn't really surprising.

[jordimussol]

Problem is some countries you can get fined for not having winter tyres if they are needed.

[Comfortably Numb]

Wow! Very revealing! I didn't think the difference would be that great. As I tell people who think their 4wd means they can charge around in snow and wet with impunity "You've still only got 4 wheel braking - just like any car!

[victorgte]

Last winter my 75 never got stuck in snow. Driven carefully it was safe and would go anywhere on winter tyres.
Contrast that with my next door neighbour who could not get his BMW X5 out of the cul-de-sac that we live in. Imagine his face when he asked me how my Rover coped with extreme weather and the money he spent to buy this big petrol guzzling 4x4 that would not move. 4 wheels spin was common. I’m not sure if he got a price for winter tyres to fit his 19”wheels but I know he is still miffed at the car’s lack of ability. Tyres are critical for all sorts of reasons.

[EastPete]

Tyres are more important than 4WD in the snow. A few years back we were in North Wales and got caught in a blizzard on the Crimea Pass above Blaenau Ffestiniog - we had winter tyres on our Skoda Yeti , and got through without problems - on the way through we passed several very expensive Audi/BMW 4WD big SUVs that were stranded or sliding all over the place, because they were wearing their ultra cool low profile alloys with almost slick summer tyres.

The diesel 75 is a good car in the snow - I have Michelin Cross Climates on mine, a 4 season tyre that works well in winter apart from the most extreme conditions - I have been in the snow in diesel 75s a few times and never had a problem, and felt quite safe.

Pete

[bendrick]

Surely they should have carried out the same tests with winter tyres on the 4X4 just for a comparison also?


Heres a question then.


Given that we don't necessarily get the same amount of snow as in Finland on anything like the same amount of days in the winter if at all in some areas.

What is the general effect of changing to winter tyres over here in the UK when in most of the winter the roads are just wettish or normalish? Are they as safe as summer tyres on normal road conditions?

So my question is, is it as safe to drive round all winter on winter tyres rather than summer tyres despite the fact that road conditons would mainly be the same as the rest of the year ( I do appreciate we get occassional ice and possibly snow during the winter)

[vitesse]

Tests in Sweden suggest a 40% increase in braking distance with winter tyres on your normalish roads, combined with a further lack of stability when cornering, evasive driving compared to summer tyres.

Regards

[bendrick]

Originally Posted by vitesse

Tests in Sweden suggest a 40% increase in braking distance with winter tyres on your normalish roads, combined with a further lack of stability when cornering, evasive driving compared to summer tyres.

Regards

Cheers

That answers my question.


So basically in the UK in most regions you'd be swapping over your tyres every other day just to get the advantage of winter tyres occasionally. Whereas they would decrease safety in regards of braking and handling in most British conditions whether in the winter or not.

Thats not to decry their obvious use advantages and safety factor in snowy or icy conditions.

Surely most people ( including myself ) don't really have the practicable capability to be changing our tyres over right left and centre depending on what the weathers going to be like tomorrow?

[Groundhog]

Winter tyres, Summer tyres or 4x4.

It doesn’t matter, it’s what you have upstairs in the brain department.

It is as simple as driving and adapting to the road/weather conditions, problem is some numpty fits winter tyres and straight away they think they can drive at 60 mph on ice and brake safely.

I have over 45 years experience driving artics, buses and cars and have never had any problems driving in winter weather. All I do is adapt to the conditions.

[EastPete]

Originally Posted by vitesse

Tests in Sweden suggest a 40% increase in braking distance with winter tyres on your normalish roads, combined with a further lack of stability when cornering, evasive driving compared to summer tyres.

Regards

I that there are data to show that at lower temperatures (7 degrees or less) winter tyres will perform better in all road conditions - they only become worse than summer tyres at higher temperatures. So between about December and February, when average temperatures in the UK are below 10 degrees, winter tyres are not a bad idea - they perform better on cold damp roads in winter, not just when there is snow and ice about. I can testify to this - on our Skoda Yeti, I feel much safer on the damp, greasy fenland roads when the winters go on in November/December (I haven't done it yet, because it has been so mild until the last few days). Summer tyres feel much more skittish in winter conditions on our local roads.

Pete