[ed335d]

It's been a while since we had a winter tyre thread, but for those smug buggers who fitted them, who's still got them on and who's changed back over to their summer tyres?

I've still got mine on and told myself I'd keep them until the end of Feb, but with the weather being so mild, I'm considering making the change now.

[R80TER]

I'm glad i didnt buy any this year, i was really close to it. Touch wood, i have not been stuck anywhere, had any "moments" to justify the outlay. so i am happy i stuck with my summer tyres to be honest!

[MOB]

Mine are still on the 1 series - car looks naff on 16"s, but feels much more secure on a chilly morning

Will probably take them off in a month or so

Wife drove it in some half decent snow this year, and had no traction issues - last year I got stuck in some minor snow when it had summer tyres

Nov-Feb will be winter tyres season from now on whichever car I have

[briers]

Still got em on but itching to change out.

I will probably leave it until march, check the 2 week forecast and if all settled they will make way for the 230's.

[davyk31]

I'm watching the forecast too but will probably hold out for a month or so as we could still get bad weather late Feb / early March. Can't wait to get the 19s back on i have to say for looks at least.

[rsmallwo]

I'm keeping my 17" winters on until early March.

don't forget all the potholes about due to the cold ice etc. Will take awhile until their fixed

Also the salting of the roads due to cold evenings , better to have the winters get covered in this crud.

I can't wait to get my 19's back on, car isn't the same to look at with 17's. Still, only 3 months of the year

[SteveF1]

I too can't wait to get my 19s back on but I'm planning on getting them refurbed in the next fortnight before putting them back on by the end of Feb. Glad I got winter Tyres as my car was parked most of last winter and these things were excellent and kept me going.

[Billyray911]

I took mine off about a month ago.didn't see the point in wearing them down when the weather was mild at worst,where I am.
However,I am noticing the traction control light much more since taking them off,asthe rear steps out-but nothing that can't be easily sorted.
Overall,I'm glad I bought the winters as I was worried coming from a scooby to BMW.worthwhile investment!

[HighlandPete]

Winter tyres off in mid winter? Not up here, noon today was the first time I've seen 7-degrees on the OBC since about November. Was a frost just yesterday.

Last Friday I was travelling on snow, coming home from town. Two weeks ago had a car go out of control in front of me, on black ice, and had to brake mid corner on the black ice. Brilliant things, winter tyres, saved be being ditched, so paid for themselves in that one incident. No way will mine be coming off until I sense "spring" is really on its way.

HighlandPete

[the_rangdo]

My summer wheels are still on RFTs so I'm not really looking forward to changing back

The Wintracs are just sooooo quiet and comfortable on the commute.

[beemerbird]

Ed, now I know you don't drive like a pussy or are one of these that tries to get the most mpg out of their car, yawn, yawn, but you live in Surrey, up here it's a barmy 9 celcius today, was 13 t'other day and to be quite honest, even if I'd thought about fitting winter tyres to my car, never mind even forked out and done it, I would be ripping them to shreds by now.

I've been thrapping my car the last three weeks tbh and ok, I've got more grip than you but honestly, the tyres are getting warm, I've fondled them.

Biggest worry is salt getting at them but I blathered mine in collonite wax and they're still good with no marks etc.............phew!!

Besides don't you spend most of your time stuck on the M25.

[MEGA]

Mine are coming off next Sat.

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Winter tyres off in mid winter? Not up here, noon today was the first time I've seen 7-degrees on the OBC since about November. Was a frost just yesterday.

Last Friday I was travelling on snow, coming home from town. Two weeks ago had a car go out of control in front of me, on black ice, and had to brake mid corner on the black ice. Brilliant things, winter tyres, saved be being ditched, so paid for themselves in that one incident. No way will mine be coming off until I sense "spring" is really on its way.

HighlandPete

It's a little warmer down here Pete, don't think we've seen any proper snow this side of xmas! Sounds like a very good thing you've got them on!

Originally Posted by beemerbird

Ed, now I know you don't drive like a pussy or are one of these that tries to get the most mpg out of their car, yawn, yawn, but you live in Surrey, up here it's a barmy 9 celcius today, was 13 t'other day and to be quite honest, even if I'd thought about fitting winter tyres to my car, never mind even forked out and done it, I would be ripping them to shreds by now.

I've been thrapping my car the last three weeks tbh and ok, I've got more grip than you but honestly, the tyres are getting warm, I've fondled them.

Biggest worry is salt getting at them but I blathered mine in collonite wax and they're still good with no marks etc.............phew!!

Besides don't you spend most of your time stuck on the M25.

The tyres seem to be holding up ok - I've done 4k miles on them and the tread still looks like new.

[the_rangdo]

I'm waiting until the temps are more stable, it was only just over a week or so ago when there was black ice on the exit from M62 to M606.

A few cars were on the hard shoulder having been caught out by it while the Wintracs held on quite nicely (the back end was stepping out but it was fairly easy to catch) while I'm fairly sure the summers would have struggled. And this Monday was 1C again.

[Tunna_uk]

We have had frost here this week and 7C in the day, so staying on for now. Maybe off in a couple of weeks. Tyre wear seems fine.
Been worth every penny over winter. Even in deep snow, I had so much confidence and grip.

[beemerbird]

Originally Posted by ed335d

The tyres seem to be holding up ok - I've done 4k miles on them and the tread still looks like new.

4k of not driving hard though?

Seriously, with the power you have on tap, they will wear much quicker if you start giving it some.

Give you an example, German bloke I met at the Golf Club last week who has a RS6 Avant has winter tyres on, as per the law in Germany. Drives over here and temps. higher etc and he's been hooning it on the autobahn and said his tyres 'aint going to last long but he accepts that............he did used to race GT2's though.

Keep them on for now then if you feel safer.

[chris330D]

Had mine off for a week now, got fed up with the understeer on roundabouts. Great investment though, really enjoyed driving through the snow during the cold snap. Question is will they have to back on before the summer?

[jonnydrama]

Mine are coming off at the end of March, hopefully I'll have picked up a set of spare MV3's by then.

[jonnydrama]

My 335i should be about 380-400bhp and get a hard run most days, the winters seem to be wearing very well.

Originally Posted by beemerbird

4k of not driving hard though?

Seriously, with the power you have on tap, they will wear much quicker if you start giving it some.

Give you an example, German bloke I met at the Golf Club last week who has a RS6 Avant has winter tyres on, as per the law in Germany. Drives over here and temps. higher etc and he's been hooning it on the autobahn and said his tyres 'aint going to last long but he accepts that............he did used to race GT2's though.

Keep them on for now then if you feel safer.

[beemerbird]

Originally Posted by jonnydrama

My 335i should be about 380-400bhp and get a hard run most days, the winters seem to be wearing very well.

What map you running to get above the 306 bhp then out of curiosity?

Sure they are wearing well as you say, still bit icy up there I would imagine.

Remember we're talking a mad German bloke in a RS6 on the autobahn and ex- racer. And obviously I can only base things on what he claims as we all do. But they do not last as long as summer tyres as all the literature clearly states.

He justified his expenditure by the fact he can afford it.

[jonnydrama]

Map 7 on a JB3 with dual cones (trying to decide whether or not to go a step further with new turbos, downpipes etc).

Tbh the weather has been quite mild for the last month or so, temperature has probably been between 0 and 8 degrees since mid december.

There is no doubt they will last less time but then I don't get particularly long out of my summer tyres either For the performance/safety benefit they are more than worth the outlay, even if they only last one year I'd still keep fitting them. I don't think it's as bad as people say though, I reckon I'll easily get two winters out of them.

The way I look at it is if I can't get to work for a day and a half then that's the price of my 4 tyres, if I was staff rather than a contractor though I'd maybe take the day off instead

Btw, your TT would rock with some winters on. My friends S3 with almost new summer tyres was getting stuck in areas where my BMW was ploughing through, he couldn't believe it. Not to mention numerous small engined FWD cars that were getting regularly stuck on the steep hill towards my house.

[beemerbird]

Cool! When you think how much it costs for little gain to tune a N/A petrol engine but take a petrol engine and stick one or two turbos on it and wham, you're off like the proverbial.

Oh I realise winter tyres on mine would make a difference but I'm still stuck with ground clearance issues in deep frozen ruts and I've 'gained' three nasty stone chips (or grit chips) on the bonnet from others flicking crap at me! I could in all honesty get the bus to work............christ that's like swearing! as I work in one place and loads of buses, but t'other half lives and dies in his Series Landies so guess who takes me to work if things get that bad.

A friend of ours lives near Aberdeen and has an A4 3.0tdi quattro and like you, needs his car for work (self-employed) and he fits winters as he really can't afford to get stuck.

I do remember a winter in my 335d though on Bridgestone RFT's lol.