Getting ready for snow this year? Tyres....

eckythump

I have been reading about winter/snow tyres on the net and the more I read the more confused I get.
I have a rover 216 automatic which was terrible in the snow last year,I have essential local journeys to make as O.H is disabled so G.P visits and such must still be made.
we have very limited funds,can someone tell me if I can change just 2 tyres ?
Will I need front or back?
Are snow tyres best or just winter ones?
can I have 2 steel 2 alloy wheels on the same car?
tia for any advice.

only_mee

You can just change the fronts as yours is a front wheel drive car, but with that you have very good grip on the front and non/educed on the rear so the rear might swing around.
Winter ones would be the better choice imho
Yes you can have two alloys two steel providing the tyres are on the same axle ie either both on the front or both on the rear.

Gloomendoom

hieveryone wrote: »

I had a look at the website posted but they don't seem to have tyres for my car? Would I be best getting tyres fitted on the front or back?

Unfortunately I have to travel 15 miles to work and back, and my street is on a slight hill that we all struggled to get out of last year - so buying an MX5 wasn't my best decision ever!

The back will help you go forwards but the front will help you stop and steer. I'd probably go for the back if you are on a budget and just trying to get to a cleared road.

Putting a lot of extra weight in the boot can help traction too.

If you can find it, this stuff might be a solution... Tyre Grip

Never used it myself though.

eckythump

only_mee wrote: »

You can just change the fronts as yours is a front wheel drive car, but with that you have very good grip on the front and non/educed on the rear so the rear might swing around.
Winter ones would be the better choice imho
Yes you can have two alloys two steel providing the tyres are on the same axle ie either both on the front or both on the rear.

Thanks,that was the problem last year,the back end was very unstable.
another silly question if you don't mind.
If I manage to scrape the money together for 4 winter tyres what do I do with the summer tyres that are taken off? can I just store them somewhere?
I am trying to work out if I should buy 2 winter tyres with steel rims or 4 winter tyres only.

only_mee

Yeah store them till the weather improves enough.
If you can stretch to the four i'd go for the four.

eckythump

Thank you only _mee will try to get the funds to stretch to 4.

sunshinetours

Definitely get 4 winter tyres. 2 would be potentially unsafe as your back and front ends would be liable to swap under braking

Also check out ebay for part worn winter tyres although may be a little late now as time to do it is the warmer months when noone is thinking about it.
Winter tyres wear far slower than summer tyres in cold weather so the overall lifetime cost of your tyres won't be increased if anything. Only possible additional cost is a second set of wheels if you go the complete swap of wheels route

Mine has 19" summer wheels and tyres normally and I've just (as temps dropped luckily!) swapped for 17" with winter tyres which hopefully will last a few years as live in the sub tropical south east

IMO winter tyres will catch on more and more as more people understand about them

eckythump

well I just phoned 4 different suppliers only to be told there are none available at all with no future stocks expected.....hmm snowsocks it is then.

MrsE_2

sunshinetours wrote: »

Mine has 19" summer wheels and tyres normally and I've just (as temps dropped luckily!) swapped for 17" with winter tyres which hopefully will last a few years as live in the sub tropical south east

IMO winter tyres will catch on more and more as more people understand about them

Are winter tyres much better for icy roads as well or are they designed more with snow in mind?

We suffer more with icey roads than snowy roads & icey roads scare me.

DH could probably use a winter set in one winter, he does about 40k a year!

We are ex-Londoners & driving in winter weather isn't something you have to deal with much in London. Its only when you move out to the sticks you really become aware of it:o

only_mee

Winter tyres are for temperatures below 7 deg, ice or snow or cold