Why is sooo hard to find winter tyres

ailuro2

Michelin, Alpin.

sunshinetours

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

Can anyone suggest a brand of winter tyres suitable for a rear wheel drive Mazda MX5?

Never needed winter tyres until now. I only bought this car in August & didn't realise how difficult rear wheel drive cars are to drive in the snow.

Its all about traction. Most rear wheel drive cars have no more than 50% of weight over back wheels. Many front wheel drive cars have 60% or more over front wheels so an immediate advantage to pulling away. Stopping and turning are different however

Most major brand tyre manufacturers will also do decent winter tyres so stick with goodyear, Michelin, Vredestein, Hankook, Dunlop, Continental and you won't go far wrong

If you struggle to get supplies here then consider http://www.reifen.com/en who deliver for only a few Euros to UK and get a local tyre fitter to fit

Probably best to go for narrowest tyre you can for the rim

flyingscotno1

Got 2 new tyres yesterday, for the worn fronts. Nokian all season from mytyres. Will find a fitter to put them on this weekend.

Horizon81

OP - what car do you drive. 185/55/15 isn't a very popular size, as I find when I have to buy tyres!

Inactive

mustrum_ridcully wrote: »

This is what the rest of Europe does. Go to France or Germany and people will drive around in the snow in their Golf's and 206's. I know some people who live up in the mountains in Germany, who deal with winters unimaginable in the UK yet not one of them needs of 4x4.
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Spot on..;)

AdrianHi

I did the school run this morning, the hill up to the school car park is sheet ice. The 4x4 were able to make it with much wheel spinning and snaking which is rather dangerous - there all on summer tyres still of course.
I got up the hill in my RWD car without so much as a flicker from the traction control light.... well once I'd fitted the autosocks anyway.
Coming back down the hill, hit the brakes, front wheels doing nothing to stop the car, but the rear wheels with the 'socks on haul the car to a rapid halt while the 4x4 in front slides on for several meters.
The autosocks can only be used on ice and snow so they had to come off again once back to clear tarmac. Winter tyres would be better and still give you benefit even if it's not snowing once temperatures are below 7 DegC, but a pair of autosocks for under £50 is enough to get you out of trouble.

Lum

Ordered a set of 4 Nokian WR-G2 from National Tyres on Penarth Road, Cardiff. They'll be in tomorrow, no problem.

hubert_cumberdale

i had studded ones from demon tweeks last year in all the ice and snow

amazing fun but didnt last long and apparently illegal as they damage the road but since the roads are always wrecked any way i see no problem

Inner_Zone

AdrianHi wrote: »

I did the school run this morning, the hill up to the school car park is sheet ice. The 4x4 were able to make it with much wheel spinning and snaking which is rather dangerous - there all on summer tyres still of course.
I got up the hill in my RWD car without so much as a flicker from the traction control light.... well once I'd fitted the autosocks anyway.
Coming back down the hill, hit the brakes, front wheels doing nothing to stop the car, but the rear wheels with the 'socks on haul the car to a rapid halt while the 4x4 in front slides on for several meters.
The autosocks can only be used on ice and snow so they had to come off again once back to clear tarmac. Winter tyres would be better and still give you benefit even if it's not snowing once temperatures are below 7 DegC, but a pair of autosocks for under £50 is enough to get you out of trouble.

Ordered a set of Autosocks last week, arrived Monday, not had to use them yet but they look impressive in the video.

However the size for my car were £65 + P&P!

AdrianHi

Inner_Zone wrote: »

Ordered a set of Autosocks last week, arrived Monday, not had to use them yet but they look impressive in the video.

However the size for my car were £65 + P&P!

Good point, £49.95 + P&P is for wheels sizes around about 205/55 R16.
You don't need to fear getting stuck on snow or ice any more, they do the job!