Too soon for winter tyres...?

pineapple

My car needed work doing in October so it seemed a good time to get the garage to swap the tyres. Remember - last year winter started in November! I disagree about the mild winters. Where I live we have just had our two coldest winters on record.
I have a front wheel drive and winter tyres on the front. I live out in the sticks with very a tricky route to and from home and last year I reckon they saved my bacon.

They do wear faster so I guess it depends what sort of mileage you do.

k9387

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Point of interest, what is the legal side of fitting just 2 winter tyres to the drive axles, assuming proper rolling radius but simply much narrower tyres??

As long as the narrowness is still within manufacturers spec for your particular vehicle, I assume you would be ok. You can mix winter and summer tyres (although this is really not a good idea). I think the law, along with the in-spec bit, is that the construction type (radial and cross ply, although cross ply is really out of date now) is not different on each axle.

butterfly72

I'm thinking of winter tyres. I'm a district nurse and go out everyday in all weathers to the housebound. I find it terrifying and think the tyres would give me a bit extra security and peace of mind. I'd still drive at 2mph tho! I quite the idea of the winter driving course which was mentioned earlier.

Can the tyres be put onto my alloys or do I need new wheels?

Thanks

mikey72

butterfly72 wrote: »

I'm thinking of winter tyres. I'm a district nurse and go out everyday in all weathers to the housebound. I find it terrifying and think the tyres would give me a bit extra security and peace of mind. I'd still drive at 2mph tho! I quite the idea of the winter driving course which was mentioned earlier.

Can the tyres be put onto my alloys or do I need new wheels?

Thanks

It depends on the car.
Some can, others need to have them put on steel wheels.
What car is it, and what size tyres are on there now?

k9387

butterfly72 wrote: »

I'm thinking of winter tyres. I'm a district nurse and go out everyday in all weathers to the housebound. I find it terrifying and think the tyres would give me a bit extra security and peace of mind. I'd still drive at 2mph tho! I quite the idea of the winter driving course which was mentioned earlier.

Can the tyres be put onto my alloys or do I need new wheels?

Thanks

You can get winter tyres put on your existing alloys or buy new alloy/steel wheels complete.

Every year you will pay the garage for fitting and then again for removal (around £10-15 per wheel each time).

If you plan to keep your car for a few years then complete wheels might end up cheaper - but steel rims don't look that nice and a second set of alloys is a little more expensive. If you can remove and fit them yourself (or find a friend that can help) then the additional cost is £0 and you will get several years of use at least.

I have had a good experience with www.tyremen.co.uk (was cheapest for mine) but there are plenty other too, prices are creeping up though...

k9387

mikey72 wrote: »

It depends on the car.
Some can, others need to have them put on steel wheels.
What car is it, and what size tyres are on there now?

Very good point, forgot to mention that.

If you have low profile tyres prices can be incredable or tyres non existant.

A good thing about the likes of the company I suggested is that you enter what car you have and it will give you the wheels sizes you can use.

For example my Q5 can take 17 to 20 as standard, has 18 fitted, website suggested 17.

Smaller rims (but same circumference/radius of course) is generally better for winter use (cheaper tyres too).

Trebor16

Who cares what a set of steel wheels look like. It's winter and most of the time it will be dark, so no-one will see them. Plus, while you are in the drivers seat you can't see the wheels anyway!:D

mikey72

k9387 wrote: »

If you plan to keep your car for a few years then complete wheels might end up cheaper - but steel rims don't look that nice and a second set of alloys is a little more expensive. If you can remove and fit them yourself (or find a friend that can help) then the additional cost is £0 and you will get several years of use at least...

This year (and last March) my rims were stuck to the hubs, it took me about an hour to get them off, with a lump hammer, and a lot of pounding.

butterfly72

mikey72 wrote: »

It depends on the car.
Some can, others need to have them put on steel wheels.
What car is it, and what size tyres are on there now?

New shape corsa. Tyres are 195 55 r16

Thanks.

k9387

mikey72 wrote: »

This year (and last March) my rims were stuck to the hubs, it took me about an hour to get them off, with a lump hammer, and a lot of pounding.

Yeah, had that, people suggest copper grease but I don't think it is a good idea (moving the force hold the wheel one from the hub to wheel interface to a shear force on the bolts). Of course some manufacturers may suggest it. It is often bad with alloys due to the different metal types.

One way that was suggested to me and work well was to ever so slightly loosen the bolts then move the car a little very slowly.