Winter - BMW

Iceweasel

colino wrote: »

So cold you have your grippers on November to March in the UK? it must be Cumbernauld.

Cumbernauld is in the 'sunny south' from where I live.

But to give a serious answer - the night time temperatures are pretty low from Nov to March, in NE Scotland.

I'm not concerned with the midday temperatures as my local journeys are usually early morning and then return home late afternoon. Usually I leave the house in the dark and come home in the dark too.

Last year I had to go to Croatia in April and kept the winters on as it was still snowing in Scotland the week I left. needed them in Austria too.

It was 32degreesC in Croatia, but it didn't do the tyres any harm and I didn't notice any increase in tread-wear.

I put the summers back on the day I got home though.

WTFH

My winters went on yesterday (not a BMW, not RWD). Next week I'm doing a bit of travelling in the UK, the week after I'm working in Belgium. Shouldn't need the snow chains (yet), but might throw them into the car anyway.

colino

I can hand on heart say I've ever been stuck in the UK because of snow and ice, plenty of issues with other drivers or ladies who lunch who get out of their drives, panic and abandon their cars, but no real holdups. In the interests of fairness though, and to satisfy curiosity, last week I did put a set of Falken winters on an old 5 series. That has been rewarded, in semi-rural West of Scotland, by two mild nights of frost. Perhaps they work by frightening off ice and snow?

motorguy

colino wrote: »

I can hand on heart say I've ever been stuck in the UK because of snow and ice, plenty of issues with other drivers or ladies who lunch who get out of their drives, panic and abandon their cars, but no real holdups. In the interests of fairness though, and to satisfy curiosity, last week I did put a set of Falken winters on an old 5 series. That has been rewarded, in semi-rural West of Scotland, by two mild nights of frost. Perhaps they work by frightening off ice and snow?

+1

The only time i was nearly "stuck" was due to other people, not due to the car i was in.

WTFH

I've been stuck by other drivers, but my winter tyres aren't on just for ice and snow - they are also there for better grip in the wet.

fivetide

I managed to plod around fine for the last few years in a C-Class Merc without winter tyres and never got stuck (this is despite also being in Scotland and having some top quality snow)

The issue I had was everyone else being stuck. If the road is blocked, then the road is blocked. There is nothing you can do about it. Winter tyres or not, you aren't going to move so in those situations it matters not what is on your wheel.

For the rest of the time, I can't say I had an issue with the all year stuff that was on there at all. Even on very cold days the grip seemed fine and I drove to conditions. There is an expectation I think that putting on different tyres, similar to having four wheel drive, is an answer to all the ills. The trouble is, poor driving will still bite you in the bum and that is what is responsible for most problems.

albionrovers

Live in West of Scotland, drive old 5-series for past 15 years, never bother with winter tyres and never get stuck. It's non-drivers who have driving licenses and drive cars that are the problem. Ie. about 95% of the UK population.

scheming_gypsy

TrickyWicky wrote: »

Yeah I've done that too. Not nice, it made an almight bang. Car was solid though and there was no difference to the handling etc. I carried on running it with no probs lol. I scrapped it this year and kept the subframe too as a spare for another car

Mine were Work Equip alloys. Luckily they came on the car and i didn't find out how expensive they are, till i'd sold the car.

WTFH

You'll get people saying "20 years ago we didn't need winter tyres", which is partly true.
Due to fuel economy targets, etc, the tyres cars modern cars are fitted with are summer ones designed to be very efficient on warm, dry roads.

---lee---

albionrovers wrote: »

Live in West of Scotland, drive old 5-series for past 15 years, never bother with winter tyres and never get stuck. It's non-drivers who have driving licenses and drive cars that are the problem. Ie. about 95% of the UK population.

100% agree. My 530D with run flats has coped great with all snow conditions over the last 5 years. Hopefully it will be the same this year as I've just replaced the full set again with the same Dunlop runflats.

The only time I've been stuck is in queues of traffic behind people who can't drive. Also strange is that people would rather sit in their cars moaning about being stuck than get out and give a hand by pushing\digging out those that are stuck.

I've also got a pair of snow socks which have sat in the boot for 4 years sealed and unused - just in case!

This year, the wife will be driving the BMW, so it might be a different story :eek: