I'm currently looking at changing the daily, an X3, which my wife uses for work and can't decide if we should continue with a 4x4/xdrive. We've had plenty of BMWs over the years and all were terrible in the white stuff but I've never tried fitting winter tyres. We live in a semi rural location that gets little gritting so it is a real consideration for my wife's next car. Would you peeps that run them say they make enough difference to not need four wheel drive to be confident in the winter?
How good are winter tyres
- Thread starter Pastry
- Start date
Liverpool
A RWD car on winter tyres will be better than a 4WD car on summer tyres.
The only benefit the 4WD car might have in snow, is that it will usually sit a bit higher than a Z4 and hence not act as a snowplough.
However, a 4WD car on winters will be excellent in the snow - just depends whether you really need the extra weight/different packaging/higher cost of a 4WD.
The only benefit the 4WD car might have in snow, is that it will usually sit a bit higher than a Z4 and hence not act as a snowplough.
However, a 4WD car on winters will be excellent in the snow - just depends whether you really need the extra weight/different packaging/higher cost of a 4WD.
Agree with above & even better if a fwd car on decent winters
Last few years have seen so little snow that having the cost of a winter set & a summer one seems high pro rata for the the times they are needed so i opted for a new set of winters to run all year round on our C Class family hack almost 2 years ago & even with 2 euro jaunts on them after covering over 10k all year use they still measure 6.5mm rears & 7mm fronts ( Hankook Icept Evos )
Now i accept that in summer they may not perform as well as summer rubber if pushed but in all honesty the car never gets stretched over the speed limits on any roads so we don't need PSS levels of grip
Horses for courses i guess :?
Last few years have seen so little snow that having the cost of a winter set & a summer one seems high pro rata for the the times they are needed so i opted for a new set of winters to run all year round on our C Class family hack almost 2 years ago & even with 2 euro jaunts on them after covering over 10k all year use they still measure 6.5mm rears & 7mm fronts ( Hankook Icept Evos )
Now i accept that in summer they may not perform as well as summer rubber if pushed but in all honesty the car never gets stretched over the speed limits on any roads so we don't need PSS levels of grip
Horses for courses i guess :?
Even if you have a 4 wheel drive you still have two wheel steering and four wheel braking just like everyone else does. If you can't stop or steer who cares whether you can get moving.
Summer tyres are optimised for summer conditions, winter tyres are optimised for winter conditions. Simple really.
Summer tyres are optimised for summer conditions, winter tyres are optimised for winter conditions. Simple really.
Where I live in Pennsylvania it is a violation of the vehicle code to not use a tire which is designated by a snow flake on the sidewall in winter weather. If you get stuck and are blocking a "snow emergency route" and if your tire does not have the snow flake on the sidewall your looking at up to a $1,000 fine where I live. Most driver use what is called an "all season tire" which will have the snow flake on the sidewall. The better option which I use in the winter is the true winter tire which will have both a snow flake and mountain symbol on the sidewall. I have never been stuck with winter tires. All season tire are ok once the roads have been plowed and you're driving on packed snow. Winter tire are very good so long as the snow is not so deep that you are in effect plowing snow.
Chalk and cheese paul.
Couldnt believe the difference when i started using them - almost like driving in normal conditions the traction on snow and ice is so good. You still need to take it easy around bends and give more braking distance
Have always used Nokians.
Couldnt believe the difference when i started using them - almost like driving in normal conditions the traction on snow and ice is so good. You still need to take it easy around bends and give more braking distance
Have always used Nokians.
That's really good to know Chaps 
The last two RWDs (a 530d and 120d) were terrible and my wife couldn't even get out of her works car park but I never I never even considered the tyres just changed for a 4x4 .
The M will be parked over winter so no worries there but I'll now consider a lot more models as a daily
The last two RWDs (a 530d and 120d) were terrible and my wife couldn't even get out of her works car park but I never I never even considered the tyres just changed for a 4x4 .
The M will be parked over winter so no worries there but I'll now consider a lot more models as a daily
North West Surrey
I'm still waiting to find out what winter tyres are really like as we haven't had any snow since I bought a set for my E46 daily in 2015!
But prior to this I do remember seeing a video on Autocar with 2 Skoda Yetis, one a 4WD on summer tyres and the other a 2WD on winter tyres and I remember being amazed at how much further the former took to stop.
That may explain why most cars I have seen on verges or in ditches in the past tended to be 4 x 4s on blingy wheels (and presumably summer tyres)!
I would rather use winters on a 2WD than risk summers on a 4 X 4 in the South East - if you live somewhere inaccessible or a significantly colder part of the country 4 x 4 with winters has to be the ultimate answer!
As the OP has a 4 x 4 already, maybe an all-year tyre like Michelin Cross-Climate would work (assuming they make the right size, as I believe the range is limited). Saves storing a set of wheels and having to change them twice a year!
But prior to this I do remember seeing a video on Autocar with 2 Skoda Yetis, one a 4WD on summer tyres and the other a 2WD on winter tyres and I remember being amazed at how much further the former took to stop.
That may explain why most cars I have seen on verges or in ditches in the past tended to be 4 x 4s on blingy wheels (and presumably summer tyres)! I would rather use winters on a 2WD than risk summers on a 4 X 4 in the South East - if you live somewhere inaccessible or a significantly colder part of the country 4 x 4 with winters has to be the ultimate answer!
As the OP has a 4 x 4 already, maybe an all-year tyre like Michelin Cross-Climate would work (assuming they make the right size, as I believe the range is limited). Saves storing a set of wheels and having to change them twice a year!
I lived outside Chicago for five years, where we used to regularly get 3 foot of snow in two hours, or have the temperature drop from +10C to -15C during the course of one day. I drove a RWD automatic Lexus IS300. In the winter on summer tyres it could be unuseable. I bought it in March and immediately fitted a top quality set of new summer tyres. Two weeks later a small snowstorm hit - I managed 1/4 mile before deciding it was too dangerous to drive and turned for home. I couldn't get it back onto the drive as it didn't have the traction to get up the gentle slope. On winter tyres in far worse conditions I could out run all the SUVs and jeeps uphill on compacted snow and it was a very good daily drive. It's not just snow, it's cold (<7C) that matters. Winter tyres are designed to run well cold.mmm-five said:
The only car that was better in snow was our Subaru Outback on winter tyres. It could happily handle full throttle launches off the lights in deep snow without issues. Didn't stop any better than the Lexus though.
I agree the benefits of winters in snow and ice are really good. But people often forget how much better they are in the rain, or just cold weather. As others have already said, winters are designed to work at cooler temps than summers (softer compound than summer ones). They're also often better designed to clear standing water (try 80 though a puddle on summers - exciting? Hardly notice it on winters...)
One problem my other half has is that his winters are getting old but haven't worn much. Is it financially beneficial? I don't know. But a set of tyres is probably a lot less than a crash...
One problem my other half has is that his winters are getting old but haven't worn much. Is it financially beneficial? I don't know. But a set of tyres is probably a lot less than a crash...
The initial outlay isn't that much considering you are not using your summer tyres so they will last longer.
I've had winters on and they are better in the cold. They are not so good in the heat though as they squirm all over the place when pushed.
Just look at motor racing and how they change their compounds depending on the weather, same principles apply (formula 1 in the snow, now that would be interesting).
I've had winters on and they are better in the cold. They are not so good in the heat though as they squirm all over the place when pushed.
Just look at motor racing and how they change their compounds depending on the weather, same principles apply (formula 1 in the snow, now that would be interesting).