Winter tyres (or winter wheels?) on S-Type R

[latebreaker]

Winter tyres come into their own when temperatures are below 7 degrees. The softer compound offers improved performance in the wet and icy conditions in addition to snow performance.

If you've got a winter set on then you'll be feeling more confident driving your Jaaag this and subsequent winters.

[blackflash]

That's good. The STR is my only car. One of the main reasons I got the winter tyres was to change my general outlook when it snows from "oh no, I have to drive in this" or even "oh no, I MAY have to drive in this" to "ah, how pretty"... and secondarily, if I do have to drive I'll feel more confident. Indeed I'm even looking forward to testing them, though not in extremis!

I intend to change back to summer tyres in April, exactly when being dependent on the long term weather forecast, particularly average temperatures.

If I have the chance to test them or if i get any issues along the way then I'll report back.

Nigel

[blackflash]

Well I said I would report back...

I was nervous about spending close to £800 on the Vredensteins so maybe part of the joy I'm feeling is relief we've actually had some snow to justify the expense! But i'm a very happy man indeed.

On Tuesday we had an inch or so of snow which would have stopped me getting the 50m down my lane to the gritted road and risked me blocking in my neghbours who live behind me. I decided I would do a three point in front of their house and drive normally down the lane - a gentle test on virgin snow which the car would normally have failed miserably. What an eye-opener!

This evening, with 2-3 inches settled on the pavements and the tarmac just about visible under the tracks of previous drivers I recklessly volunteered to pop into town (12 miles round trip) to fetch a takeaway. The exciting bits of such a trip are getting up the short but steep hill out of the village and getting back down it again. Again the car was faultless.

I'm a convert, an evangelist, for winter tyres; simple as that. They have transformed my winter driving experience and crucially my winter mindset (as hoped): when i know I'm not trapped I can enjoy the beauty.

PS. I now understand that up to 7 degress winter tyres are fine; between 7 and 15 they are ok but you wouldn't want to drive sportily even on dry roads due to the flexing of the softer compound; and 15 degrees plus then you would want to drive slowly and or straight... You're therefore pretty safe leaving winter tyres on the car from November through to March at least.

Nigel

S

[latebreaker]

Nigel,
Im glad your winters passed with flying colors in dealing with the winter weather.

Today was the first opportunity my Kumho's had a chance to shine and they too passed with flying colors. I think they performed better than the Conti's I had fitted when I had my 3 Series.

Let it Snow!

Krish

[GordonJ]

Glad to see and hear that you are both impressed with the winter tyres. But please in this weather er on the side of caution. I have seen young brits that think winter tyres mean invincibility, it doesn't. Cautious driving in this weather is best.

Gordon

[blackflash]

Have no fear, I am a Brit but not a young Brit!

I drive cautiously, approaching junctions in particular at very modest speed. I accelerate out of junctions extremely cautiously and apply the brakes gently and in plenty of time. I keep ample distance from the vehicle in front and slow naturally (little or no brakes) for corners and bends.

My excitement at using these tyres is firstly that I can move at all - I hope to take my daughter to the train station tomorrow morning and the roads, having been clear for 2 days, now have an inch or so of snow on them. I should be ok but will turn back if not comfortable. Second reason is that if I get caught away from home and there has been a modest snowfall then I may be able to get home safely; for example, if I leave my car at the station for a day while I'm in London, I was always anxious about even getting out of the ungritted car park, never mind the roads.

My abiding memory is of driving my X308 XJR a few years ago, turning off the motorway in Derbyshire/S Yorks, and wondering why people were driving so slowly or were stationary... at 5 miles per hour, when I too discovered that the snow was sitting on a layer of ice, the traction control kicked in... and I slowly went sideways as I tried to get back on track. With thoughts of an overnight stay in the car in my mind, I discovered after ten tense minutes that (for some reason) if I put the car in neutral then it nudged forward... and so I arrived at my destination three hours later than planned and as stressed as I can remember.

We didn't have snow for more than a day or two a year after that, until a couple of years ago when we started having "real winters" again. So I kept putting off the investment but am now SO glad I went for it.

Stay safe!