Winter tyres?

I know in Germany it's common for people to keep two sets of wheels, I just don't know if the winters in Scotland are bad enough to justify the use of cold weather tyres?

There's a distinction between winter tyres and mud & snow (M+S) tyres, isn't there?

I will buy another set of wheels for the winters - usually, alloys for summer, steels for winter.

If that's your belief, you don't understand the benefits of cold weather tyres.

I know that.

DervMan ("DervMan" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

What's the sample size? One person who has a weekend house in the Highlands?

That would make 75% difficult.

Duncan Wood ("Duncan Wood" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

No, they spend a lot of their time there, but not all.

Nothing more pleasurable than dragging a nice shiny X5 or spanking new range rover out of a spot of light mud with a battered rusty old landrover or 1st gen surf! :) Its funny how so many people think that because its a 4x4 it will go off road, when its shod with 22" rims and tyres that are painted onto the rims.

It seems that some tyres marked as 'Winter' may also be marked M&S but the M&S bit appears to be more snow than mud (mud tyres seem to have a more open tread)?

I have had Colway M&S tyres on my kitcar (Ranger jeep) for 18 years and they were brilliant on both mud and snow (considering it's based on a MKII 2wd escrot etc) and they outperformed the car on wet and dry tarmac as well. They also looked 'off road' and that suits the jeep style.

When a 7 year old pair showed signs of fine cracking on the sidewalls Colway replaced them foc.

I'm still looking for some reasonably priced 185 / 80 R14's in M&S pattern (I did go through this on here some time ago but circumstances meant I couldn't proceed with the project) but that size seems a bit difficult these days.

All the best ..

T i m

Damn there's always one heh.

Four households. Come to think of it one household has two cars, but the Justy spent all year long on cold weather tyres since it was only used on local drives.

Heh.

In so doing, you are not getting the strengths of both tyres combined but sharing the weaknesses of both. Your car will lose directional control, veering to one side or worse, spinning, in cold weather in a panic stop. Don't do it.

I think you're overstating the problems. Mr Payne is clearly an experienced motorist, and has put considerable thought into his tyre setup. For you to dismiss his clearly well-thought out solution to what is definitely a very real problem is at best naive.

cheers, clive

Iniquitous!

That a person is an experienced motorist and has well thought out a solution has no bearing on whether or not the solution offered is correct. The answer should rightly be judged on its merits. My response posts as a challenge to "Douglas Payne" to come up with an explanation. If the technical director/advisor of a motoring safety organisation stated that driving straight to a wall was safe, I would still voice my concern and point out politely the error.

It's true I don't know how experienced or who "Douglas Payne" is, or indeed who "Clive George" is. For all I know, they could be one and the same person.

Whoosh!

Spare set of steel wheels for the winter and leave the tyres on them,.

They're (usually) cheap from a scrappy, because most major-maker cars, even the nice ones, will have some sibling in the range that uses the same bolt pattern and offset. This also lets you find a rim for a sensibly sized that's narrower and doesn;'t require a stupidly low profile.

Steel winter wheels also keep much of the road salt off your nice shiney alloys.

And I'd cheerfully run Colways as a winter tyre.