bit early but winter tyres or narrower wheels??

minx23

Tuner
Points
72
Location
mansfield-nottinghamshire
Car
mondeo zetec s tdci
Hi again folks, just wondering, what would you say is better? Having winter tyres put on when it snows or have a spare set of narrower wheels all together?

I had a mk2 mondeo for 8 years and NEVER got stuck in the snow, last year however, I had a mk3 mondeo, and oh my god it was like bambino on ice, I've never been scared of driving a car in the snow until early this year...

so I'm pre planning.... I have a different mk3 mondeo now (zetec s) and just wondering what you guys would recommend, one of my brothers has told me to get a set of narrow wheels, my nephew said to just let some air out the tyres!! Mine are 18" low profile, so not sure that's guna be a good idea!!!

Cheers in advance!!
 
Winter tyres make a massive difference, narrower wheels are good in snow but not in generally slippy icy conditions.
 
Winter tyres it will be then!! Is it worth getting a spare set of steels and swapping them like that rather than taking old tyres off and putting different ones on to swap back again? And cheers for the replies! !
 
The two sets of rims helps in that mid way period when you have a warm patch then go back to two weeks of snow!
 
Winter tyres it will be then!! Is it worth getting a spare set of steels and swapping them like that rather than taking old tyres off and putting different ones on to swap back again? And cheers for the replies! !

Yes definitely. I don't like the ideas of having tyres removed and refitted needlessly. If you can get a set of steels that are geometrically the same as your summer wheels then good to go.

The biggest issue is insurers who think that they can slap an admin fee for anything at all. Change the colour of your socks and they'd have fifteen quid if you let 'em get away with it.

On Winter Tyres, I really like Apollo-Vredestein's Wintrac Xtreme.
 
Just curious Paul are you saying changing tyre's to winter ones should be declared to the insurance company or changing to steelie's?

Cause tbh I've been very honest with my insurer but I have never declared tyre changes!
 
if the insurance company have not asked you to name the tyres you use you certainly don't have to tell them if you change them.
 
If tyre sizes and dimensions remain the same then I can see no need to declare a switch to winter tyres.

Even if you fit different sizes if the new size is offered as standard by the manufacturer on your model you will probably be ok. Declare anyway to be safe if in doubt - a phone call is all it takes to clear it up.

Again if steel rims were a factory option on your car this will usually not be viewed as a modification if you downgraded to steelies for winter.
 
Insurers can be very awkward about such things. I see it as a money making exercise when they apply admin fees all over the place. They can't just cancel your policy wantonly though, despite what they'd have us believe. An obscurely hidden clause about non-disclosure is not sufficient grounds to do this.

If any insurer asked me to pay for the Privilege of using seasonally specific tyres I'd cancel the policy forthwith.

Ooops!! what've I said??
 
Ok, might sound like a daft question... but mine that are on at the moment are 18 inch low profile parrelis, if I changed to a spare set for winter tyres, would they have to be 18 inch low profile tyres/wheels or could they be like 16 inch steels with winter tyres ???
(I hope I haven't just made myself look like a total muppet asking that lol)
 
I have managed to survive to 62 using the same tyres all year round. However, modern low profile tyres with the grooves running around the tyre are pretty crap in snow.

The VW Fox I use for pootling around and parcel deliveries runs on budget tyres. It's great fun in the snow :) I spend a lot of time farting about doing handbrake turns so I have developed a pretty good feel for snowy conditions over the years and it holds no fears for me. The drivers who are experiencing snow for the first time are what scares me. A new driver on low profile tyres? Maybe I will stay at home :)
 
I have managed to survive to 62 using the same tyres all year round. However, modern low profile tyres with the grooves running around the tyre are pretty crap in snow.

The VW Fox I use for pootling around and parcel deliveries runs on budget tyres. It's great fun in the snow :) I spend a lot of time farting about doing handbrake turns so I have developed a pretty good feel for snowy conditions over the years and it holds no fears for me. The drivers who are experiencing snow for the first time are what scares me. A new driver on low profile tyres? Maybe I will stay at home :)

Handbrake turns? Why?
 
I don't think I made my point very well I will have another go. Wheels yes tyres no.

How many people could now actually buy the same tyre as was fitted out the Factory because unless the answer is pretty much everyone surely the tyre issue collapses

Try asking for the original tyres on your five year old car ,and I mean the exact replacement .
First you would have to know the tyre model and most including the insurance company won't . Once you have managed that most have changed name and pretty much all of the big names have changed tread pattern so its declare time when you need new rubber
And It makes kumohs , nankings and lots of others illegal unless you tell your insurance company because to my knowledge they were never original equipment on anything.
 
Handbrake turns? Why?

Because they are fun :) I spent many a happy hour in a snow packed Brands Hatch car park back in the 70s with friends. I learnt a lot about car control arsing about in a safe environment which has stood me in good stead.

I don't do them down a packed high street :)
 
Because they are fun :) I spent many a happy hour in a snow packed Brands Hatch car park back in the 70s with friends. I learnt a lot about car control arsing about in a safe environment which has stood me in good stead.

I don't do them down a packed high street :)

I wonder how I'd get on trying to do it with the silly 4 wheel electric parking brake on the Passat?? Possibly the best 4 wheel drift ever with absolutely no directional control :D
 
I don't think I made my point very well I will have another go. Wheels yes tyres no.

How many people could now actually buy the same tyre as was fitted out the Factory because unless the answer is pretty much everyone surely the tyre issue collapses

Try asking for the original tyres on your five year old car ,and I mean the exact replacement .
First you would have to know the tyre model and most including the insurance company won't . Once you have managed that most have changed name and pretty much all of the big names have changed tread pattern so its declare time when you need new rubber
And It makes kumohs , nankings and lots of others illegal unless you tell your insurance company because to my knowledge they were never original equipment on anything.

Yes, that is total silliness. You might as well be required to use the same brand of fuel that was in the tank when the car we driven off the forecourt when brand new.
 
I wonder how I'd get on trying to do it with the silly 4 wheel electric parking brake on the Passat?? Possibly the best 4 wheel drift ever with absolutely no directional control :D

Yeah, they are making cars more and more difficult to have fun in :-(
 
I'm not a new driver on low profiles.....
I've been driving over 12 year (been using this forum over 7 years!! and never had any problems until the last lot of snow we had, but my last car which I only kept for 8 months was terrible on snow, just don't want to be the same this year, and yes my car has low profiles, but they came on the car when I bought it, which is why I posted this question in the first place, so please don't assume I'm some mamby pampy new driver trying to be clever on low profiles!!!
It's a genuine question!!
 
I'm not a new driver on low profiles.....
I've been driving over 12 year (been using this forum over 7 years!! and never had any problems until the last lot of snow we had, but my last car which I only kept for 8 months was terrible on snow, just don't want to be the same this year, and yes my car has low profiles, but they came on the car when I bought it, which is why I posted this question in the first place, so please don't assume I'm some mamby pampy new driver trying to be clever on low profiles!!!
It's a genuine question!!

No one is assuming for one moment that you are lacking in the appropriate skills as a driver. You have been on TC for 7 years with 65 posts and I have been here for 5 and a 1/2 years with nearly 18,000 posts. We all have something to learn when it comes to driving and I am no exception. At the end of the day, I want everybody to be safe whether they drive on low, high, winter or slick tyres. These guys here on TC are some of the most experienced around with many years of road and track experience, so we all want to make sure that all of us are here to learn from others mistakes, and therefore to stay safe and more importantly, to arrive home safe. Never had winter tyres myself so this is also new to me, at the end of the day, what ever the advice is that we pass on to you, it is with you're best interests and safety at heart.
 
Thanks t9, I was referring to old gits comment "new driver on low profiles, I'll stay at home! "
I always appreciate the help I get on here which is why it's always the first place I come! I've had some great advice every time I've posted :)
I do have another question though :)
If I do get a spare set of steels for winter tyres, can they be smaller than the 18" that are on now? Like 16" with normal tyres (winter)
Or will it only be 18" that will fit?
Sorry to be a pain :)
 
Not sure about the 16's but definitely 17" will be ok. Hopefully somebody more knowledgeable than I may be able to shed some light on this for you. Failing any reply soon for you, try this website with you're car details -

http://www.elitedirect.com/
 
The problem with smaller wheels is whether they will fit over the brake discs and calipers. It's always wise to stick with a manufacturers recommended wheel/tyre size combination to maintain the correct overall rolling diameter.

I never bothered with winter tyres until I bought a BMW 5 series. These are accomplished cars when it comes to handling and neutrality. However, 50:50 weight balance (which is not the nirvana as discussed elsewhere on this site) and RWD aren't the best for traction in snow. It's totally safe though. No risk of losing control on a corner because I could barely get it out of the drive :). A set of Apollo Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme solved this problem. Your Mondeo is never going to be this crippled even on standard wheels and tyres due to its forward weight bias and front wheel drive.

My suggestion is this: If you are comfortable with standard wheels and tyres then stick with them.

There is some truth in winter tyre compounds being better than summer tyre compounds at temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius. Although there is some truth in this, I do think it's also a marketing brief for the tyre industry. I struggle to understand how every single summer tyre on the market exhibits exactly the same behaviour at exactly the same temperature. Especially when we consider how widely tyre performance can vary from one tyre to another without any change in conditions. I'd rather use Michelin Primacy 3s all year than alternating Linglong winter and summer tyres.

PS - driving twenty over eight years and best part of 500,000 miles.
 
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Maybe it was just that last car I had then, it did have a lot of problems which is why I only kept it for 8 month (spent a fortune on it in that time) but it really didn't like snow at all and yes it has made me a bit wiery, whereas every other year I've been the one going out in the snow doing people's shopping and stuff because snow never bothered me before! I suppose one bad egg can spoil things!!
Just don't want to be like I was last year, (it was that bad I didn't even want to drive on flat roads let alone hills, I live up an hill! I even got stuck, never been stuck before but the car just wouldn't go anywhere, was a little embarrassing when my 21 yr old nephew passed me up an hill in his little saxo haha), might just see how this car fairs out! It may be as good as the car I had for 8 yr where it went like a tank everywhere!! Just hope it's not like the last one that may as well had ice skates on :) cheers guys!!
 
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