winter socks vs winter tyres

JJJJNR

This is a thread about winter socks v's winter tyres, yis are wrecking me buzz!

Anyway someone already nailed it on the head, winter tyres for big mileage users and snow socks for the local run abouts.

Anan1

But they do need them to drive safely at any kind of speed on snow.

Matt Simis

Nissan doctor wrote: »

I don't feel I should be counteracting it at all, I couldn't care less what people buy for their car.

In fact, I'm saying what I'm saying despite the company I work for selling winter tyres like hotcakes, so its actually helping me.

What part of the country are you in? Around Dublin/Meath Ive been in a few Tyre places and Winters are still special order (and at that, limited stock). They may have one brand/tyre on display, thats it. Definately not selling like hotcakes from what Ive seen and as I said no one I know has actually bought them, but are considering this year.

Nissan doctor

Matt Simis wrote: »

What part of the country are you in? Around Dublin/Meath Ive been in a few Tyre places and Winters are still special order (and at that, limited stock). They may have one brand/tyre on display, thats it. Definately not selling like hotcakes from what Ive seen and as I said no one I know has actually bought them, but are considering this year.

In Drumcondra, North Dublin. We have a large stock of winters, mainly Bridgestone a001's but some Kumhos or Hankooks as well(can't remember which) and we have had to re-order the stock almost every week for the last few weeks.

Marcin_diy

Nissan doctor wrote: »

In Drumcondra, North Dublin. We have a large stock of winters, mainly Bridgestone a001's but some Kumhos or Hankooks as well(can't remember which) and we have had to re-order the stock almost every week for the last few weeks.

hankooks are the worst tyres. No point to save few quid and get sh.. .
Check online for winter tyres tests.

Winter tyres are always worth to buy. If you cant afford 4 get just one pair for driving wheels. Just be carefull when turning :-)
You can use winter tyres safely if temperature get belo plus seven degree. Doesnt matter if it is dry or snow on the road.

I used socks all last winter and it helped me many times. To put them on it takes max 3 min per wheel so in just over 5 min u have much better control and can start up the hill or on ice.

Also again - check google for tests of winter vs summer tyres. Braking distance is 50% less for winter thres on snow....

voojeq

winter tyres FTW, you buy one set and you're sorted for few seasons, just remember to change back to summer tyres when spring comes or you will have to buy new winter set every year

I defo recommend Debica Frigo, brilliant, cheap and not chinese.

davoxx

i think the reason why people are panicking is quite simple, dublin can to a stand still from the snow.

people can't drive at the best of times, and then they venture out in the snow when they should stay at home ...

i'm getting tyre/sock so that i am not stuck anywhere, for the money it is worth it in terms of safety and piece of mind ...

there will be people out there with rwd driving and spinning, endangering lives, all for the sake of socks/tyres ...

so personally i want everyone who is out driving in snow after it has fallen, not to cause an accident ...

i think i'll go with winter tyres ... it's expensive but i believe the poll

tossy

If it does snow we should organise a little boards test/meet and compare the various options on various drive trains i.e FWD RWD 4WD with as many different options as possible.

davoxx

tossy wrote: »

If it does snow we should organise a little boards test/meet and compare the various options on various drive trains i.e FWD RWD 4WD with as many different options as possible.

if we can all get there

tossy

davoxx wrote: »

if we can all get there

The winter tyre people can tow the socks brigade :D:D

haminka

Summer tyres' grip decreases in temperatures below 7 degrees and it takes longer to stop the car when breaking. Also the wear and tear is bigger in winter so I'll be investing in winter tyres. I drive about 40 miles every day and the added safety is worth it, even if the roads are dry.

CiniO

haminka wrote: »

Summer tyres' grip decreases in temperatures below 7 degrees and it takes longer to stop the car when breaking.

That's what the tyre company marketing guys tell us.
Road test doesn't seem to confirm this fact.
I always put winter tyres, but it's because I drive a lot on snow.
If I didn't I wouldn't bother changing summers to winters, as better grip on dry surface when cold is very questionable, the same as grip during big rain might not be great on winter tyres.

Also the wear and tear is bigger in winter so I'll be investing in winter tyres. I drive about 40 miles every day and the added safety is worth it, even if the roads are dry.

Winter tyres are softer, and therefore will definitly wear faster.

haminka

CiniO, I don't think it's the lobby of the tyre manufacturers who make it a law for drivers to change tyres from summer version to a winter version.
I wouldn't use winter tyres in summer because they are softer so you just end up slowing down your car and use more petrol/diesel.
Do you have any comparison between the wear and tear of summer tyres in winter and winter tyres in winter? Because I would say that the summer ones will suffer more in winter than they winter ones.

Nissan doctor

haminka wrote: »

CiniO, I don't think it's the lobby of the tyre manufacturers who make it a law for drivers to change tyres from summer version to a winter version.
I wouldn't use winter tyres in summer because they are softer so you just end up slowing down your car and use more petrol/diesel.
Do you have any comparison between the wear and tear of summer tyres in winter and winter tyres in winter? Because I would say that the summer ones will suffer more in winter than they winter ones.

By what logic would summer tyres wear more in winter?
In low temperatures summer tyres become less supple, which is why their grip is reduced, but harder tyres also wear less.

Winter tyres are much softer to start with so they can remain soft(good grip) in the cold weather, meaning that in summer they will get even softer and so wear faster,

TheZ

For most people the hassle of changing winters to summers and storing a set of tyres is more than a few days of snow. Problem with snow is that (in Dublin anyway) the city grinds to a halt so even if you have winter tyres you are stuck in that.

I live in an area which gets its share of snow and so there is a 4 x 4 as one car in the family which next time we change it I might swap for winter tyres on a two wheel car as it is cheaper.

The last two winters seem to have been freak weather in most of Ireland - if it snows again this year then maybe it is a new normal and people will start to buy winter tyres and other snow gear - snow shovels, snow blowers, show grips, portable cookers etc

voojeq

the truth is that dublin needs a metro badly :P

CiniO

haminka wrote: »

CiniO, I don't think it's the lobby of the tyre manufacturers who make it a law for drivers to change tyres from summer version to a winter version.

Could you please give any example of such law?

I wouldn't use winter tyres in summer because they are softer so you just end up slowing down your car and use more petrol/diesel.

Right. + they have less grip, especially on wet hot days.

Do you have any comparison between the wear and tear of summer tyres in winter and winter tyres in winter? Because I would say that the summer ones will suffer more in winter than they winter ones.

Summer tyres rubber is way more harder than winter, and in low temperature becomes even more hard, so wear on summer tyres in winter wouldn't be any bigger than in summer.

Hence i'm not saying that winter tyres doesn't make sense.
On dry tarmac at -20 degrees, you will definitely have better grip on winter tyres than on summer tyres.
I just don't really believe in this 7 degrees magical border line advertised by tyre industry. Considering temperature in Ireland barely anytime goes below -5, if I didn't have to drive on the snow, I wouldn't use winter tyres.

headstar23

can anyone explain the difference between front wheel drive and rear wheel drive please? Is it common to be able to change a car from 2 wheel drive to four or is that final in the making fo the ALL cars?

Nissan doctor

headstar23 wrote: »

can anyone explain the difference between front wheel drive and rear wheel drive please? Is it common to be able to change a car from 2 wheel drive to four or is that final in the making fo the ALL cars?

Seriously??

Ok, in a Front wheel drive car the engine drives the front wheels, in a rear wheel drive the engine drive the rear wheels and in a 4 wheel drive car the engine drives all 4 wheels.

There is no option to change the type of drive your car has.

CiniO

Nissan doctor wrote: »

There is no option to change the type of drive your car has.

Except from 4wd where you can engage or disengage one axle, making it front or rear wheel drive depending on construction.

headstar23

Hey Nissan Doctor maybe i should have been clearer but even still 'seriously' was a bit harsh!We all dont know everything and surely thats why 'Boards.ie' was created? Anyway, I meant the difference in them when driving in the snow. I know how they drive the car but what happens when driving in the snow depending on the drive of your car!?
Thanks CiniO i'll check that out about my car so!

Nissan doctor

headstar23 wrote: »

Hey Nissan Doctor maybe i should have been clearer but even still 'seriously' was a bit harsh!We all dont know everything and surely thats why 'Boards.ie' was created? Anyway, I meant the difference in them when driving in the snow. I know how they drive the car but what happens when driving in the snow depending on the drive of your car!?
Thanks CiniO i'll check that out about my car so!

I apologise, the 'seriously' comment was ment as I though you were litterally asking what was fwd/rwd etc i.e, because the explaination is in their description.

As for the differences in driving on snow... to put it a short as possible, for driving on normal snow covered roads, 4wd best, fwd a close second and rwd a very distant third.

What car have you got? Unless you have a large 4x4(landcruiser/pathfinder/pajero etc) then there is no facility to do anything about what WD your car is.

headstar23

Nissan doctor wrote: »

I apologise, the 'seriously' comment was ment as I though you were litterally asking what was fwd/rwd etc i.e, because the explaination is in their description.

As for the differences in driving on snow... to put it a short as possible, for driving on normal snow covered roads, 4wd best, fwd a close second and rwd a very distant third.

What car have you got? Unless you have a large 4x4(landcruiser/pathfinder/pajero etc) then there is no facility to do anything about what WD your car is.

Apology accepted thanks!get where the confusion was. I drive a Ssangyong Actyon which caused so much trouble last year. I know there is an option to change the drive on the Rexton and the buttons are actually on the dash of the Actyon but they are not in use so thats why I was wondering if a garage can do it!

Nissan doctor

headstar23 wrote: »

Apology accepted thanks!get where the confusion was. I drive a Ssangyong Actyon which caused so much trouble last year. I know there is an option to change the drive on the Rexton and the buttons are actually on the dash of the Actyon but they are not in use so thats why I was wondering if a garage can do it!

If yours has no buttons for selectable 4wd then yours is the 2wd model:(