[matlough]

OK guys, help needed.


4 NON RF Winter tyres - £612 ish (+ tyre repair kit) OR

4 RF and a pair of Snow Socks - £496 ish ???


The car is due to be changed/handed back in March/April 2011

Cannot decide on what to do, my current RF are coming to the end of their life but I do not want to spend a fortune on tyres just for 5 months use!

[briers]

Need to check if you can hand the car back without run flats first. They may charge you.

Snock socks aren't worth it imho, not in this country. Why not get some all season run flats, or even winter run flats. But just check about handing the car back with run flats that aren't star rated too.

I'd be amazed if you could get 4 run flats for what you said. Mine are like £300 each.


I would personally buy some cheap alloys off ebay, put some mid range winters on and store your current tyres somewhere. When you hand it back, put the original wheels back on with your worn tyres and sell your winters on ebay or here and you could probably recoup most of your money.

[ed335d]

Put winter tyres on. Save wear on the RFT's. Have a safe winter (low tread RFT's are terrible in the snow/ice). Keep winters on until handover and put the RFT's back on, sell winters.

Putting winter tyres on and then selling them may cost you £250 to £300 - cheaper than if you need to replace the RFT's before handing it back.

[Jeff123]

Do you genuinely need winter tyres in Hampshire?

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by Jeff123

Do you genuinely need winter tyres in Hampshire?

As someone who relies on their car for work etc and having a 40 mile commute between Surrey and Hetfordshire (where the weather can be considerably different), I would say yes.

It's not just about needing them for the few days where we have snow, it's being prepared for getting caught out and being safe.

[matlough]

Managed to find some Avon Ice touring ST tyres - fitted £500.

Seems like a good deal?

Anyone tried these?


The only problem is they are only available in a V rating (up to 149mph I think?) but seeing as it would be dumb to do anything like that in winter I think it should be ok??

[no_ball]

I have put on vredestein's wintracs extreme, seem to have a good write up. watch the youtube video on these too, impressive handling/braking on ice rink using a E90 saloon.

[chesney72]

I've just ordered a set of Nokian WR G2's. Meant to have a very good reviews. I dug deep about loads of different winter tyres and my shortlist were

Nokian WR G2
Vredestien Wintrac Extreme
Bridgestone Blizzak
Good Year Ultra Grip

All above outperformed just about all the others. I did have Dunlop WInter Sports before than they were very good too.

Seems there are a shortage of winters this year so order in advance!

In O.P's situation I'd agree to get a set of winter tyres but keep the rft' for swapping back on in March.

[no_ball]

be quick, the wintracs I ordered for the rears a week ago have already gone up 50 quids each!!

[Burton]

Originally Posted by chesney72

I've just ordered a set of Nokian WR G2's. Meant to have a very good reviews. I dug deep about loads of different winter tyres and my shortlist were

Nokian WR G2
Vredestien Wintrac Extreme
Bridgestone Blizzak
Good Year Ultra Grip

All above outperformed just about all the others. I did have Dunlop WInter Sports before than they were very good too.

Seems there are a shortage of winters this year so order in advance!

In O.P's situation I'd agree to get a set of winter tyres but keep the rft' for swapping back on in March.

Were your Dunlop's SP Winter Sports 3D?
If they were good, why did you decide to move away form them?

With very consitent good reviews, I'm interested in the Dunlop's at the moment, that's why I am asking.

[dxb335d]

How reliable has your 335i been?!

[chesney72]

Originally Posted by Burton

Were your Dunlop's SP Winter Sports 3D?
If they were good, why did you decide to move away form them?

With very consitent good reviews, I'm interested in the Dunlop's at the moment, that's why I am asking.

I had them on our golf. I think they were M3's whcih I think were superceded by the 3D or was it the other way round

They were on the std alloys but I got a set of anniversary alloys for it and sold the std ones on. WIsh I had spent the extra on another set of winters cos the falkens on the golf were lethal up here last year, no grip at all!!!

I'd rate the dunlops highly. I had an s3 at the time (toyo CF1 tyres) too and in the snow the golf was way more stable. They lasted ages too. I had over 25k on them when I sold them on and had used them all year round. Was one morning we had a fair amount of snow and it was icy underneath and there's a steep incline junction on my work route and there were cars not just struggling to get out the junction but also sliding backwards!!! I stopped, had a look and then just drove round them LOL!!

Pretty sure you can only import them via mytyres as dunlop don't supply them to the UK. I'd just bought a set for my rs6 avant and was all set for winter til I got tempted by the 335i...probably one of the worst cars to have in snow LOL!!

I'm expecting good things with the Nokian tyres. Made in Finland so I'm expecting they understand the needs for winter driving.

I also noticed the prices on mytyres fluctuate even on a daily basis. I did see them dropping a tad last week and was about to order the tyres and the next day they were sold out...then back up a day later £30 more expensive per tyre!!