W203 Winter Tyres

[harrisis]

Morning MB'ers

Given the suprise first dusting of snow this morning, I got to find out what my first winter in my C-class coupe is going to be like. Oh boy!!

So my question is, do winter (M&S) tyres really make the difference?

I'm imagining a set of cheap 15inch steel rims, and a set of branded M&S rated tyres (about £250) all in.

I live in aberdeen city, but given the councils laid back attitutde to gritting and plowing its a safe bet there will be some snow/slush on the roads, and fequent icy patches.

Currently fitted with Continental Contacts, which are superb in the dry/moist. But in this mornings icy/frost they were shocking!

 

[dolmen]

Winter tyres don't get a great following in the UK, probably due to the added expense and the fact that we don't get much snow any more.

Having said that, I already have my winter tyres on both the C250 and the E320, the cars just feel so sure footed with them.

I like the fact that the cold weather tyres handle standing water on the road so much better. For me its the way to go, I've been sat spinning on my own front street with all weather tyres on, but since starting to use winter tyres I have felt the difference with much more grip in similar conditions. I have not driven in very snowy conditions yet, but perhaps this winter will give me that opertunity

Cheers

 

[television]

Yes a set of winter wheels and tyres is great,,no damage to your nice wheels through the salt and a much better grip on the softer rubber tyres. It is only your initial outlay, but nice to have

 

[Juddian]

Another possibility would be Vredestein Quatrac 2 all season tyres, these have a silica content similar to winter's and get some serious praise on tyretest.com, probably not as good ultimately as dedicated winters but a good compromise.

Camskills take some beating for prices for all sorts of tyres by the way.

 

[harrisis]

Steel rims?

Having spoken with my local dealer...

I know that 16" rims are what im looking for, and 205/55 is the suggested rubber.

However theyre quoting me £52 for each steel rim.

This sounds a little steep as you can get budget alloys for that kind of price. I've called round the chains and get the same, "we dont do steels" as an answer.

Any suggestions on where to get steel rims from?

TIA

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I live in aberdeen city, but given the councils laid back attitutde to gritting and plowing its a safe bet there will be some snow/slush on the roads, and fequent icy patches.

I grew up in Aberdeen and we had some exciting winters there. The first car I managed to equip with radials (Michelin X) was a Rover 105S.

I took to reducing the tyre pressures by about one third (as you would with sand tyres for desert use) and that seemed to do very well in snow, slush and ice. I suppose all the factors in the powertrain were favourable - long stroke engine, high gearing, large diameter road wheels and the tyre option as described. So good was it that I never failed to complete journeys even in the worst of weather.

Is tyre pressure reduction in favour these days as a substitute for changing to winter tyres, or fitting chains?

 

[television]

Having spoken with my local dealer...

I know that 16" rims are what im looking for, and 205/55 is the suggested rubber.

However theyre quoting me £52 for each steel rim.

This sounds a little steep as you can get budget alloys for that kind of price. I've called round the chains and get the same, "we dont do steels" as an answer.

Any suggestions on where to get steel rims from?

TIA

I do not think that there are any steel rims that are hub centric
Plenty of wheels on Ebay cheap

 

[rf065]

I bought a set of brand new 17" MB alloys on E-bay for £350 & fitted Vredestein Wintrac Extreme winter tyres, 225/45x17.

Don't just buy M+S tyres, winter tyres have the snowflake on the mountain symbol to denote they are for temperatures below 10 degrees C. They were so good last year in heavy snow, icy roads, cold wet roads and standing water that I will be fitting winter tyres to any car I have from now on. Although you have the expense of a spare set of wheels & tyres up front, using them only from the end of December to the end of March should give at least 6 years use and means your summer tyres last a little longer too.

When it does snow, be prepared to be held up by all the other cars sliding around on their summer tyres and causing havoc while you wonder what all the drama is about, they really are that good.

Russ

 

[psmart]

I do not think that there are any steel rims that are hub centric
Plenty of wheels on Ebay cheap

Steel rims are available for the C class here in Germany, so must be available in the UK (or at least via Ebay).

I have the same problem, wether to just get winter tyres on the alloys and buy new alloys next summer, or get a seperate set of steel rims/tyres for winter use.

Here in southern Germany, if you have an accident in the winter and your not using winter tyres, your immediately to blame, regardless of fault. In Austria, its law that you have winter (or M+S) tyres in winter months!

Was considering using my A-Class winter tyres on steel rims, same 15" rims but shod with lower profile tyres (cant remember exact spec)!

 

[dragon]

While cycling around East Anglia this afternoon in bright sunshine I noticed the thorns are already flowering with brialliant yellow. This is telling me it going to be a warm winter.

It going to be cold for last night and tonight and warm up again for the weekend. Spare you expense on a set of winter tyres.

If you are on the west coast of US, yes that a must and snowchains.

 

[rf065]

While cycling around East Anglia this afternoon in bright sunshine I noticed the thorns are already flowering with brialliant yellow. This is telling me it going to be a warm winter.

It going to be cold for last night and tonight and warm up again for the weekend. Spare you expense on a set of winter tyres.

If you are on the west coast of US, yes that a must and snowchains.

Dragon, you are still thinking old school that winter tyres are for snow.

The new breed of winter tyres are for temperatures below 10 degrees C and work better than summer or all season tyres at or below that temp, regardless of road conditions. If you are telling me that Scotland will not see temperatures below 10 degrees this winter I will leave the summer tyres on and wear bermuda shorts & a t shirt till summer comes again.

Russ

 

[dragon]

Try driving your winter tyres to Glen Doll in January and see whether it can handle any better than the normal tyres. I live in Scotland for 20 years to experience it. If you are in a race rally I can see why.

 

[rf065]

Try driving your winter tyres to Glen Doll in January and see whether it can handle any better than the normal tyres. I live in Scotland for 20 years to experience it. If you are you a rally I can see why.

No need to go to Glen Doll, I already live 210 metres above sea level and can vouch for winter tyres having more grip than normal tyres, As for your last sentence, I'm unable to answer it unless you translate it into English.

Russ

 

[dragon]

.......................Done.

 

[television]

In Sweden the tradition was to use spiked tyres called "Dub däck" these spiked tyres do give an amazing grip in ice and snow, the down side is that that are bad for the wearing out the roads quickly, for the past 15 years they have been working on the soft compound winter tyres and have now got them very close to the "Dubbed" spiked tyres, so much so that only those living out in the wild use the spiked tyres. These new breed of winter tyres are good for those living in the towns and have now a 80% share of the Swedish market,
so no one here should turn their nose up at them

 

[dragon]

They shouldn't drive, they should use sleights and reindeers, will solve the problem.

 

[television]

They shouldn't drive, they should use sleights and reindeers, will solve the problem.

But they do for Christmas,, in Sweden the presents are given on Christmas Eve,, that gives them time to get to the UK on Christmas Day

 

[dragon]

Woo that why they want winter tyres in Aberdeen.

East Anglia will be the coldest tonight. Warning 100% bitch in Norwich.

 

[rf065]

Woo that why they want winter tyres in Aberdeen.

East Anglia will be the coldest tonight.

Dragon, get up to speed here, they are not winter tyres anymore, they are cold weather tyres, ideal for places like Aberdeen in winter.

Russ

 

[Iain the gadget]

Dragon, get up to speed here, they are not winter tyres anymore, they are cold weather tyres, ideal for places like Aberdeen in winter.

Russ

Having researched this subject quite intensly, I couldn't agree more with what you are trying to explain to Dragon.
Tyre manufacturers wouldn't need to spend the millions that they do on research if there wasn't an end to there findings. Why would they, they have the market covered anyway! These softer compounds really do work.