Which winter tyres?

[stumpy]

I am driving to Sweden soon and it is law to have winter tyres over there until end of March. Does anyone have any advice as to which to get. I don't want studs, but there are tyres for 40 quid each from companies I've never heard of, or Mich etc for 60 quid. BTW, they are for the 124 so 195/65/15.

Ta

 

[rf065]

I use Vredestein Wintrac Extremes which are really good. Other good reports on Nokians.

There was a winter tyre test by a Norwegian motoring magazine where they tested loads, and the Federal winter tyres were removed from the test as they were so bad. Best give the budget brands a miss if you want any grip on snow & ice.

Russ

 

[stumpy]

Cheers, will seek out the best known then. What mileage do you get from them from a wear point of view?

 

[rf065]

Cheers, will seek out the best known then. What mileage do you get from them from a wear point of view?

I used them for 3 months last winter, from new, and lost less than 1mm tread. (Approx 3000 miles)
So I reckon on getting 4 or 5 years use out of them as you should change them at 4mm tread depth, and the summer tyres will last a little longer too as they have a rest over the winter.

Russ

 

[psmart]

I use Pirelli Scorpion Snow & Ice and they have been mostly great in winter (and summer - too pricey to keep an extra set for a 4x4).

A Viano we hired at Christmas came with new Continental Winter Contacts and the car slid like an ice skater, not very encouraging. Its not helped with the Viano being so light on its rear end.

 

[Juddian]

I'll second the Vredesetin Wintrac Extreme's, got them on the hilux, pulled out of our ridiculously steep driveway in the snow in 2 wheel drive easily, and makes the vehicle stick like the proverbial in the cold. They go on in late November and come off in March.

Camskills is the site to find them at the cheapest price, and i am lucky to have a good local tyre indy that will nearly match Camskills but obviously fitted and balanced, worth getting the figure and trying them.

I too have a second set of wheels for the winters and keep them in the dry and dark when not in use, same with the summers.

 

[television]

The other choice is that you can have the dubs (spikes) put onto your original tyres and pull them out on the way home

 

[marcsin3]

studded tyres

hi, i live in Dalarna, Sweden, here studded tyres are a must, this applies for anywhere north of stockholm too.
in southern areas many people run with snow tyres without studs, these tyre must have MS M+S or Mud and Snow stamped on the sidewall and be clearly visible for inspection by the Cops. I have very old Nokian tyres on my Golf, still v.good tyre, and Cooper Discovery studded on my Pajero, they are a very good tyre and at a good price. the Swedish ambulance Service have them on all their mercs..need i say more.
Cheers Marc.

 

[stumpy]

hi, i live in Dalarna, Sweden, here studded tyres are a must, this applies for anywhere north of stockholm too.
in southern areas many people run with snow tyres without studs, these tyre must have MS M+S or Mud and Snow stamped on the sidewall and be clearly visible for inspection by the Cops. I have very old Nokian tyres on my Golf, still v.good tyre, and Cooper Discovery studded on my Pajero, they are a very good tyre and at a good price. the Swedish ambulance Service have them on all their mercs..need i say more.
Cheers Marc.

I think we are only going up as far as Stockholm to visit the outlaws. When you say studs are a must, do you mean legally or good practice? I should ask the missus but she has not lived there for years

 

[marcsin3]

just checked the Swedish D:O:Transport website, as your car is not regestered in Sweden you are exempt. you dont legally need winter tyres. however, if your coming up from Danmark i believe that studded tyres are illegal there, so i´d go with good M+S brand. they give good grip on snow, its the icy bits you´ll have to watch out for..avoid travelling early or late in the day.. the early traffic will warm up the road surface to usually above +0C, travel mid day and take it easy,( i never exceed 70kph during winter.) and enjoy.
Marc.

 

[television]

In 1984 I took a Citroen CX to Sweden in the Winter,,it was minus 30ºC and loads of snow, I had normal English tyre on the car. I drove everywhere with no trouble or skidding or sliding. got back to the UK to Harwich and there was 1" of snow and I could get not traction at all, and slid all over the road.
The Swedish so is very dry, and nothing like ours,, but saying the above my 124 300TE would not budge 1mm on normal tyres in the snow. Do bare in mind that 99% of roads there are kept clear, and not like the UK at all

 

[marcsin3]

thought this might come in handy,
www.smhi.se
click on the union jack for English , then prognosis and observations, now with the aid of the little hand you can beam in on your route and see the weather for the following 5-days updated every couple of hours.
Marc.

 

[stumpy]

Thanks Marcsin - very helpful

 

[anyweb]

oh and don't forget the swedish salt the roads at the first sign of snow (generally)

so, that does help with keeping the roads clear from ice and keeping your Merc rusty

cheers
anyweb

 

[stumpy]

oh and don't forget the swedish salt the roads at the first sign of snow (generally)

so, that does help with keeping the roads clear from ice and keeping your Merc rusty

cheers
anyweb

I'm lucky - my 124 is totally rust free but yes it does make me laugh. We can't use fairy liquid to wash cars due to the effect on the paint and yet we get our cars splattered with salt in winter.

 

[rf065]

so i´d go with good M+S brand.

Before buying tyres, please be aware that the term Winter, All Season & M+S is pretty meaningless these days. The only qualification a tyre needs for a M+S rating relates to the tread pattern, it does not guarantee traction in snow & ice. If you want a tyre that grips in snow & ice you are looking for one with the snowflake in the mountain symbol which is the new industry standard for "Cold Weather Tyres". This Nokian site gives a good explanation.

http://www.snowtyres.com.au/severe-service-emblem

Russ

 

[marcsin3]

hi i must agree, the term M+S is a bit óld school´and misleading. snow radials are the ticket. Cooper discovery are v.good or the tyre that wins best in test nearly every year, nokian.
should mention, 300te with Hankook snow radial.. middle price range with good performance. after all, your travalling to Stockholm not a polar bear safari in the far north!

 

[television]

after all, your travalling to Stockholm not a polar bear safari in the far north!

Down in Jönköping one winter, I woke up and it was a kind of darkish out side,, then I realized that my house was buried in snow going way above the roof, still you have Ulrika to keep you warm

 

[marcsin3]

see any polar bears while you where there? freak weather conditions can have a humours side,only last winter i slid into a ditch with a volvo 245, walked home to get my Landy only to slide that into a ditch, walked home to get the tractor to pull out the volvo, drove the tractor home ,walked to the Volvo, left the Landy till later, arrived at work exausted at 14.30 much to the amusment of my work collegues, having driven 8 miles in 6½ hours!

 

[marcsin3]

]Cheers, will seek out the best known then.

to sum up, Nokain and Gislaved Frost are the makes favoured by the natives. they are both very high quality tyres from experienced manufactures. choose a snow tyre from one of these two and you´ll be fine. as for wear, you´ll probably find that the rubber deteriates becoming hard before they are low on tread, this will also depend on how you store them, in the dark and above freezing is recomended by most.
if you get bored of Stkhm, 2½ hrs drive to Dalarna, let me know and i´ll put the kettle on.
good luck.
Marc