Winter's coming....

[Mrstridey]

Hi all,

Been toying with the idea of getting a set of steels and some wintery tyres as I've gotta use my Gti through the winter to get to work! (country lanes in the snow... ) And I really don't want to play slip and slide and bugger up my monzas (let alone the rest of the car!!!) 

any thoughts?? 

[Scottymon]

I've used a few winter tyre sets on the GTI, namely Goodyear Ultragrip, Continental Winter Contact and just recently (although not tried yet) Nokian WR A3's.

TBH, I think most premium (well voted winter tyres) will do galatically better than ANY summer tyre in the winter, especially on snow and ice; it's all in the compoud as you know.
Summer tyres are bloody dangerous on snow and ice.

I say definitely grab a set of winter boots if you need to get about, but don't use them until the temps are consistently down below 10C.

I know I couldn't have got home without them last winter:

[Shaunygti]

Yep
Best thing to do always change mine to steels with winter tyres.dont look the best but keeps my nice 3sdm alloys all nice   
Use 16 inch steels with Bridgestone winters works very well

[Tazgti5]

Winter tyres in the uk really?

[Mrstridey]

Bloody hell Scottymon!! serious snow there!

not expecting it quite that bad down Surrey/Kent way! Not wanting the full winter tyre jobby, just a bit knobblier! 

thanks guys! 

[Viking]

I've used winter tyres for years, on both the van and the car. A spare set of wheels kitted up with winters will be going on both vehicles in the next month or so. Bridgestone Blizzak are on the car wheels at the moment, but I've also used Avon Ice Touring which were excellent. Toyo Snowprox S943 are on the van.

Winter isn't all about snow. Lower temperatures make summer tyres very hard and less grippy, while high silica compound winters stay pliable at lower temperatures.

[dansmith180]

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m11b0s1316p105424/Goodyear_Tyres_Winter_Snow_Car_Goodyear_UltraGrip_2_Performance_-_225_40_R18_92V_XL_FP_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_E_Wet_Grip%3A_E_NoiseClass%3A_2_Noise%3A_70dB

I snapped up a set of these yesterday, winter tyres are very useful since as said above the lower temps mean summer tyres aren't as grippy as usual which means longer stopping distances and more risk of skidding/ sliding.

Also our winters are pretty unpredictable, one year it can hardly snow at all and the temps don't really go below -5 and the next it can snow like crazy and you see -15 and less. It depends where in the country you live but its still always worth having a set.

[Scottymon]

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m11b0s1316p105424/Goodyear_Tyres_Winter_Snow_Car_Goodyear_UltraGrip_2_Performance_-_225_40_R18_92V_XL_FP_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_E_Wet_Grip%3A_E_NoiseClass%3A_2_Noise%3A_70dB

I snapped up a set of these yesterday, winter tyres are very useful since as said above the lower temps mean summer tyres aren't as grippy as usual which means longer stopping distances and more risk of skidding/ sliding.

Also our winters are pretty unpredictable, one year it can hardly snow at all and the temps don't really go below -5 and the next it can snow like crazy and you see -15 and less. It depends where in the country you live but its still always worth having a set.

f*ck me, that's a seriously good price, just bought a couple, even though I didn't need them.

[dansmith180]

I know right? I had to read them about 10 times to make sure they were the right ones, the same ones on Mytyres are £175!! That's why I thought I'd post them since anybody who was thinking about getting some might grab some as well.

[Scottymon]

I know right? I had to read them about 10 times to make sure they were the right ones, the same ones on Mytyres are £175!! That's why I thought I'd post them since anybody who was thinking about getting some might grab some as well.

Haha, I did double/triple take the price tbh, I've bought them for a ton before, but never that price in the last 2/3 years... keep it quiet, and get the stock in!

[mra12345]

Had the continental winter contacts before and along managed to break traction once in 2 years in ice and quickly regained it.  Driving up steep includes in fresh snow no bother.  Good for untreated country roads up here in Scotland early morning.

Leaving the golf at home winter mornings and trying Vredestein 4 season tyres on the wife's shopping trolley to get around in.  Should wear a bit longer and can keep them on all year.

[Scottymon]

Bloody hell Scottymon!! serious snow there!

not expecting it quite that bad down Surrey/Kent way! Not wanting the full winter tyre jobby, just a bit knobblier! 

thanks guys! 

Try for an All season tyre then mate, not brilliant in the summer or winter, but OK at both, worth considering.

Worst thing about the Mk5 is the windscreen and the lack of heated screen/jets, you can hear the frozen blades in the video above, nasty.  Have a heated screen in the Landy and on a Mk1 Focus years back... just brilliant in the winter - was it even an option on the Mk5?  Think Ford (BMW/Landrover/Jag/TaTa) had the Copyright at the time, meh.

[xjay1337]

I honestly don't think we need them in the UK unless you are doing long regular journeys during winter time... year before last it was a lot of snow around and I never bothered and didn't get stuck once and my Sessantas performed very well, pulling up a hill where some ML merc was spinning all 4 wheels..

Again to not say that they are not needed or don't give improved grip, they absolutely do... but I don't think they are completely necessary. Use your own discretion.

Heated windscreen not an option, I think the winter pack came with heated washer jets but not sure... with right anti freeze mixture you will be fine.. glass sealants and coatings also help on the windscreen.

[Scottymon]

There's no reason, other than cost, that you wouldn't run a winter tyre on snow/ice roads - they are FAR safer than any summer tyre.  I can understand why people in predominately gritted areas with little in the way of mountains would chance summers; still funny watching them, esp. the RWD's.

[rich83]

Ive driven through some crazy weather in my mk5s.... never had a problem.