Having sold all my M performance parts from my M135i ready for it to be part ex'd I only have a brand new set of winter tyres left, now being staggered two won't fit but two will so I could just buy two more and I'd have a set for the S3, anyone got any experience of the 8v on icy or snowy ungritted backroads like I have to face most Winters? Will it cope fine on standard tyres or would it be worth the cost of two tyres and going for winters come the cold season?
Winter Tyres On The S3, Worth It?
- Thread starter tankclark
- Start date
No experience, as only had my s3 since May, but on my previous car (Nissan GTR) I found winter tyres far far better/safer than the standard runflats. I don't see why the smae should not apply to the s3. Also, on the basis that you can only one set of tyres at a time, cost isn't really a factor, so it's a no brainer providing you can stomach the hassle of getting them swapped over twice a year.
Any thoughts on which winter tyre yet?
Any thoughts on which winter tyre yet?
I've got two continental winter contacts so will be buying two more, I'd also look to buy a set of wheels to avoid the swapping hassle
Tin hat on as this topic often throws some defensive responses from those that always use them.
No.
Been driving for 18 NE Scottish winters and never had winter tyres.
Had all driving set ups in that time - AWD, RWD FWD.
Not once have I had a problem.
No.
Been driving for 18 NE Scottish winters and never had winter tyres.
Had all driving set ups in that time - AWD, RWD FWD.
Not once have I had a problem.
Yeah I know what you mean mate I just thought that if the car copes fine with snow on its standard boots then I'll leave it and sell them, if it still struggles then for the sake of the cost of a couple of tyres I might aswell use them
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2009
- Messages
- 4,595
- Reaction score
- 1,273
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Stoke On Trent
- Website
- www.businessguysit.com
I love Goodyears eagle F1's but in winter they are not ideal, being summer tyres that is to be expected though.
Saying that I've always coped, was going to get winter set last year but never snowed!
Saying that I've always coped, was going to get winter set last year but never snowed!
In my experience, with an A6 Quattro on summer tyres in the snow, getting going was fairly easy, stopping was OK-ish using engine braking, but the footbrake was next to useless.
If I relied on using my car in all weathers in winter months then I'd get a spare set of wheels with winter tyres.
Contrary to what people say, I find that the only noticeable benefit of winter tyres is on snow and ice. I know some people say they're better in very wet and cold conditions but I've never noticed that.
If I relied on using my car in all weathers in winter months then I'd get a spare set of wheels with winter tyres.
Contrary to what people say, I find that the only noticeable benefit of winter tyres is on snow and ice. I know some people say they're better in very wet and cold conditions but I've never noticed that.
I run winters every year. They really are phenomenal in the snow. They're not just for snow though - they're miles better when the roads are cold and cut through standing water way better.
Think F1 in heavy rain. It's like inters v full wets. The braking, cornering and traction are all vastly improved. Also - they hardly ever wear!
Think F1 in heavy rain. It's like inters v full wets. The braking, cornering and traction are all vastly improved. Also - they hardly ever wear!
If you look on U tube you can find lots of videos showing a two wheeled drive car with winter tyres (in the snow) getting more traction that a four wheel drive car on ordinary tyres, well worth the expense if you have to drive in the snow.
It is rather a good demonstration isn't it?
We fit winter tyres (note not snow tyres) to my wife's Mini Cooper every winter as she has a difficult drive to work. The amount of grip even in snow is mind boggling.
We fit winter tyres (note not snow tyres) to my wife's Mini Cooper every winter as she has a difficult drive to work. The amount of grip even in snow is mind boggling.
- Joined
- May 27, 2013
- Messages
- 531
- Reaction score
- 130
- Points
- 43
and after seeing this video, think a 4WD will only be good in the snow when flat or climbing ...
useless when downhill.
Car is linked to the road only through the tyres
useless when downhill.
Car is linked to the road only through the tyres
I use Vredestein Wintrac Xtream on both my MK2 TT and RS3, fit 'em late November and change back to summer tyres when the ambient gets back to 7ºC ish.
Used Vredestein on my previous GSi3000, Audi A2, and Audi S3 - can't recommend 'em highly enough...
Used Vredestein on my previous GSi3000, Audi A2, and Audi S3 - can't recommend 'em highly enough...
Personally I use my Pirelli p zero neros all year long and I've even had it where the tyres are bald and performed better than new gripper tyres (weird that)
Winter tyres are a must but I believe in some cases you must notify your insurance as they can get funny
Winter tyres are a must but I believe in some cases you must notify your insurance as they can get funny
Craig - you might not have had a problem but you probably drive better in bad conditions than most of us southern softies. Experience counts. However, until you try winters you aren't in a position to compare. In snow they are much better and instead of pussy footing around you can drive at a reasonable pace in safety. Stopping is the biggest difference for me. They find grip where summer tyres just keep on sliding. I'll be getting some when the time ones.
10-miles around the lanes to get here, try doing that on summer tyres...
Go watch (and listen) to:
illingworth22
Registered User
I have seen a few videos of cars and the front LED lights are flashing... not the indicators! How is this done?
To the naked eye they don't flash, it's just that LED's flicker at a very high speed and the camera makes them look like they're flashing, unlike a normal filament bulb which is constantly on whilst powered.
You can see the same effect at Wimbledon, when the roof is closed, and the lights are on. On the slow motion replays, you will see a flickering caused by the shutter speed and the frequency of the lights.
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
I've just ordered a set of 4 in 225/40/18 w xl variant from costco. £650 for the set fitted.
Looking forward to giving them a test up to glenshee and cairngorm shortly, once we get some good snow cover.
Let us know how you get on? Im still deciding what tyres to go for. Will certainly need them for the trek up to the Gorms this season!
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
I always use winters, living in north East Scotland, it's a no brainer. Considering the improvement they make to a 2wd vehicle, I'm expecting a substantial improvement on the S3.
Interestingly the new michelin alpin pa5 isn't yet available for the S3 so I have elected for the asymmetric pa4.
I'm quite looking forward to using them in the greasy wet driech conditions over the next 5 months !
Interestingly the new michelin alpin pa5 isn't yet available for the S3 so I have elected for the asymmetric pa4.
I'm quite looking forward to using them in the greasy wet driech conditions over the next 5 months !
Had a set on the old car, & have a set ready to go on the the new one.
Its all been covered before, but I'll give you an example:
A mate of mine had the same car with good summer tyres on, I had Khumo I'zen winters on.
On white roads, 0-60 there was no comparison. He was still sat spinning, & I was moving at 60.
When stopping, even from 20mph, he took 4-5 car lengths more to stop. Imagine the difference at 40 -50 mph...
I drove his car thinking "it cant be that different can it?" & it honestly felt dangerous!
For me, its a no brainer, again, up in NE Scotland.
I tend to find that the ones who seem so set against winter tyres are the ones who've never driven on them.
Its all been covered before, but I'll give you an example:
A mate of mine had the same car with good summer tyres on, I had Khumo I'zen winters on.
On white roads, 0-60 there was no comparison. He was still sat spinning, & I was moving at 60.
When stopping, even from 20mph, he took 4-5 car lengths more to stop. Imagine the difference at 40 -50 mph...
I drove his car thinking "it cant be that different can it?" & it honestly felt dangerous!
For me, its a no brainer, again, up in NE Scotland.
I tend to find that the ones who seem so set against winter tyres are the ones who've never driven on them.
I put Continental TS850s on my Golf V6 4motion last winter. I was sceptical it being a four wheel drive... But... I was amazed at the difference it made, just in low temperatures, but more so in the wet, especially deep water. We did have snow once; about 4 inches, and in spite trying quite hard, I couldn't make the car break traction!... We live in relatively mild west Wales but I'm still a definite winter tyre convert and I've just had a set of 225/40 18 Pirelli SottoZeros fitted to a second set of double spoke S line alloys for my 184 quattro.
I'd tend to agree. Whilst I don't live in Scotland I've always had Quattros apart from a slight deviation with an R32 2009 - 2011. If you are in a rear wheel drive car maybe, but four wheel drive cars really shouldn't need winter tyres in my opinion. I've driven in some pretty bad weather and never had a problem at all. The S3 should be more than capable to cope with a bit of snow and sleet
Winter tyres are better at low temperatures as well as snow and ice. Many tests have been done and their have all come to the conclusion that the 'best' combination is four-wheel drive AND winter tyres . If fact in most situations a 2-wheel drive car on winter tyres can out perform a four-wheel drive car on summer tyres (see this Autocar test http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/winter-driving/just-how-good-are-winter-tyres) This the main reasons why winter tyres are required by law in Germany for "driving on snow, black ice or roads covered in frost" If you cause any traffic delays because you are not driving with winter tyres you can be subject to a €40 fine and have points added to your licence. When you order a new car in Germany the car comes as standard on summer or winter tyres depending on the date of delivery.
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
we bought the S3 FOR the 4wd capability to be used IN CONJUNCTION with winter tyres.
there's little chance of not getting to the ski hills with winters on, but chances are without it's more treacherous.
in addition, many a time we've been skiing and it's dumped it down hard, the hill gets closed and you have to drive home in much worse than marginal conditions.
with 4wd AND winter tyres, the risk associated to getting home is dramatically reduced.
i once had a permanent 4wd ford explorer in the american sierra nevadas without winters. we were driving home from yosemite over a selection of mountains back to tahoe. the road signs indicated chains were needed - we didn't take chains as the weather was spring like in the morning when we set off. i was sh1tt1ng it for about 4 hours driving. never again will i get caught out for the sake of a few hundred quid.
there's little chance of not getting to the ski hills with winters on, but chances are without it's more treacherous.
in addition, many a time we've been skiing and it's dumped it down hard, the hill gets closed and you have to drive home in much worse than marginal conditions.
with 4wd AND winter tyres, the risk associated to getting home is dramatically reduced.
i once had a permanent 4wd ford explorer in the american sierra nevadas without winters. we were driving home from yosemite over a selection of mountains back to tahoe. the road signs indicated chains were needed - we didn't take chains as the weather was spring like in the morning when we set off. i was sh1tt1ng it for about 4 hours driving. never again will i get caught out for the sake of a few hundred quid.
Yeah I don't have to drive to the ski hills.. Unfortunately I have to fly. But now I'm thinking the S3 might be getting a European road trip
For anyone interested in a comparison of 4WD summer tyres vs FWD winters......see this.
Doesn't it really depend on how much snow you get where you live? I used to go to St Petersburg for work and everyone there had studded tyres in winter, but that was appropriate to the conditions. It hasn't snowed in well over a year here (St Albans) so why would I want tyres designed for conditions we very rarely get? The cold/wet argument doesn't interest me much, as I've never had a problem driving in cold or wet conditions. There's less grip but you compensate.
When I wrap my car round a tree after a sprinkling of snow I'll feel pretty stupid, but I haven't had a problem for 20+ years, so hopefully I won't start now. Winter tyres feel like another way to prise some more of my hard earned money from me. Something you don't realise you need until someone tells you that you need it.
When I wrap my car round a tree after a sprinkling of snow I'll feel pretty stupid, but I haven't had a problem for 20+ years, so hopefully I won't start now. Winter tyres feel like another way to prise some more of my hard earned money from me. Something you don't realise you need until someone tells you that you need it.
The money argument doesn't stack up as you have two sets of tyres thus lasting twice as long.
Below 7oC a summer tyre gets hard and brittle whereas a winter tyre remains soft and supple. The grip levels in the wet are very impressive too. So they shouldn't be viewed as snow tyres, more like cold, wet, scrappy weather tyres.
Below 7oC a summer tyre gets hard and brittle whereas a winter tyre remains soft and supple. The grip levels in the wet are very impressive too. So they shouldn't be viewed as snow tyres, more like cold, wet, scrappy weather tyres.
pluves1
Registered User
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2008
- Messages
- 725
- Reaction score
- 133
- Points
- 43
Remember when using winter tyres you're not using your summer rubber. So long as you use the tyres to their full then you don't really lose money as your summer tyres last longer than they would have if you'd left them on. In addition winter tyres aren't just for snow. Ideally they should be used when the outside temp drops below 6°C.
Personally I've never felt the need to have them on our S3 but, on the beemer I couldn't drive anywhere in the snow without winter tyres. That said we didn't see snow last year but, much depends where you live and what your commute to work is like. I know that some of the country lanes around us simply don't see gritters all year round.
the_lecht_rocks
Registered User
I cycle to work, 45km each day. The winters Will be superb combined with the haldex and greasy wet miserable winter upcoming when we need the car.
Why spend £40k on a car and not benefit from the correct rubber for the conditions ?
Why spend £40k on a car and not benefit from the correct rubber for the conditions ?
Significantly shorter stopping distances on winter tyres in cold/wet conditions. Could mean the difference between hitting a child running out from behind a parked car or not. That alone is enough for me...
