A4 Quattro - Winter tyres - snow photos

[SuperV8]

Hi all,

For those that use winter tyres when are you changing from your summer boots?
I'm thinking of fitting my winter's on any day now now the temps are struggling to get past the magic 7 degs.

Just thought i'd share some photo's from the last snow we had last winter - bring on the snow...
Best moment from last winter following then passing a BMW E46 sport squirming all over the road doing barely 1mph, looked over at him and smiled.












Tom.

 

[spartacus 68]

How much more traction compared to summer boots? Still 16" tyres?

 

[crazy88]

Those wheels are 17" aren't they? So assuming it's the same wheels as in that pic it'll be 17's.

I need to get mine fitted soon too. What tyres you got? Recommend them?

 

[jbcalvin]

Temperatures up here in Scotland solidly below 8 degrees even during the day and in sunshine…… my winters are going on tomorrow, best decision I ever made…..

 

[p1tse]

Good pics

I've got winters for the BMW touring

 

[DieselJake]

BMW!? Winter!? Haha, should run a bmw with slicks for having fun in the winter and keep a four wheel machine for serious business.

 

[p1tse]

Not the right place to discuss as going off topic but I'll rather have BMW with winter tyres than a Quattro with summer tyres in adverse weather conditions

 

[DieselJake]

... but if they both had the same tyres

 

[B5NUT]

Had my winter tyres on for the last few weeks, temps have been a little up and down but would rather have them on now, as most mornings the temps have been below 5 deg.

 

[S4_dan]

I've never used winter tyres on my cars. Ever. Even with a 210bhp, very torquey Saab 900T FWD I manage to get to places easily enough. I live on the side of a large hill in a valley. So either way I go from the house, I have a steep hill to get up.

Imo, it's all about how you drive the car. The amount of cars I have passed on the inclines because they got stuck and I've just driven past with ease. Even one car with Snow tyres on!

I'm not dissing Snow tyres, I know they DO make a big difference to traction, just I have never felt the need to use them myself. Due to our village and work location, a lot people do fit snow tyres to get themselves to work.

 

[desertstorm]

I do agree with you if there was no other vechicles on the road I wouldn't have an issue. Careful control of throttle and use of gears to maintain speed and you will get through most conditions. However the time when you have to stop on a hill and try and pull away again it can be difficult even with EDL and the like helping you out.
I used snow tyres on my car for the first time about 3 years ago after 30 years of driving without them and they make life so much easier and less stressful. I can stop and start anywhere I like on the steepest hill and pull away with no issues.
That is why in certain european countries snow tyres or all weather tyres are madatory between certian times of the year. Thats why they seem to cope in Sweden, Norway etc when we grind to a halt with 2 inches of snow.

Winter Tyres: EU Laws & Legislation | Blackcircles.com

Karl.

 

[Ian2012]

The problem is very few other people use them here and you get stopped because of those in front, i got some weird looks a few years ago doing 60 in the outside lane of a snow covered motorway on winters with our old A3q

 

[DieselJake]

The problem is Jake has a new turbo and currently enjoys low gears and high revs haha.

 

[AlexGSi2000]

Don't get complacent - I did last year and it almost ended in tears.

Like others have said, winter tyres help but it will mostly be down to driver skill.

Don't forget, its all too easy to grip and build speed, but stopping is the major issue.

 

[SuperV8]

My winters are Dunlop winter 3D (225/45 R17). They are great (the previous owner used them all year round and still got good life out of them) but I haven't tried them back to back with my summers (235/40 R18) so I can't say if my summers are that poor when it gets cold! I suspect they will as it's feeling a little twitchy and the cold frosty lanes.

I can say they Dunlop's were great, really had to provoke it (drop the clutch in a snowy car park) to get the tracking control light to flicker. There is a small steep canal bridge at the end of my garden, after last winters snow/freeze this turned into sheet ice, I drove up it with not even a flicker from the TC light, parked on the hill, got out and slipped all the way down the hill!! took me an age to get back up to the car on all fours! The grip from the tyres was amazing.

I'm going to fit my winters in the next few days. I do agree that the tyres make a bigger difference than having a 4x4 system, a 2wd car would be better in the snow on winter tyres than a 4wd with summers, but a 4wd with winters - best!

It is very frustrating though no matter how capable your car you'll still get stuck in traffic when it snows due to all the other idiots on the roads! I just try and find the back roads for more fun...

Tom.

 

[jbcalvin]

Depends on where you live as well, West Coast of Scotland in winter isn't great, plus it's easier to get to the ski/snowboard resorts with winters and quattro…… been driving 25 years, had winters for the last 3 years, makes life so much easier, plus you get to laugh at plod when you have to tow him and his shiny new BMW X5 up a small slope cos he is on 20's with summer tyres…..

 

[chasdrury]

Got my winters ordered, should be here in a couple of days, went for Vredestein Wintrac xtreme 235/40 R18 95W XL

 

[Paul_TDi]

What did they set you back Chasdrury?

Certainly can't afford winters for the car this year but may end up using my current RS6 reps as winters in the years to come when I get some nicer wheels for the car.

I just opted for Rainsport 2's to replace the front tyres, so hopefully a good all-rounder.

Shame I only had my quattro for 1 winter :-(

 

[chasdrury]

What did they set you back Chasdrury?

Certainly can't afford winters for the car this year but may end up using my current RS6 reps as winters in the years to come when I get some nicer wheels for the car.

I just opted for Rainsport 2's to replace the front tyres, so hopefully a good all-rounder.

Shame I only had my quattro for 1 winter :-(

£600 for 4, delivered... They are all due replacement anyway so it's about the same as I'd pay for Goodyear Eagles. Will just swap them to Eagles when it gets a bit warmer

 

[AudiLeon]

I'll be having my third year of running summer tyres and hopefully. It'll be year 3 of no trouble.

 

[Aldo]

I seem to have mud and snow tyres on this Quattro. What's the difference between those and winters?
The compound must be different as they are noisey beggars but they don't look like winter tyre treads?

 

[Willenium]

On my first winter I just had some 16" ContiPremiumContact's on there and they were ok. Last winter I had upgraded to 17" alloys and the fronts were beyond their best so I had two Rainsport 2's fitted which are great. The rears were just budgets (Admiral P712 if I remember rightly) and not amazing but working together the car still plodded on gracefully (as below).





The Admirals have done a few miles since then and were wearing out so I have recently replaced them with a pair of ContiSportContact 5's. Looking at the tread pattern, I wonder what they'll be like on the white stuff. They're great on the cold wet roads at the moment but time will tell.

 

[Cabbyfan]

I had great fun last march going to a meeting in Windermere in my cabriolet, 3 to 4 inches of snow , cars stuck on slopes etc and my cab breezed past. I did have 4 brand new michelins fitted though but not winter ones. Drive sensible, make use of grass verges and other vehicle tracks for traction and turn the magic button off when you need to. My cab is fwd and not a Quattro by the way.

 

[DieselJake]

Thinking of getting Mitchelins myself when the bank permits, had a fair few drift moments these past couple days and although it would be good to have a set of winter wheels I can't justify having two sets and would have nowhere to put a second set even if I did.