Quote:
Originally Posted by beemerbird
based on the very small few on here that are bothering also (probably because they are in RWD cars)
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There is a (no pun!!!) snowball effect in the numbers of winter tyre users Helen.
The part worn specialist next door to me imports about 1700 tyres per month from Germany, and on the last shipment he tried to add as many winter tyres as possible as lots of people are ringing up with enquiries for them. He only managed to get about 50 onto the truck as they were virtually out of stock. The german supplier normally exports about 3,000 per year to the UK (in previous years) - last month they shipped 30,000 into the UK alone through unprecedented demand from our part worn tyre specialists!
Add to that, virtually every online tyre specialist has sold out of the majority of common sizes to me indicates that the message is starting to sink in and they are selling like hot cakes.
BMW, Audi, Merc etc are all promoting them along with major tyre fitters. If this winter carries on like this, many more people will adjust their way of thinking. Doubt it will become law, but common sense must prevail!
I know you don't believe that they make much difference
I can tell by your posts and I was sceptical too, but honestly the difference with them fitted is astounding.
4wd helps a lot - I used to drive an Audi Quattro myself so I do know how they drive in the snow - but if the tyres cannot get grip, it just means all four spin instead of two! Yes the diff/ABS/ESP/traction etc does some work, and in a lot of conditions, gets the car moving again but the confidence the winter tyres give is worth their value.
At the end of the day, one slippy visit into a kerb is gonna cost at best a few hundred quid for a new wheel - at worst thousands for suspension damage to be repaired - If that can be avoided by fitting more suitable tyres than surely that's gotta be the more sensible solution? We fit quality tyres in the summer so our cars handle properly, why not follow suit in the winter months?