Member Since: 01 Jan 2005
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 655
Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow are excellent on very cold, icey or snow covered roads. Definitely the way to go if money is not a problem.
The standard Pirelli Scorpion are surprisingly effective when there is still a good depth in the tread.
MTR's will do well in thick, wet snow - but aren't designed for very cold or icey surfaces.
As everything to do with snow - there is so many types of snow (moisture content, depth, layers, base etc etc) that a tyre that works great on one type of snow might struggle on another type).
The thing that has really impressed me this last few days is how very effective HDC is on steep icey or snowy slopes.Disco 4 TDV6HSE
Defender 200TDi CSW
RR Evoque
22nd Dec 2009 9:05 am
highlandcow
Member Since: 14 Oct 2009
Location: Location
Posts: 209
Smarticus: thanks for that, although it's complicated things for me.
I have a choice between pootering around on snowy roads in the Scottish highlands on 20" wheels with Scorpions or 19" wheels with MTRs.
Despite their 'rugged' appearance, MTRs are NOT the tyre of choice for snow.
The MTR is specifically a MUD tyre - why would anyone expect it to work better than a tyre designed specifically as MUD & SNOW.
Scorpion M+S makes much more sense - even if it doesn't 'look' like it will do the job.
The science behind this was explained to me once by a man in the know about tyres (Andy @ AJS) but I'll be damned if I can remember what it was.......
Also, you're better with the 19" option because you want as much sidewall as possible in the snow...... it will protect the wheel more when you slide into a kerb The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom
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22nd Dec 2009 9:49 am
NJF
Member Since: 05 Oct 2007
Location: Gone
Posts: 2466
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50951
Waste of time buying specific tyres given that we have a few days worth of snow per year....better off focussing your efforts on snow and ice driving skills regardless what tyres you have on TBH21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
22nd Dec 2009 10:03 am
AJS4X4
Member Since: 30 Mar 2008
Location: Surrey
Posts: 3224
Agree with the "driving skills" bit but the right tyres do make a big difference, having used the Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme I can only give them a big
Andy.
22nd Dec 2009 10:29 am
Gazavich
Member Since: 07 Jun 2005
Location: Thorpe surrey
Posts: 642
Agree with DG "Drive like a tit, end up in the sh it" HSE TDV6 Silver : "Avin it large"
Member Since: 01 Jan 2005
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 655
Quote from the snow tyre website :
"Deep, heavy snow is much like mud. It requires a tire with large tread blocks and good size openings. The tire must be able to dig in yet not get clogged at low speeds. If the tire can not expel the snow, it will start making itself into a snow ball".
I fit winter tyres between November and March on my RRS and feel a great deal happier than using the wretched Continentals all year. But on the Disco - the standard Pirelli's are good in snow so I haven't invested in snow tyres there. I know we only have really bad weather for few days a year (although they seem to be getting more frequent) - but you can have a bad accident in minutes. Winter tyres are a no brainer for me as they are fine when you dont need them (warm, dry, tarmac) but excellent when you do need them. They are not nearly as big a compromise as using MTR's on tarmac (where stopping distance is compromised).Disco 4 TDV6HSE
Defender 200TDi CSW
RR Evoque
22nd Dec 2009 10:40 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72805
Been driving around home on both MTRs (my D3) or Conti road tyres (Mrs DSL's), no issues on either in mix of fresh snow (6" or so), compacted snow and cleared/icey/slushy roads, now frozen solid at -8c to -10c No issues around here with either, when out playing have been using my car with MTRs and they have been excellent, even in foot deep drifted snow where no-one had driven. Whilst MTRs may not be ideal, they are (IMHO) better on than a set of road tyres and I have them on anyway.
PS Haven't found any sheet ice here as roads too well cleared & gritted, even minor roads are clear Tarmac!
22nd Dec 2009 12:46 pm
CFB
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Posts: 6100
I would imagine that any AT/MT has to be better on mixed snow conditions than a road tyre, it will be the same as off roading, once the treads are clogged with mud/snow the tyres become pretty useless as they have no ability to bite, the deeper grooves and self cleaning properties of an off-road tyre will always be better overall IMO.2020 BMW X1 18d XDrive X-Line Auto
22nd Dec 2009 12:59 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72805
Took the car out for a wee spin to de-ice it. Got back to find a transit van blocking the side road that our house is on, 2 blokes shovelling the road clear of ice & snow for the hotel next door. Asked chief shoveller if that was his van, it was said he to which I said "you're gonna have to move it.". He asked "why?" to which I replied "cause I live in that house!" pointing. The van was OK to get round but there was a parked car at the side so would have been a squeeze at best. He then tried to get the van into the hotel driveway with lots of spinning wheels, ended up back far enough so that I could drive round him and into my drive to park up.
Not a suprise, I hear you say, in such a capable veeeeehickle, except I was in the Jazz!!! Waved and shouted "cheers" at them, their faces were a picture!!!
22nd Dec 2009 1:57 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
Derek,,,, you tease
Put my Cooper STTs on the weekend as the STs were running out a bit (only 8mm left )
I tried to get a power slide around the supermarket carpark but the car had way too much grip
Duncan
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22nd Dec 2009 2:40 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72805
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