Reply to: Winter Tyres

[Moscow Mule]

Regarding the Rav4, this car or at least the previous incarnate, has an unusual tyre size. They are normally very difficult to get hold of via normal tyre retailers and owners generally have to get them fitted by toyota who make a tidy mark up.

I've seen them online, but yes I think they are an unusual size.

[BolshieBastard]

Like any commodity when its in short supply, the price rises, hence, why winter tyres are now so expensive. That's if you can find any supply readily available in the UK.

Regarding the Rav4, this car or at least the previous incarnate, has an unusual tyre size. They are normally very difficult to get hold of via normal tyre retailers and owners generally have to get them fitted by toyota who make a tidy mark up.

[VectraMan]

Our Rav4 did.

My Mum has a Rav4, and she told me recently she'd got a nail in a tyre which meant it had to be replaced, and cost her £280 for one tyre. I thought she must have been mistaken and they'd given her two tyres for that price, but if they're "all weather" tyres maybe not.

[Moscow Mule]

p.s. Do 4x4 normally come with all-season tyres ?

Our Rav4 did.

[Lumiere]

And for that matter, you can still get stuck and spend the night in your car if the people ahead and the people behind get stuck, no matter how good your car or your tyres are.

On that basis, you're much better off with summer tyres. At least then you get stuck 500 yards from home.

Just deflate your summer tires a little bit, that should help to get more grip. For the reasons stated above I wouldn't bother with winter tyres either.

p.s. Do 4x4 normally come with all-season tyres ?

[VectraMan]

If you have got winter tyres but the guy behind you doesn't it would only mean he'll smash you in the back...

And for that matter, you can still get stuck and spend the night in your car if the people ahead and the people behind get stuck, no matter how good your car or your tyres are.

On that basis, you're much better off with summer tyres. At least then you get stuck 500 yards from home.

[Fred Bloggs]

You can ask for the garage to put the tyres on the wheels, usually doesn´t cost much and they´ll store the tyres for you, saves a lot of hassle.

Good idea, however, I just checked and winter tyres just aren't available in the standard size for my motor, so I'd need another set of wheels in a slightly different size if I do this.

[xoggoth]

Dunno. I was in Moscow in winter once and the taxis were all bombing around on snow covered roads as if there wasn't any snow at all.

[Paddy]

If you have got winter tyres but the guy behind you doesn't it would only mean he'll smash you in the back...

Now that does remind me of Russia. Cars with bald tyres on ice.

[xoggoth]

No 1 son just got some and they work.

[AtW]

If you have got winter tyres but the guy behind you doesn't it would only mean he'll smash you in the back...

[VectraMan]

I was pesuaded by the Winter Tyre argument until I went looking for some prices on-line. The cheapest I could get Winter tyres for the rear wheels of my car were £500 each! Front ones were about £320 each. Instead I've bought a load of rock salt and share the wife's 4x4.

Do you drive a Monster Truck?

I've never been convinced. Like most people my road is covered in hard packed ice now, but once you get to the main roads it's absolutely fine on whatever tyres. Okay so maybe you need to go a bit slower on summer tyres, but so what.

Even if we were guaranteed 2 weeks of snow every year, they're still not really worth it. After 3 or 4 years they'll be going off and need to be thrown away, and you'll have probably only got a few thousand miles use from them. Leave them on for 4 or 5 months, and they'll spend most of the time overheating, wearing out in no time, and have bugger all grip.

[Alf W]

I was pesuaded by the Winter Tyre argument until I went looking for some prices on-line. The cheapest I could get Winter tyres for the rear wheels of my car were £500 each! Front ones were about £320 each. Instead I've bought a load of rock salt and share the wife's 4x4.

[BlasterBates]

You can ask for the garage to put the tyres on the wheels, usually doesn´t cost much and they´ll store the tyres for you, saves a lot of hassle.

[Fred Bloggs]

Thanks, that's an interesting perspective on something I hadn't ever really thought about. Best to have spare set of wheels with the winter tyres on, I wonder what the insurance co's think. They ask about non standard wheels when you take out or renew a policy.