2nd Hand Winter Tyres?

[dvance]

Hey guys,

Just wondering here if it's worth getting a pair of winter tyres for my V5 as the fronts I have now are on their way out, and since it's getting rather chilly lately, I am debating if I should get something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/205-55-16-Con...52423?pt=UK_Cars_Tyres_RL&hash=item4aa5ce7ae7

What do you guys think?

P.S. Please don't buy them before I do

 

[RLyons]

I'm considering it too! I like the idea of good grip in rubbish conditions, but £400+ for decent tyres is a joke for a pauper like me!

 

[Seatmann]

I'm just gonna get a couple of crap, cheapy snow tyres on steel rims that look like shite. It's minging winter anyway and the car's always mank from the road dirt. I wouldn't bother with anything fancy because it'll probably be mostly rain again lol.

 

[Slimy]

That's quite an interesting idea. I have never even considered the idea of part worns or remoulds, I think they're a really poor false economy and have never understood why a perfectly good tyre would be thrown away before the end of it's life. However, winter tyres I guess have a necessarily brief lifespan, and in most cases would only be used for a short time before being dismounted. I suspect that the associated road conditions means that they are not going to have had a hard life, and since you're also going to be using them in winter the thought of high speed driving on part worns isn't even considered!

You will have to return to standard tyres next year though, winter tyres are not good for dry roads. Either have them removed and summer tyres put on, or try and get yourself another set of wheels.

 

[dvance]

Well generally, for my old Alfa I have 2 sets of tyres. A set of Conti Sport Contacts for summer on alloys, and a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks on steel rims for winter. However, I got the winter ones for a ridiculous price (off a guy who had just sold his 147 on, and had a set of barely used winters). And I would swap them around according to how spring/fall would progress.

Right now though, I am a bit strapped for cash to be able to spend something like 350-400 on 4 steel rims with decent winters on them (and anyway I don't expect too much snow here, whereas at home we do get snowed in for a couple of weeks each year round the holidays and it's quite necessary to have a decent set of winters on, or you won't be going far).

Long story short, I am looking to use these temporarily on my current alloys for the next 3-4 months, and then either keeping them (if grip has been satisfactory) and putting them on steel rims, and potentially completing the set for next year. Of course, come decent weather, I'll be getting a decent pair of summer tyres to swap out the current front ones.

P.S. My V5 passed its MOT last Friday with no advisories. Well chuffed with that!

 

[Tartan58]

I bought a full set of Dunlop winter tyres from these same guys on ebay last year when I had the Toledo and was well chuffed with them. Made a big differance in the snow. Sold them on when I got the Mondeo though as it's got 17s, and looking around for this year 17in snow tyres are hard to come by second hand, should have stuck with the Seat!!