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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2017 15:01:54 GMT
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Post by Alex on Dec 1, 2017 15:09:17 GMT
I thought all X Types were 4WD? They were originally when they came with just 2.5 and 3.0 petrol engines but the 2.0 V6 bought in fwd as did the diesel models. I'm sure I'll be proved wrong though! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2017 15:44:40 GMT
Every safety initiative has had a cost - be it anti-lock brakes, airbags, compulsory fitment of seatbelts etc. Same goes for environmental advances - catalytic converters, EGRs, Euro 4, 5, 6 etc. Every time someone has said we can't afford this, the cost will have to be borne by the consumer, but we've done it anyway. Countries far less wealthy than ours insist on winter tyres from Nov. 1st and while there's an initial outlay, the costs balance out to an extent as you're not replacing your summer tyres so often. It would also have the added advantage of tyres being checked at least once a year when they are swopped over - particularly important if we go to 4 year MOTs. Can't see a downside, personally. I'd be pretty pissed off if they made switching to winter tyres compulsory - if I had a daily commute in a 'harsher' part of the country, I would probably get a set, but for where I live coupled with the use I make of the car, it would be £800+ for maybe 1 or 2 journeys when I would find them useful. If it's a day when I would really feel the benefits, the best option for me is to book a taxi. I've been thinking about this, because I was genuinely surprised that some think it necessary for everyone - to the point of dereliction of duty to one's fellow road users.
The weather's generally mild here (no snow for a few years), presumably because we're far from the coast. My car feels no different on the tyres I use in temperatures hovering around the zero mark, even when driven with appropriate gusto. It's also largely unaffected by rain, and I very seldom have to drive anywhere when it's darker (and therefore colder still). I do just over 5k p.a., don't have a commute so never have a rush hour and could easily reschedule stuff if there was a significant dump of snow. I have never been stuck anywhere, indeed seldom ever relinquished grip (traction, braking or lateral).
I honestly don't believe that anyone who did my driving for a year would see any need whatever to swap tyres each winter. I suspect that several of you have motoring lives that are different in just about every way, but I think automatically assuming that those of us who don't see the need are irresponsible is perhaps just a little unfair.
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Post by grampa on Dec 1, 2017 18:35:11 GMT
I thought all X Types were 4WD? They were originally when they came with just 2.5 and 3.0 petrol engines but the 2.0 V6 bought in fwd as did the diesel models. I'm sure I'll be proved wrong though! That's correct - my daughter's X-Type estate is FWD |
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Post by Nelson on Dec 1, 2017 22:45:56 GMT
..... I have noticed only in the past fortnight that the wheels are starting to 'chatter'. I don't know how to best explain it but when on near to full full-lock say when reversing into a parking space or doing a U-turn the tyres seem to be losing grip and chatter across the road surface kinda like the brakes are stuck on and it feels like something is catching. (snip) Can tyre pressure be affected by lower ambient temperatures where I guess air is less dense and therefore bringing tyre pressures down?? ...and in the winter in order to get better grip should you run with the same psi as per summer temperatures or reduce of increase pressures in order to get more grip?? For many years I have noted that tyre pressures seem to vary when the weather changes... typically twice per year, the onset of spring and the onset of winter, and I try hard to check and adjust my cars' tyre pressures to "reset" them to normal. You shouldn't drop the pressures in winter to try to get more grip (IMHO) - only when there is snow on the roads should you consider doing this, and then only when you believe that you need extra traction. Tyres chattering on lock - yes they will do this because the front wheels do not stay parallel when you steer and it gets worse as you apply more lock. The rear wheels are also "skidding" slightly as you turn and modern tyre compounds seem to amplify the odd sensation as the tread blocks slide across the road surface when you turn..... it's generally worse in car parks as many have very smooth surfaces so the tyre rubber slips more easily and tends to make more noise when doing so, compared to tarmaced roads Thanks for the brilliant reply, Chris. Much appreciated. |
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Post by Andy C on Dec 1, 2017 23:36:19 GMT
I’ve never felt I could benefit enough to justify the cost, either
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 4, 2017 10:21:33 GMT
I was just chatting to our FD who was showing me photos his wife had taken of their street in Wynyard - with a good 8 inches of snow. A colleague who has a 13 plate Jaguar XF walked past chuckling, commenting on the problems I'm going to have getting home in a rear wheel drive BMW. I pointed out his Jag was RWD, to which he replied " Nah, mate - mine's front wheel drive, I'll just stick it in Snow mode and cruise home"  I bet the Snow mode on his Jag isn't as good as the Snow mode on my Lexus was. Ah, the sheer ignorance. Bless him. I really wondered whether to bother with my winters this year and thought about selling them but got them put on a week ago. The grip levels on damp and greasy surfaces are rather a lot less than the F1s. I now get the DSTC light on under heavy acceleration out of junctions, even with the AWD. Greasy roundabouts are interesting too so I do wonder about stopping ability being worse now. The difference will come if we actually get any decent snow. AWD would count for next to nothing in snow with the F1s, as would stopping ability. It really is all about the tyres and it constantly amazes me that people put the cheapest, shittiest tyres on their cars. The Crossclimate+ on the Captur seem OK so far. If I had a V60 with significantly less power then I would be tempted by Crossclimates on it but they would be too much of a compromise on my car come the summer months. They perhaps would be an ideal UK winter tyre, having the extra abilities at milder temperatures. Pricey, though. Anyway, now I have put the winters on we will see no meaningful snowfall in the Midlands this winter. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2017 11:05:06 GMT
That's what I feel I'd be getting if I used winters. Poorer performance unless the roads are snowy or icy - low temperatures aren't enough to make them a better tyre. (With the usual caveats about for me, my car, my driving, my location etc etc.)
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Post by Martin on Dec 4, 2017 12:08:14 GMT
What winter tyres do you have Stu?
I only swapped over on Saturday, so have experienced the summers in cold conditions (-2.5c) and they were OK, but I did see the traction light flash a couple of times in a straight line when it was damp and below 5c, which doesn’t happen above that temperature. I don’t get that with the winters on. Lindsay tells me she’s started to feel the Boxster move around more as it got colder, not something I noticed but I’ve not driven it on B roads in the last few weeks. I’m happier that she has winter tyres, as her commute is mainly country lanes.
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Post by michael on Dec 4, 2017 12:28:36 GMT
That's what I feel I'd be getting if I used winters. Poorer performance unless the roads are snowy or icy - low temperatures aren't enough to make them a better tyre. (With the usual caveats about for me, my car, my driving, my location etc etc.) Are you basing that on your own experience? Winters made a massive difference on the D3, not just with snow on the ground. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2017 13:28:37 GMT
No, I said that's what I 'feel' I'd be getting, as there seems no deterioration in my normal tyres at these sorts of temperatures. If I was losing something in lower temperatures, I'd be giving it more thought.
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Post by michael on Dec 4, 2017 13:40:55 GMT
No deterioration at all seems quite remarkable. I think the general issue is driving to the conditions as has been said elsewhere. The Volvo is on its regular tyres which are some sort of jack of all trades affair. I took it up into the hills over the weekend and when the roads turned to snow drove accordingly and managed to keep it where I was aiming as a result. Unlike the mountain-biking pick up driver I happened upon as I descended the same roads. It wore big knobbly tyres but I suspect it might have been rear wheel drive, the marks in the snow certainly seemed to suggest as much managing a full 180 degrees including taking the front of the car off against a wall.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2017 14:36:02 GMT
I was thinking about this as I've made a solo journey in the meantime, allowing a little more latitude for experimentation. No deterioration is probably an exaggeration, but it still has about 95% of it's best, I think. I also think I notice the 4wd doing its shuffling just a little more. If it snowed, I'd probably stay at home though - no sense in binning something I can't replace.
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Post by Martin on Dec 4, 2017 15:29:01 GMT
Isn’t it above 7c today where you are? I really started to notice the difference when the temperature dropped down to 2-3c.
It’s not just about traction, it’s grip, especially if you have to brake heavily. Doesn’t happen very often thankfully, but you never know. On the odd occasion it has, I’ve been more concerned about the person behind running into me!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2017 15:33:06 GMT
True, but the situation is the same when it's rather colder, as it has been recently. See post 3 on this page for comments about traction/grip/braking, and provisos about others' driving lives being different from mine.
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Post by Tim on Dec 4, 2017 16:00:46 GMT
What I have noticed with the 320 - running on Goodyear F1 assymetric runflats - is that when the roads get a bit greasy it has a massive reduction in grip, much more so than when the roads are wet. Obviously this happens now when the roads are cold too. Its quite easy to get turn in oversteer on some corners if you're being enthusiastic.
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Post by michael on Dec 4, 2017 16:05:08 GMT
Isn't the greasy factor partly that salt reduces traction?
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Post by Tim on Dec 4, 2017 16:08:23 GMT
I assume so, without a decent wad of rain the roads will remain greasy for days (or weeks as happened last year).
It's certainly entertaining, doubly so in the 370!
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Dec 4, 2017 17:25:21 GMT
I’ve never felt I could benefit enough to justify the cost, either Taking that to its logical conclusion I don't need anti lock brakes or airbags as I don't lock my wheels or run into things. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2017 18:16:30 GMT
What I have noticed with the 320 - running on Goodyear F1 assymetric runflats - is that when the roads get a bit greasy it has a massive reduction in grip, much more so than when the roads are wet. Obviously this happens now when the roads are cold too. Its quite easy to get turn in oversteer on some corners if you're being enthusiastic. I didn't know they were available as runflats. I'm pretty sure mine aren't, but they are two years old, maybe a bit more. Greasy is worse than wet - the latter lifts oil etc off the surface I seem to recall reading (so your tread blocks can cut through it), whereas greasy just helps it onto the contact patch. |
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Post by Tim on Dec 5, 2017 13:32:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2017 15:11:56 GMT
Same as mine - are you sure they're runflats? Never heard it mentioned, but that needn't be a surprise...
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Post by Tim on Dec 5, 2017 15:33:22 GMT
The small wheel symbol under 'attributes' indicates its a runflat.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2017 16:50:26 GMT
Well, I didn't know that!
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 7, 2017 18:46:09 GMT
What winter tyres do you have Stu? I only swapped over on Saturday, so have experienced the summers in cold conditions (-2.5c) and they were OK, but I did see the traction light flash a couple of times in a straight line when it was damp and below 5c, which doesn’t happen above that temperature. I don’t get that with the winters on. Lindsay tells me she’s started to feel the Boxster move around more as it got colder, not something I noticed but I’ve not driven it on B roads in the last few weeks. I’m happier that she has winter tyres, as her commute is mainly country lanes. Vredestein Wintrac on the rear which are about 60% worn and BF Goodrich G-Force, I think, on the front, which are about 20% worn. Neither are great and it is more dwn to the circumstances of what was on the car when I bought it last January. Despite them being less than confidence-inspiring on greasy surfaces, in the very heavy rain this morning, on the motorway, they were very sure-footed. Hoping for some snow this weekend now! |
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 7, 2017 19:25:08 GMT
I think you may be in luck. After seeing the forecast and the weather models explained, I have cleaned the Land Rover this morning and put my recovery kit back in the rear. It is supposed to hit us at sometime on Sunday.
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Post by michael on Dec 7, 2017 19:35:41 GMT
Don’t forget your card payment system with up-front payment from pensioners in Fords.
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 7, 2017 19:36:30 GMT
I don't hold out a huge amount of hope thus far. We are at about 100m to 110m elevation so unless it really is cold we might not see anything much.
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Post by LandieMark on Dec 7, 2017 20:26:35 GMT
Don’t forget your card payment system with up-front payment from pensioners in Fords. I don’t know if this is true, but I was told that Glendinnings of Prudhoe were charging £80 per tow from the bottom of Pow Hill picnic area to the main road. That’s only 1/4 mile! |
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Post by Roadsterstu on Dec 8, 2017 12:42:07 GMT
What happened to a bit of community spirit?
Just watched the forecast and Sunday looks like the snow day, as a wet low pressure system from the south west clatters into some very cold air. Bring it on!
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