Winter Wheels fitted

[gaby]

Originally Posted by I Feel Old

I now have my XC60 and have decided not to put winter tyres on it for now (I must check what rubber it actually sits on). Let's see how it performs during the coming winter.

I hope you won't hurt other people by finding out how it performs.

[I Feel Old]

Indeed James, exactly that.

Now, gaby, why would you see fit to make such a ridiculous comment as;

Originally Posted by gaby

I hope you won't hurt other people by finding out how it performs.

[Philip Fisher]

Sorry, delete post. Clicked in error

[Crockers]

Although I bought and had fitted my winter tyres and wheels, if Volvo had offered all weathers as an option at new (as Porsche does) I would have opted for them. Ran Crossclimates on my older XC60 without any problems.

[foggyjames]

Originally Posted by I Feel Old

Now, gaby, why would you see fit to make such a ridiculous comment as;

Well...it's not that ridiculous. You are *significantly* affecting your braking and cornering performance in cold and wet conditions, and the ultimate extension of that is you might cause (or be unable to avoid) an accident which results in serious injury or worse.

It's a similar effect to failing to replace tyres which are nearly bald. If you caused an accident under those conditions, it's on your conscience that you, by your own actions, didn't have as much grip as you could have had.

That's the issue at hand. FWIW, I'm not holier than thou - I had been really pushing my luck on some low-tread summers recently, and have no plans to fit winters this year...but it's a fair point.

cheers

James

[MidnightT4]

Considering a winter set of 19" for my V90 or may just step up to 20"

[simonjedrake]

Originally Posted by MidnightT4

Considering a winter set of 19" for my V90 or may just step up to 20"

I should go for the 19” as a greater choice of tyre options and cheaper than 20” as well........

[I Feel Old]

Originally Posted by foggyjames

Well...it's not that ridiculous.

I think we will have to agree to disagree, foggyjames.

To infer that not putting winter tyres on a new car is so risky as to warrant such a post is, in my book, ridiculous.

I accept that winter tyres perform better in certain conditions, however the beliefs demonstrated on this thread are verging on fanciful. By far the majority of British drivers do not fit winter tyres and although it may come as a surprise to those who do, they do no all end up in a hedge.

[Jamieboy]

I think this debate really depends on what is meant by winter driving. Winter in most of the UK does not mean snow, or even necessarily sub-zero conditions.

Driving in winter, when it is not snowing or icy, on what people now call 'summer' tyres is not necessarily using the tyre beyond its useful design parameters. I agree that if it is snowy or icy then driving on those tyres should be avoided, but where I live at least such conditions occur very seldom. Seems to me that just because the season is winter, doesn't mean the conditions are such that fitting winter tyres is necessary.

My own decision is to run summer's all year round. I live somewhere that the weather is not often snowy and im close enough to shops etc so that if it snows for a few days then I don't need to drive and do not do so. I don't think I'm irresponsible or a menace to society due to my tyre choices.

[Zebra]

So I have fitted my new 19inch wheels with winter tyres and removed the 22inch summers. Torqued, pressured, TPMS done.

Feels somewhat more comfortable on the higher walled rubber. Looks OK. I feel a little foolish for wondering about getting another set of wheel bot caps as the current ones are black but the new wheels are silver.

I doubt I will notice the difference in grip in the UK but as I will be in the Alps by the end of the week I feel significantly more secure.