Reply With Quotehttp://www.autosock.co.uk/autosock-for-cars/
Remove the moment you're out of snow of they will disintegrate.
Winter tyres still a far better option, swap my RWD cars to them each year
I have no idea what the hell these are or how they work, however the wife is convinced that they are the answer to our rear wheel drive + snow woe's!
Does anyone on the board have or use them, where did you get them from and how do they feel/ standup to winter driving?
D
http://www.autosock.co.uk/autosock-for-cars/
Remove the moment you're out of snow of they will disintegrate.
Winter tyres still a far better option, swap my RWD cars to them each year
I bought a set 2 years ago, but you can only use them on reasonably fresh snow - or ice. You also are limited to 30mph so only of any use in town.
They work very well on snow. When you are using them the spread out small 'barbs' which grip the snow. Can be a bit faffy to fit (not a female job) as you have to prise them over the edge of the tyre, which isn't that easy, then reverse a metre and fit the rest of the sock.
I never used mine last year because the snow never laid long enough to benefit them - and the same this year so far.
http://www.autosockdirect.co.uk/?gcl...FefMtAodymsATg
Rod
Last edited by Rod; 20th January 2013 at 18:33.
Ta Rod, information relayed to SWMBO and snow socks are now history!
I'd recommend a pair if just to keep in the boot in case you get stranded.
Another vote for winter tyres. They are not only excellent in mud & snow but I find they feel much more secure in the wet as well - especially when driving through standing water.
I'd thought that you needed two sets if the car is RWD, to ensure that you have the traction and directional aspects both covered? Not an issue with FWD obviously, just one pair on the front.
I invested in a set of steel rims and winter tyres this year and it restored my confidence in driving in the snow after being scared witless last year in my FWD golf - the 18" wheels and tyres being the biggest cause of the problems last year. The smaller and narrower rims combined with the winter tyres has been a revelation in both snow and ice.
I've used them in Germany around the Eiffel region on my Skyline GTR and M5.
If the snow is down properly, they work really well. I'm a big fan of them for getting you out of a
tight spot.
Worth the money 100% imo.
Darren
Used them for a couple of years - work great!
Remember to take them off as soon as you get off the snow.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Costco had them for sale last year but not sure if they still do.
Michelin branded for around £50 iirc
They weren't snow socks.Originally Posted by AsifG
They still had these Michelin 'things' up to a few weeks ago. Look like those snow grips they sell for the bottom of shoes.
Ditto - high performance, wide, summer tyres are hopeless in the snow.
Got my (Automatic RWD BMW) car off the (uphill) drive first time a couple of days ago, I was really impressed :D
It just starting losing traction right at the end so I used the old car mat trick and once I got it to the end of the road it was all gritted and good to go ;)
I think each year people have the same dilemma because we just don't get enough snow in the UK to justify these snowcessories, however I still think Winter tyres for a car you know you will keep are a sound investment.
Nothing beats stacking up your 18" alloys in the garage and sticking a set of 16" Winter steelies on ;)
I had mine on my Fiat 500 today, they're great in an emergency or (as I did earlier in the New Forest) get bored with nice snow-free roads and want to go and have some fun and pretend you're Paddy Hopkirk. Takes about 30 seconds per wheel to put them on and anyone could do it, even your wife. For RWD cars you will need two sets unless you're going to drive very very slowly.
"A man of little significance"
I bought some last year for my 5 series and they work a treat, handy to have in the boot when required.
I have used them last year and a few days ago.
Even better they were only £35 from asda
http://direct.asda.com/Tex-Chain-Ant...efault,pd.html
There brilliant.. My Vito is one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road in the Snow, Traction on the flat is impossible as soon as a few flakes hit the ground. Place the socks on its like driving a 4x4.
Used snow socks once and found them really good. Easy to put on the first time but not so eady once they've been used. Seemed to shrink!
+1 for winter tyres.
Another "plus one" for winter tyres - I have them on a spare set of wheels for my 928 (not an obviously snow-capable car, being auto, RWD, devoid of driver aids and quite torquey) and I run the car on them from early Dec to (usually) the end of March. The snow performance is exceptionally good - I drove the 928 to Austria for New Year last year and never had any issues, even on mountain roads, despite some pretty biblical snowfall. The tyres - Nokian WR-G2s, fact fans - weren't that expensive, but the 928 being an old car, the wheels are only 16-inch...!
I bought some last year ( and some new tyres ) after my FWD car was unable to ascend this ...
Felt pretty foolish spinning the wheels to no effect while wryly observing the "Danger" warning light on the dash for the first time. I had to get out and dig a path. There wasn't much snow either. Surprising how little it takes on a hill for all traction to be lost, even unladen with a relatively heavy 2.05L engine over the driven wheels.
The taxis here, for whom of course being mobile is their livelihood, all seem to just use winter tyres. They are not studded, and the usual vehicle is a RWD Nissan or Toyota. They seem to have no problems. Taxi rank in Sapporo ...
I'd fit winter tyres if I did a lot of driving. As it is, I struggle to do 1000Km a year. So a pair of snow socks is in the boot.
Paul
I use wr-g2 and in some country's they are sold as all seasons tyres despite being M&S marked and bearing the much more important severe service mountain snowflake, not sure about here. They have a good wear rating.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
Some of the guys at work bought the snow socks, and to be fair they loved them. I always thought they seemed too much of a faff - installing, remove on normal roads, limited speed etc. Much better to buy a set of winters, and change over twice a year. The initial expense of winters sounds high, but your tires last twice as long, so in the long run there's very little added cost. It's like buying your next set of tires in advance!
So good reports, but I think it will depend if the associated compromises fit to you.
Down south it looks like we won't need either for another year - snow is rapidly vanishing.
I use a decent all season tyre. However will go for one of these next time:
Vredestein Quatrac 3,
GoodYear Vector 4Seasons,
Hankook Optimo 4S,
Nokian WRG2 or All weather plus,
Kleber Quadraxers.
We've got the snow up in Derbyshire now although Manchester roads are fine.
I've gone for the Ebay snow sock in boot safety net - can't really go wrong for thirty quid.
I've not used them yet so can't comment on their performance or ease of fitting.
I've got winter tyres on my BMW. Haven't had any issues at all really... forget these winter sock things I say, and get a set of winter wheels. They will of course cost more, but they will last most people three or four seasons and therefore balance out nicely in terms of costs. They're like night and day to summer tyres.
Snow socks are 20% off until the 30th:
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/car-snow-socks/
I have a set each in a couple of cars and have used them both to get out of trouble. You can drive up to 50mph with them on and they give lots of grip. They take about 30 seconds to get on each wheel and the packaging isn't that big so you just sling a set (or two) in the boot and get on with it, safe in the knowledge if it snows you'll get home.
"A man of little significance"
yes, they got me out of a situation they aren't for using all the time just for emergency's perfect for down south UK.
I cant see the 20% off was going to get some for my Astra?
Select car, tyre size etc and go through to the payment page and you'll see the discount applied.
"A man of little significance"
I've just put my old pair on SC.
thanks its best to get them and hope you don't need them.
- - - Updated - - -
sadly wrong size for my car
Where's the fun in that? Alternatively, take your wife's Fiat 500 into the snow-covered New Forest, stick snow socks on the front wheels and drive round for 30 minutes applying handbrake and opposite lock.
"A man of little significance"
Had some snow socks for my old bmw 3 series. Found I couldn't get them on as there wasn't enough arch clearance, was only an SE model too so not exactly slammed. Haven't bothered since, instead I fit snow tyres every winter which guarantees it won't snow.
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