Latest posts for the topic "Snow socks"

Snow socks

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:07:20 GMT

Its been suggested by my tyre dealer that I shouldnt bother with winter tyres for my mercedes as its rear wheel drive and theres little point taking it out on the UK roads in ice/snow. However, he did suggest I might want to consider snow socks for the rear wheels. Not for use on a ski trip but for getting about here once its snowy on our roads.
Anyone got any, or any experience with these, and whether I should consider these a good investment?
I run my other car with snow tyres in the cold weather and can always leave the Merc at home if things get icy/snowy.

Re:Snow socks

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:10:17 GMT

I have a Merc and in last years weather it was hopeless, not sure the snow socks would have made any difference to be honest.

Someone I know has some for his Audi and says they work okay but wasn't signing their praises.

Having been snowed in in Germany the year before and taken around Munich to a hotel in driving snow in a Merc, why would winter tyres not be any good?

Probably the wrong sort of snow here!!!

A high percentage of cars in Germany were rear wheeled drive Merc's or Audi's they didn't seem to have an issue every year.

Got it covered this year, picked up a fairly inexpensive 4X4 X-Trail and will be driving it to Austria in Feb 2012, so got some snow chains for GBP30, so need to practice putting them on!

Re:Snow socks

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:57:51 GMT

I bought a set last year but by the time they arrived (as they were out of stock!!) the snow had gone so not had chance to try them! My brother in law got stuck last winter, popped on his snow socks (they're really simple to use) and bingo, finished the journey home.

I guess the moral of this story is don't leave it till the snow comes to try and get them!

They hardly weigh anything so I have left them in the boot just in case.

You put them on the driving wheels so I don't think it matters FWD or RWD.

Re:Snow socks

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:19:08 GMT

TC wrote:I have a Merc and in last years weather it was hopeless, not sure the snow socks would have made any difference to be honest.

Someone I know has some for his Audi and says they work okay but wasn't signing their praises.

Having been snowed in in Germany the year before and taken around Munich to a hotel in driving snow in a Merc, why would winter tyres not be any good?

Probably the wrong sort of snow here!!!

A high percentage of cars in Germany were rear wheeled drive Merc's or Audi's they didn't seem to have an issue every year.

Got it covered this year, picked up a fairly inexpensive 4X4 X-Trail and will be driving it to Austria in Feb 2012, so got some snow chains for GBP30, so need to practice putting them on!

Ive been told by hundreds of people simply not to bother using the Merc in ice and snow as apparently rear wheel drive is hopeless, even with winter tyres. The bloke at the tyre dealers even said so.

I've had Audis before and they were distinctly average in snow, but I never had winter tyres on them.
All Audis are front wheel drive are they not?

Re:Snow socks

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:05:44 GMT

Snow socks aren't really a substitute for traditional snow chains; they wear out quickly, don't grip as well on snow, are almost useless on ice and have a tendency to come off the wheels on rear wheel drive cars, but they are much better than nothing if you get stuck. The Michelin Easy Grip is much better, although they are also a bit weak on ice and not as easy to put on as Michelin say.

There are loads of people with big powerful rear wheel drive cars in this part of the Alps (lots of taxi firms run E class Mercs) and they don't seem have any bother driving in winter. Don't be tempted to buy cheap winter tyres, although they are generally not too bad on snow their performance (stopping distance) on wet and dry roads is usually very poor, they also wear out much faster and have much greater rolling resistance. Beware of too good to be true deals on known brands (especially Continental) as they might well be fakes.

Re:Snow socks

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:34:13 GMT

Hi had a Clk and fitted Nokian WR and never had any problems in very snowy and icy conditions.
Goff

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:15:37 GMT

I own a bodyshop and my most common vehicles in for repair in the ice and snow are Mercedes and BMW.
I had an Audi A4 last snowfall and it took me everywhere I needed to go.
I see a few people using the snow socks and they looked like they were working well.

I have an Audi TT Quattro now which is 4 wheel drive so am quite excited to see how that performs.

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:12:52 GMT

After Clk had a A6 Advant quattro to be honest it was not a lot of cop on normal road tyres, after two weeks slipping about in the Juras had Avon winter tyres fitted was a whole different ball game was even fun on the empty roads :)
Goff

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:22:09 GMT

When I drive again to the alps I would certainly consider buying some just to try them out, the only concern that I have is that have seemed to price them at a similar price to snow chains, when I have used snow chains before I have only had them on for half an hour mainly getting out of back roads from accommodation.They look a lot easier to put on than snow chains which will keep Mrs W happy :wink:

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:34:36 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:They look a lot easier to put on than snow chains which will keep Mrs W happy :wink:

:thumbup: well done Wickers getting Mrs to do the chains!

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:15:16 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:They look a lot easier to put on than snow chains which will keep Mrs W happy :wink:

:thumbup: well done Wickers getting Mrs to do the chains!

My Hands get so cold, so I sit in the warm and organise :thumbup:

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:43:55 GMT

Just getting this into perspective to my original post, I am not intending to drive with these to the alps. Its just for UK use in bad weather.

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:53:14 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Just getting this into perspective to my original post, I am not intending to drive with these to the alps. Its just for UK use in bad weather.

Tony if, like yourself, you HAVE to drive then something in the boot for an emergency would seem sensible.
Doubt they will allow you to motor on oblivious to conditions but I can see they would get you home/to your destination if you were caught out by conditions for example.

I have a big, non-PC, old 4x4 - tow rope, shovel, gloves etc in boot when weather inclement!
Last year didn't use them once, year before helped 5 people out who had got stuck.

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:56:06 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

Tony_H wrote:Just getting this into perspective to my original post, I am not intending to drive with these to the alps. Its just for UK use in bad weather.

Tony if, like yourself, you HAVE to drive then something in the boot for an emergency would seem sensible.
Doubt they will allow you to motor on oblivious to conditions but I can see they would get you home/to your destination if you were caught out by conditions for example.

I have a big, non-PC, old 4x4 - tow rope, shovel, gloves etc in boot when weather inclement!
Last year didn't use them once, year before helped 5 people out who had got stuck.

Egg Zactly.
Hence why I ran winter tyres on the MPV, as whilst I cant go charging about like normal in the snow, I can keep going where 95% of others stop, and I did.

However the Merc is a different beast being rear wheel drive, and I was looking at exactly something I could use in times of trouble, ie when everyone else has abandoned their cars or slid off the road like happened to me last December on the Bedford bypass, and I was the only car still able to plod along at 40mph in thick snow and chunky ice and get a client to Heathrow for his flight. Without them, he would not have made it.

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:00:45 GMT

But did his flight take off

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:03:45 GMT

Merryski wrote:But did his flight take off

:mrgreen: :lol: :roll: :thumbup:

But not T's problem :lol:

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:06:06 GMT

Merryski wrote:But did his flight take off

Irrelevant!!!!

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:09:26 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

Merryski wrote:But did his flight take off

Irrelevant!!!!

Could have been an extra fare - taking the tearful punter back home :lol:

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:13:56 GMT

TBO I'd buy a pair for getting out of jail, there are a few forums on line which talk about using snow socks for rear wheel drive and they said that they were great.

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:22:19 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:TBO I'd buy a pair for getting out of jail, there are a few forums on line which talk about using snow socks for rear wheel drive and they said that they were great.

Thats what the guy in the tyre shop said, great to throw on when you look like being in trouble.

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:22:54 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

Tony_H wrote:

Merryski wrote:But did his flight take off

Irrelevant!!!!

Could have been an extra fare - taking the tearful punter back home :lol:

That, my friend, is exactly what happened. Had to invoice his company a double fare, and he ended up going again a couple of weeks later as well!

Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:50:29 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Its been suggested by my tyre dealer that I shouldnt bother with winter tyres for my mercedes as its rear wheel drive and theres little point taking it out on the UK roads in ice/snow. However, he did suggest I might want to consider snow socks for the rear wheels. Not for use on a ski trip but for getting about here once its snowy on our roads.
Anyone got any, or any experience with these, and whether I should consider these a good investment?
I run my other car with snow tyres in the cold weather and can always leave the Merc at home if things get icy/snowy.

If you already have a car with winter tyres, and you appreciate their qualities, why don't you just fit winter tyres to the Merc next time it needs new tyres?
I have owned and driven rear wheel drive, front wheeel drive, 4x4 cars and 4x4 off roaders in the Alps for more than 15 years.
They ALL work well with winter tyres.
However its true that, even with winter tyres, 4x4 is best, 4x4 cars are better than off roaders as they are easier to drive (for a variety of reasons), front wheel drive is better than rear.

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:38:39 GMT

Everyone should drive a Subaru 8)

Re:Snow socks

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:56:47 GMT

bandit wrote:Everyone should drive a Subaru 8)

In snow, with winter tyres, they're the dogs twitcher!