Yes I know this topic has cropped up several times (sometimes with grooves ) but I thought I would open this up to those who either don't have an FL2 anymore or have a second car, company car or van etc that is non 4x4.

We know they aren't just for snow and offer superb safety benefits at +7C or below as proved here:

Mid to late October (temps depending) I will be fitting these to my fiesta: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-t...a-internal

So, your thoughts please. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

My wife used to drive a Nemo van. That wore snow tyres in winter. Did seem to make a real difference to traction.

I was not quite convinced how much benefit was real and how much was psychological, but made my wife a lot more confident in snow.

Only put them on when consistently cold to maintain very good tread. If the forecast was good would swap them back to summer tyres for a bit. Only had them on the front (drive) wheels and with a workshop jack could do both wheels in well under 10 minutes.

Why other than a 4x4?
All vehicles benefit from winter tyres. 4x4's in particular due to their weight. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

The old car of the wife's had them on and it went from unable to drive up a snow covered road, to been able to drive through 5 inches of freshly laid snow, still remember the phone call whilst the wife was still moving,with her giggling that she was still moving and in the right direction  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Pegleg wrote:

Why other than a 4x4?
All vehicles benefit from winter tyres. 4x4's in particular due to their weight.

Agreed but I've done a poll before for FL2 and other 4x4's back when I owned one so I thought I would open this one to the 2WD contingent. Some have either changed cars or have 2nd cars that are none 4x4. Also, without winter tyres, a 2WD will struggle more than a 4x4 (in theory). LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Not so Doc sorry
4x4 will get more grip on inclines granted and also, as you know, better ground clearance.
But downhill they are much worse; the heavier the car, the more difficult to stop. Physics.
Cornering the same. Once it breaks away from adhesion it slides much worse due to mass. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

Good point but I thought this poll would be ok in view of past one's I did for FL2 and 4x4 anyway.

Here's a great video that shows the difference between 4x4 on normal tyres and 2WD with winter tyres:  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Watched the video and more or less what should be expected.
However, it didn't show the difference between 2wd and 4wd both with winter tyres.
4wd is transformed with winter tyres as you probably know.
I've done it; FL2 with road tyres in snow is a nightmare compared with winter tyres. You probably know that Doc. I've heard a load of tosh about 4x4 on road tyres in snow.
That's from those who have never tried winter tyres.
Which gets me back to my original statement; that all vehicles benefit from winter tyres in low temperature conditions.

Makes sense to get them on your Fizzey
Or any other car. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

It is a legal requirement here of course, but there is a massive difference between summer and winter tyres, on both my LR2 and the 2012 Passat.

I hate the idea of the wife drifting out of control into oncoming traffic and avoiding obstacles on the road.

Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link, remember that it doesn't matter how much driver experience/instinct you have in a car with zero traction.

I can confirm that! On summer tyres the Passat is frightening in ice & snow. If I had kept mine, I would have definitely gone for winter tyres. 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

A guy at work just purchased a new Merc C-Class 220cdi and he's decided not to bother with winter tyres. His policy is if he sees any snow, it stays on the drive and he takes the bus or walks. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

snow is fine, in fact a lot of tyre technology facilitates the use of snow trapped in the tyre to produce grip!

Its the ice that kills, and that is not so easy to spot

This video shows what always happens without winter tyres:

The bloke trying to tow in the RRS is clueless! His RRS will have sports tyres, he's probably not in GGS judging by the amount of wheel spin and even if he is, he's backing off all the time instead of letting the TC kick in.

As for the knobhead in the hatchback at the end  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Slightly off topic as this thread is about non 4x4s. But I am still in two minds about putting winters on my FL2 this year, I have the money put aside but it could go on other things. Running general grabber ATs and they were fine last year but hopeing winters would make things more stabel and improve stopping distances?

Am also thinking about driving up into the alps for a snowboarding holiday so thinking they would benefit then too? Freelander 2, 2014 Dynamic SD4 Santorini Black

As pegleg stated above, 4x4's are harder to control when grip does go as they are big and heavy. In that sense, winter tyres are even more important than for 2WD. I had them even though the wrangler tyres were superb in the first winter I saw in the FL2. They will improve braking and handling in the wet and snow.

This is a good video for you to watch:  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey