My French partner and all previous have showered - I would have sent them to the guillotine if they hadn't!I had a shower this morning, despite being French. Not an engineer but I worked in motorsport for a while. Where we do bend things !
The comments on tyres are general comments. I didn't see anywhere people telling you specifically Fozzie1960 that 'you' have to do this or that. It is clear that you have your own ideas and good luck to you.So here is my winter tyre dilemma, from today the temperature in my area is forecast to be 10/11 deg for the next ten days. This month alone I would have swapped my tyres around three times. Yes, there could be a case for cross-climates.
Winter tyre guys, please do not dictate and preach about the virtues of winter tyres, I am well aware of their advantages. Also, do not make unhelpful comments like, 'you need to get out more' or 'oh, you could if you had winter tyres'.
‘Twas only intended as a bit of festive mirth.So here is my winter tyre dilemma, from today the temperature in my area is forecast to be 10/11 deg for the next ten days. This month alone I would have swapped my tyres around three times. Yes, there could be a case for cross-climates.
Winter tyre guys, please do not dictate and preach about the virtues of winter tyres, I am well aware of their advantages. Also, do not make unhelpful comments like, 'you need to get out more' or 'oh, you could if you had winter tyres'.
Hey we all great grumpy near Christmas. I for one will be getting my top hat and cape out soon for my annual bah- humbug.
Perhaps you could change the avatar from Fozzie to the 2 grumpy old men that were up in the gods - just for the festive period?
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
So here is my winter tyre dilemma, from today the temperature in my area is forecast to be 10/11 deg for the next ten days. This month alone I would have swapped my tyres around three times. Yes, there could be a case for cross-climates.
Winter tyre guys, please do not dictate and preach about the virtues of winter tyres, I am well aware of their advantages. Also, do not make unhelpful comments like, 'you need to get out more' or 'oh, you could if you had winter tyres'.
Err, no I don't go out if I don't need too and if the conditions are too dangerous, unlike the fools who don't heed the warnings and get stuck or have an accident with someone who can drive in the conditions. In fact, usually, when there is some snow, I like to go for a drive to test mine and the car's ability to drive in those conditions if it's safe to do so. However, if I need to take my partner to work and the conditions aren't brilliant I will drive the fiesta as it will, by design, have more grip and traction than my A4, without winter tyres.
With the greatest respect please get my name right and don't put words into my mouth.
I don't also understand why the winter tyre evangelists have got involved in here with their mission that if you don't have these fitted then you are a some kind of subspecies. It is very clear in this case, as my arguments are proving, winter tyres would be just as good as chocolate ones as the issue was down to a lack of grip, not traction, as the OP is stating...
Silly argument and this thread is becoming like a stuck record, no-one is disputing what winter tyres are for it is just whether they will provide any benefits to some owners at the cost.
I drive about 10 miles a day at an average of less than 30 miles an hour only during day, very rarely at night and if the conditions aren't suitable I don't go out. On monday I drove my car in two inches if snow and it was safe and secure, the snow was gone by the afternoon to the extent my partner drove home from school and didn't even mention it.
Next week the temperatures are forecast to be nearly double at which the temperature of winter tyres operate correctly at. Do you think I am going to waste my money and do you think I am going to be convinced to buy winter tyres when I don't need them, no, not in a million years. Stop preaching like some jehovahs witness.
I don't also understand why the winter tyre evangelists have got involved in here
I do not think they are a waste of money at all and I do not tell other people what tyres they should fit neither. I am merely stating I do not need them and my driving record of over 47 years is proof enough. Perhaps other drivers do because they cannot cope with either a dusting of snow.
As the OP stated, having quattro gave a sense of overconfidence, it seems to me that winter tyres are giving you all the same.
oliquattro, I do winter tyres have some benefit on ice, but the margins are small, too small to be of a benefit, only studded or spiked tyres will have a major impact. However once a tyre has lost it's grip that's it and it doesn't matter if you 2, 4, or eight wheel drive, the forces of physics will dictate what happens and the OP's statement is proof of this.
Its going to 12c next week
Oh but I do, that's why there is no need for me to waste my money. Please don't preach...
I still stand by the fact that a four wheel drive car has no more grip than a front wheel drive, that cannot be disputed.
That way you would not find me, and other drivers who possess enough skill to drive in the snow, taking part...
I do not actually think anybody has said that winters are not superior to summers in snow and ice.Hahaha you’re simply using this to justify why you don’t have quattro and don’t have winter tyres. Diddums.
Winters are VASTLY superior to summers in snow and ice.....end of debate. Solid ice just to clarify
Anyone who says otherwise are braindead or lying.
I do not actually think anybody has said that winters are not superior to summers in snow and ice.
Fascinating read.
For me, living in a town by the sea in the south, I've never ever considered spending money on a spare set of wheels and tyres to use for a few months of the year. I do accept that wide low profile summer tyres are pretty useless on snow and even more so on ice, and that on the 2 occasions in the last 10 years when I've actually had a slippery problem (without a crash), winter tyres would almost certainly have been helpful. In fact I doubt there's more than 5 mornings all winter (on average) that I even have to wait while the windscreen defrosts!
When the weather has been that bad that I'd rather not even try to drive in it, I've been able to get a train to work and simply re-arrange meetings that I was expecting to drive to.
Basically, for me, winters would be a waste of money, and that's a fact.
That of course doesn't mean that winters are waste of money for others and if I lived 'up north' where the winters are apparently harsher, and if I had to drive a lot on minor and country roads where the surface is going to be less predictable, then I can see a very good argument for both quatro and winters.
Horses for course I guess.
Have a nice Christmas everyone, and drive those new cars carefully
Oh, and blackb9er, I hope the car gets sorted quickly.
Jesus Christ! I agree with @Fozzie1960 lets stop this winter tyre debate. The OP had an accident and decided to share his experience and frustration with the people in the forum, and possibly some information on the car repair process and cost of a mistake.
As a forum we should be supporting the OP, and hoping it gets sorted soon with minimal expense. In an ideal world I'm sure they wouldn't want to be in their current position.
@blackb9er - Any updates on repair progress?
Yep the garage sent me the repair bill couple days ago. Fortunately it's not a write off but there's a considerable amount of damage to the front and rear as expected.
Had a few issues with my insurance as they were trying to have my car sent to one of thier garages which isn't Audi approved, if id have let them do it the warranty on the car would have been void, so I had to fight with them to make sure it stayed where it was. I got there in the end but the cost estimate needs to be approved by them first before the garage can start the work and I have a feeling they're gonna take thier time with it. (For anyone who didnt know it is your legal right to have your vehicle repaired at a garage of your choosing)
The Garage have been kind enough to give me a courtesy car in the meantime so I have a silver 17 plate Merc A180d auto sat on the drive and I hate it! Looks the part but it feels cheap inside (for a 20grand car) and it's horrible to drive. The engine is a gutless & noisy 1.5, the handling is terrible, ride is lumpy, and dont even get me started with the infotainment. Whoever designed Mercs COMAND system needs to be fired, it's awful! i'd almost certainly end up in a ditch if I attempted to use that when driving. I expected a lot more from the baby Merc but I cant complain, just super happy I can still get around especially during Christmas.
So yea thats pretty much it. £700 excess to be paid when the work is complete and fingers crossed the car still feels and drives the same post restoration.
I'm Happy with the direction the thread has gone to be honest there's nothing wrong with a good old debate. I've learned a lot from everyones input. (Thanks) and im sure many more will.
I think @Gazwould & @paulgolding make some interesting points. Price & Location are probably the biggest deciding factors. For me i live up north, I like to get around a lot during winter months and I have kids, so when the moneys there and I create the storage space I'll be investing in a set.
Anyway I'll post an update when the work is complete. In the meantime I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas & new year. Be happy that you're fortunate enough to have such a nice vehicle and drive carefully (until summer)
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@syedshah thanks bro. Yea I'm guessing its the same 1.5 that wifey has in her qashqai but Nissan have somehow managed to make it waay more refined. Shame on you mercedes haha.
................ And oh the a class is a terrible motor.. literally a reno 1.5dci rebadged with a mercedes logo.. horror story.
!
I had the misfortune to drive one of those baby mercs a couple of weeks back, at the top of a very long list of dislikes was the spongy 'carbon fibre' dash - horrendous!
That's a lot of money but luckily that is what insurance is for Hopefully it all gets sorted satisfactorily and your car is back to new in a matter of weeks! Have a good Christmas (or the best you can with that Merc ) and New Year!Yep the garage sent me the repair bill couple days ago. Fortunately it's not a write off but there's a considerable amount of damage to the front and rear as expected.
Had a few issues with my insurance as they were trying to have my car sent to one of thier garages which isn't Audi approved, if id have let them do it the warranty on the car would have been void, so I had to fight with them to make sure it stayed where it was. I got there in the end but the cost estimate needs to be approved by them first before the garage can start the work and I have a feeling they're gonna take thier time with it. (For anyone who didnt know it is your legal right to have your vehicle repaired at a garage of your choosing)
The Garage have been kind enough to give me a courtesy car in the meantime so I have a silver 17 plate Merc A180d auto sat on the drive and I hate it! Looks the part but it feels cheap inside (for a 20grand car) and it's horrible to drive. The engine is a gutless & noisy 1.5, the handling is terrible, ride is lumpy, and dont even get me started with the infotainment. Whoever designed Mercs COMAND system needs to be fired, it's awful! i'd almost certainly end up in a ditch if I attempted to use that when driving. I expected a lot more from the baby Merc but I cant complain, just super happy I can still get around especially during Christmas.
So yea thats pretty much it. £700 excess to be paid when the work is complete and fingers crossed the car still feels and drives the same post restoration.
I'm Happy with the direction the thread has gone to be honest there's nothing wrong with a good old debate. I've learned a lot from everyones input. (Thanks) and im sure many more will.
I think @Gazwould & @Paul Golding make some interesting points. Price & Location are probably the biggest deciding factors. For me i live up north, I like to get around a lot during winter months and I have kids, so when the moneys there and I create the storage space I'll be investing in a set.
Anyway I'll post an update when the work is complete. In the meantime I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas & new year. Be happy that you're fortunate enough to have such a nice vehicle and drive carefully (until summer)
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Ouch, goes to show how a completly innoculous looking accident can result in a hefty repair bill, but then, as another posted, this is why we all have insurance. I just hope that when you do get the car back it looks and drives exactly the same...Yep the garage sent me the repair bill couple days ago. Fortunately it's not a write off but there's a considerable amount of damage to the front and rear as expected.
Had a few issues with my insurance as they were trying to have my car sent to one of thier garages which isn't Audi approved, if id have let them do it the warranty on the car would have been void, so I had to fight with them to make sure it stayed where it was. I got there in the end but the cost estimate needs to be approved by them first before the garage can start the work and I have a feeling they're gonna take thier time with it. (For anyone who didnt know it is your legal right to have your vehicle repaired at a garage of your choosing)
The Garage have been kind enough to give me a courtesy car in the meantime so I have a silver 17 plate Merc A180d auto sat on the drive and I hate it! Looks the part but it feels cheap inside (for a 20grand car) and it's horrible to drive. The engine is a gutless & noisy 1.5, the handling is terrible, ride is lumpy, and dont even get me started with the infotainment. Whoever designed Mercs COMAND system needs to be fired, it's awful! i'd almost certainly end up in a ditch if I attempted to use that when driving. I expected a lot more from the baby Merc but I cant complain, just super happy I can still get around especially during Christmas.
So yea thats pretty much it. £700 excess to be paid when the work is complete and fingers crossed the car still feels and drives the same post restoration.
I'm Happy with the direction the thread has gone to be honest there's nothing wrong with a good old debate. I've learned a lot from everyones input. (Thanks) and im sure many more will.
I think @Gazwould & @Paul Golding make some interesting points. Price & Location are probably the biggest deciding factors. For me i live up north, I like to get around a lot during winter months and I have kids, so when the moneys there and I create the storage space I'll be investing in a set.
Anyway I'll post an update when the work is complete. In the meantime I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas & new year. Be happy that you're fortunate enough to have such a nice vehicle and drive carefully (until summer)
View attachment 144400