[Legge]

Greetings from Finland! Just recently found this site and decided to join. I got my new A180 BE Urban a couple of weeks ago. Switched from a Peugeot 207 GTI.

 

[reza]

Welcome Legge


Congrats .... looking good in the snow. I assume you are running winter tyres?

 

[Legge]

Yep, Continental IceContacts. Only 205/55R16 as they are more comfortable on lumpy winter roads. The 17" stock wheels are waiting for the summer

Already managed to scratch the front skirt on a lump of icy snow

Luckily it's visible only when crouching next to the car.

It seems that the Urban package here is pretty much the same as the Sport package in UK except for the rims:

Edited by: Legge

 

[Anzz]

Congratulations and welcome! The white is looking good in the snow.

 

[reza]

thats a bummer getting a scrape already!!



The way things are going here a set of winter tyres are becoming more and more prudent. Was speaking to a chap the other day about the apparent effectiveness of winter tyres. They seem to make a massive difference.

 

[Gino]

Yes, I've been thinking seriously about getting a set of winter tyres - what I'm not quite sure about though is how you go about getting them switched after winter and when you would do it? I suspect you have to pay for the garage to swap then over each time?

 

[Legge]

thats a bummer getting a scrape already!

Yeah, I was very pissed for a few days

Then again, it's not a showroom car and will probably get its share of scrapes in the parking lot sooner or later

Yes,
I've been thinking seriously about getting a set of winter tyres - what
I'm not quite sure about though is how you go about getting them
switched after winter and when you would do it? I suspect you have to
pay for the garage to swap then over each time?

Buy a jack and swap tem one by one in the yard. In Finland we have these "tyre hotels" that store your tyres and swap them when the time comes. Costs like 80 euros per year including a wash and balancing.

 

[Mbznut]

Hi your a looks good., I would be very upset with a scrape, your taking it well! I was very impressed when I put winter tyres on my wife's previous car a w169 a class a few years ago. As u get lots of bad weather how do u find u are getting on with your new toy, I was very impressed with mine on summer tyres in the snow. The UK needs tyre hotels it would be much safer on the road in bad weather

 

[reza]

luckily ive got a warehouse at my disposal .... next winter i'll be investing in winter tyres i think.

 

[Gino]

I would be happy to swap wheels over no problem, but that means I have to shell out for a whole new set of alloys as well as the tyres! I was thinking you would get a garage to swap the tyres over on the rims in winter, then back again in the spring - is that not an option?

 

[Mbznut]

There is nothing stopping you doing that if the tyres are the same size sometimes it works out cheaper and better to get a slightly smaller size wheel and tyre, it's easier to change them over and you can keep the big wheels salt and damage free while not worrying too much about the winter set

 

[Legge]

At least here a set of 205/55R16 winter tyres is ~300 euros cheaper than a set set of 225/45R17. If you have large summer rims, it's probably economical to get another set of smaller winter rims.

As u
get lots of bad weather how do u find u are getting on with your new
toy, I was very impressed with mine on summer tyres in the snow. The UK
needs tyre hotels it would be much safer on the road in bad
weather

It's a bit noisier with the studded winter tyres. Still very comfortable compared to the previous 207. Handling on snow and ice is superb.

Edited by: Legge

 

[Mbznut]

That's good to hear from someone who drives in extreme weather

 

[Gino]

Ok, am warming to the idea! Anyone suggest what type of rims and where to get them from?

 

[Legge]

I'd go for original Mercedes or some other quality brand. The cheapest ones are often more heavy weight alloys than light weight alloys

Set of 16" Merc rims cost 850 pounds in Finland, but they must be quite a bit cheaper in UK as everything car related is frigging expensive here.

Edited by: Legge

 

[Gino]

Ahhh, I am beginning to understand why hardly anyone has has them in the uk! We only get 3 days of snow a year, so struggle to justify that sort of outlay....

 

[Mbznut]

Winter tyres are also great in the rain,

 

[JimBatt]

Winter tyres are also great in the rain,

And we do get loads of rain

. I think it is something I will seriously consider next winter.