Having looked at all winter tyre options this is not going to be a financially viable option for me this winter :( so I thought investing in a set of autosocks might be the next best thing [£60 vs best part of £600 for decent winters 235/40 R18]. I struggled through last year with new Pirelli P zeros on the front but these are down to 4mm now and are likely to struggle in snow.

Hopefully autosocks would get me through the sort of snow that came down last Jan and for that sort of price differential I could accept losing the "bad weather but not snow" advantages of winter tyres.

Has anyone used autosocks in anger either in UK or overseas? If so how did they perform?

Pete

Having looked at all winter tyre options this is not going to be a financially viable option for me this winter :(
...
Hopefully autosocks would get me through the sort of snow that came down last Jan and for that sort of price differential I could accept losing the "bad weather but not snow" advantages of winter tyres.

Has anyone used autosocks in anger either in UK or overseas? If so how did they perform?[/b]

Well, I've just ordered some, because like you Winter tyres aren't going to happen this year. The reviews seemed generally positive, and if last winter was 'bad' then I've got an idea what the conditions will be like in the Cambrian mountains so autosocks should be up to the job of getting out of trouble on some of the mountain passes/hilltop roads.

Ask me in March whether they worked ok ;-)

Cheers,
Mint.

Only reference I could find. I'm sure there are others:

http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php...hilit=autosocks (http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11891&hilit=autosocks)

Thanks. Will hunt out a local stockist I think....

I bought a pair last winter after 17 days of it snowing every day. Couldn't get chains for my '04 95 Aero.

I can't say I used them in real anger but they do what they say on the tin. The went on easily, they drove me around the local roads in 7-8 inchers of snow and they got me back into my drive again. I was going nowhere on my Pirelli P Zero's

Got them looked out again now !!

I got mine from http://www.roofbox.co.uk

I've ended up with a pair of these rather than spend much much more on a set of winter tyres. After much research I went for the FIX&GO TEX branded fabric sock, the size fits both my SAABs despite differing tyres sizes and and they are £20 less than the Autosocks.

They should be fine for getting me off the side roads and onto the cleared major routes when the white stuff begins to cover the Pennines.

Whilst Googling for 'snowsocks' I ended up having a little laugh at this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkK8IwbGZak

Local stockists awaiting supply. Probably early next week [all Vauxhall dealers as appears that Autosocks are using Vauxhall dealer network for distribution...].

Sgould...Roofbox have in stock..was the service you received from them OK?

It was two years ago. The stuff was sent with no delay. I think it came two working days later. :)

I recommended them to my sister-in-law only two days ago!!

Thanks. Ordering........

Vert v Range Rover v Gritter

We all reached the top of the rather steep 1/2 mile hill which leads to my home, there was about 2" of fresh untreated snow with nothing but a couple of lines of compressed stuff where fools had slid and shimmied down.

I had fitted FIX&GO TEX socks some time before the final ascent and stuck to driving on the virgin snow using cruise control set at about 22mph.

The car sailed up the hill which is generally litttered with abandoned cars during snowy periods, grip was excellent on the fresh stuff but on the compressed snow the tyres slipped a little so knocking cruise off.

Behind me was my neighbour in a Range Rover but he was much slower with his onboard computers pulling him to the top.

As I pulled up outside the house he slowed and looked quizzically at me and the car before roaring away.

£46 well spent to get my vert into a nice warm garage at 3am after a long shift.

I'm certainly not doubting the effectiveness of these 'ere autosocks (the bemused looks from the Range Rover driver must have given saprolith a special feeling of satisfaction :grin: ) NOR trying to sound like some smartalec but .... I vaguely seem to remember reading somewhere that their legality could be questioned on the grounds that rubber (and of course rubber with minimum tread depth) must actually be in direct contact with the road at all times. Any possible truth in this ....??

I think it's one of these legal quibbles. Reality has gone further than the law.

It would be a completely unreasonable policeman who charged you for bald tyres if you were still moving along the road in snow.


Anyway, you could just drive off and he wouldn't catch you! ;)

Over the last few days I have seen two ambulances (around birmingham) with what looked like autosocks on their driving wheels they seamed to be working well in the 4+ inches of snow we had in a couple of hours. I cannot personally see the police prosecuting you if other emergency services are using them!

T

Over the last few days I have seen two ambulances (around birmingham) with what looked like autosocks on their driving wheels they seamed to be working well in the 4+ inches of snow we had in a couple of hours. I cannot personally see the police prosecuting you if other emergency services are using them!

T[/b]

If anyone is interested!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11853611

Over the last few days I have seen two ambulances (around birmingham) with what looked like autosocks on their driving wheels they seamed to be working well in the 4+ inches of snow we had in a couple of hours. I cannot personally see the police prosecuting you if other emergency services are using them!

T[/b]

Apparently the fire brigade will be getting them in West Wales too. Don't know if that's a local regional thing or wider policy. Still not had to try mine out yet as we've somehow managed to run ahead of the bad weather on our travels so far this week. Feel sorry for the poor b*ggers stuck on the motorways though..

Mint.