I want to put winter/all weather tyres on my Saab 93 tid, any advice on what to buy? idealy I would like to put the tyres on another set of alloys (second hand)would 16" alloys fit my car as at present 17" are on.

Tyre size is Back 215/45 /ZR 17 91W
Front 215/45/ZR 17 - 87W

I use Michelin Pilot Alpin 2, which are excellent. The sizes of tyres approved for your car should be given in the handbook (or on a sticker on the car), as will the speed rating for winter tyres. The speed rating of winter tyres is lower than that of summer tyres, for many years H was the highest available, but V have appeared in recent years but are of course more expensive and difficult to find. You may have to order them and wait a while. Costco got mine in 2 days, if you have one near you.

Michelin's website should offer recommendations.

Vredestein are now doing W rated winter tyres:

Vredestein

V rated are fairly common, available from Pirelli, Goodyear, Toyo, Michelin etc. etc.

www.mytyres.co.uk offers a search facility that enables you to select winter tyres as an option.

I have Winters on my 9-3 Aero, on the Vector alloys, tyre sizes were 205/50 17 as opposed to the summery 225/45 17....

Narrow is good in wintertime..

Normally the winter tyres specified (or one option thereof) are slightly narrower than the summer tyres to allow safe fitment of snow chains without anything rubbing. However, as there is a 0% chance of me fitting snow chains as I do not possess any (and with lowered suspension it would not be bodywork friendly), I use the same size as the summer tyres.

This is what you need!!

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/autosock/main.html

Nice Idea, but aren't they a little costly? lm sure that a set of tyres can't be that costly and they would last considerably longer.

Don't forget to tell your insurance company. There usually isn't a problem but if you fit different sized tyres (or load/speed ratings) it is a material fact that needs to be disclosed. (Just means they can't then welch out of a claim)

On my first T16 (and previous SAABs ) I had a set of 165 * 15 SR rated Mud and Snow tyres. (IIRC Avon Arctic Steel - I think I still have them) clearly these were a different size to the 196/60 VR 15 on the turbo, but I told the insurance company and they said that was fine. (They replied in writing to this effect too.)

I haven't fitted them to the T16S as I

[*]1. Haven't found any 5" rims for a rear handbrake car
[*]2. Haven't had a significant period of snow in these parts in recent years!
[/list]

The key to good grip on snow used to be as narrow tyre as possible. The thinking might have changed by now though. The works 99 Rally cars used to run on snow tyres not much wider than space savers - and I remember years ago someone in AutoCar (or CCC) going rallying in a 2CV and using 99 rally tyres on 2CV rims.

The insurance question is quite tricky. I tried to tell my insurers (through Chris Knott), but I got a non comprehending silence at the end of the phone, followed by a question about whether I meant different wheels, but when I assured them that I meant tyres, they just weren't interested.

The manufacturer does specify sizes and speed ratings for both summer and winter tyres though. Depending on the model, for the 9000 these are (in my handbook anyway):-

summer
195/65R15T
195/65R15V
205/60R15Z
205/55R16Z

winter
185/65R15T M+S
195/65R15T M+S
205/55R16H M+S

It should be noted that at the time 9000s were being built, H rated winter tyres were the best available.

I use 205/55R16H M+S, which I do not think the insurers can argue about as they were specified by Saab. (I asked a traffic policeman about this and he said that as long as your tyres are rated to 70 mph you are legal!!)

This does mean that I have to limit myself to 130 mph when going skiing, and in theory should have a notice on the dashboard stating that the car must not exceed 130 mph when driving in Germany, but even the Germans don't bother anymore.

As for the narrower tyre question, low temperature rubber compounds have improve so much in recent years that winter tyres now out perform summer tyres, even when it's dry, if the temperature is below 7C. They are far better in heavy rain, never mind slush and snow. So for the majority of the time, unless you really are going to use snow chains, I suggest that the standard tyre size is the best option.

I spent an hour in the local nick discussing snow tyres. (Voluntarily you understand) I was thinking about putting studs in, but was advised against it as they might be deemed "not fit for the purpose" when driving on dry roads. Seemed reasonable. The copper WAS impressed that I had actually cleared the use of winter tyres with my insurers though.

IMHO if you have documented that you have told your insurers that you have fitted winter tyres then you can do no more. You only have to tell them, not force more money into their coffers!

I think the idea with the narrower tyres was that contact pressure was increased and so bit the snow more.

You are right that in extremis narrow tyres are better in snow, but the proportion of time that winter tyres spend in snow on an everyday car is small compared to a rally car for example.

Interesting comment about studs. I have driven many happy miles on studs in Austria since about 1980. Studs were already banned in Germany by then because of the damage they did to non icy roads, but still allowed in the Alpine lands because there really was no alternative on non gritted or salted roads in the countryside. Although still legal, very few people in Austria now use studded tyres because winter tyres have improved enormously, people who actually live half way up a mountain buy Quattros or other all wheel drive vehicles and gritting/salting has become more widespread. Also, the damage done by studded tyres when the roads are dry, particularly at cross roads when the chances of wheelspin are increased due to the studs reducing the tyre's grip on dry roads, is very significant and causes problems in summer as ruts are formed with the associated problems of tramlining and aquaplaning.

Cars fitted with studs are also subject to a motorway speed limit of 100 kph (instead of 130 kph) and a main road limit of 80 kph (instead of 100 kph) to limit the damage to the road surface. And of course to account for the increased stopping distance studs cause on non icy roads.