20 OEM tyres
New to ownership of a RRS so forgive me if it sounds daft!
I see a few owners change from 20 inch OEM to 19 inch for winter and snow use.Can you tell me if the 20 inch are useless in snow and ice or are they ok for normal winter useage?
Many thanks

Hi W,

I´ve now taken the RRS 2 times on a skieing trip, ending up driving in 30 cm of fresh snow.
After changing the terrain response to snow and ice, the heavy packed car drove up and downhill (sometimes realy steep) as on rails.

Not even once, the car slide or slipped!

The car is on 20 SC rims with half worn Conti´s 20 40 275.

Cheers SW

Sometimes it is not enough to do our best;
sometimes we must do what is required.

2005 RRS HSE 2.7 TDV6
Now: 2016 RRS HSE DYNAMIC 3.0 TDV6

My car performed excellently in 2.5ft snow through winter there with budget 285/35/22's, i have since got some decent rubber on the wheels and plan on running the 22's again this year.

Thanks.....just what I wanted to hear

Personally I found the standard 20" continentals pretty crap, in compacted snow (which had been driven on already a couple of times) all 4 wheels would just spin. I never got stuck due to the four wheel drive but it didn't give me much confidence. WINNER - 2009 ‘Just Doing What It’s Designed To Do’ Award

2010 TDV8 HSE Galway Green - Adaptive Cruise - Sunroof - Privacy Glass - 5 Spoke Alloys
2009 TDV6 3.0 HSE Buckingham Blue - GONE

RichardM wrote:

Personally I found the standard 20" continentals pretty crap, in compacted snow (which had been driven on already a couple of times) all 4 wheels would just spin. I never got stuck due to the four wheel drive but it didn't give me much confidence.

+1 I would never (again) use 275/40/20 continental's in winter/snowy conditions . AT grabbers for me this year

The Pirelli Assymetricos that my TDv8 came with as OEM performed faultlessly in the snow of 2009/2010 when used in conjunction with the TR's GGS setting in up to 5" of snow on Scottish unploughed roads.The snow fell while I was on a trip down south and my Winter tyres were in my garage at home I did change over to my 19" winter Pirelli Scorpion Snow and Ice tyres when I got home, mainly to preserve the 20" alloys but TBH for most wintery conditions I had no complaints with the Assymetricos. I agree 100% with all the adverse comments about Continentals, I had them on a previous RRS and they were lethal in the snow 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

0cj0 wrote:

RichardM wrote:

Personally I found the standard 20" continentals pretty crap, in compacted snow (which had been driven on already a couple of times) all 4 wheels would just spin. I never got stuck due to the four wheel drive but it didn't give me much confidence.

+1 I would never (again) use 275/40/20 continental's in winter/snowy conditions . AT grabbers for me this year

+1 .. Totally agree with you guys. Anyone that says that the standard summer tyres are adequate in the snow is talking rubbish. The traction for getting moving is seriously impaired compared to Winter or All Season tyres and stopping distances are much greater in snow if you are on a set of summer tyres. You are also far more likely to slide sideways in a corner ..... 2.7 tonnes of RRS has a lot of momentum! 2013 Discovery HSE Luxury - 3.0 SDV6 - Santorini Black
2013 Evoque 5 Door Pure Tech SD4 - Orkney Grey with Panoramic Roof (Mrs E's new baby)

GONE - RRS - 3.0 TDV6 HSE - Santorini (2010)
GONE - RRS - 2.7 TDV6 HSE - Java Black (2007)
GONE - Porsche Boxster S - 3.2 - Black

I´m sorry Endjin, i didn`t want to talk rubbish. It won`t happen again!

Just gave my honnest opinion about my personal experience concerning
the performance of my RRS in the snow, which was outstanding.

I don`t want to say it, because as we all know, all RRS`s are equal,
but mine seems to be more equal than the others....:

My Conti`s DO perform well in the snow conditions i encountered.
My 20` are on a non dampened steering rack, WITHOUT any shimmy.
My 20`Conti`s are NOT wearing uneven.
And no, my RRS`s plastic parts are NOT color coded.

 SW

Sometimes it is not enough to do our best;
sometimes we must do what is required.

2005 RRS HSE 2.7 TDV6
Now: 2016 RRS HSE DYNAMIC 3.0 TDV6

I had Hankooks on my 20" ther last 2 winters and never had a problem.

In fact in -16 degC thay saved my life. Now - MY11 RRS Autobiography TDV6, Orkney gray, tints, steps, daylight running lamps and allllll the toys!!!
Ex- RRS HSE TDV6 07 Java Black, bi xenon, corner lights, side steps, tints, cool box, smoke side repeats, chrome "sport" boot sill
Ex - Audi A4 Cab 3.0TDi Quattro
Ex - Freelander2 SE TD4
Ex - CRV Auto

Steuart64 wrote:

I had Hankooks on my 20" ther last 2 winters and never had a problem.

In fact in -16 degC thay saved my life.

Steuart64 wrote:

I had Hankooks on my 20" ther last 2 winters and never had a problem.

In fact in -16 degC thay saved my life.

I assume these are the Hankook Ventus ST's which are All Season
Mud & Snow rated? I've heard very good things about them and they seem
much better priced than Vredestein Wintrac 4 extremes! 2013 Discovery HSE Luxury - 3.0 SDV6 - Santorini Black
2013 Evoque 5 Door Pure Tech SD4 - Orkney Grey with Panoramic Roof (Mrs E's new baby)

GONE - RRS - 3.0 TDV6 HSE - Santorini (2010)
GONE - RRS - 2.7 TDV6 HSE - Java Black (2007)
GONE - Porsche Boxster S - 3.2 - Black

Endjin wrote:

Steuart64 wrote:

I had Hankooks on my 20" ther last 2 winters and never had a problem.

In fact in -16 degC thay saved my life.

I assume these are the Hankook Ventus ST's which are All Season
Mud & Snow rated? I've heard very good things about them and they seem
much better priced than Vredestein Wintrac 4 extremes!

SkyWalker wrote:

I´m sorry Endjin, i didn`t want to talk rubbish. It won`t happen again!

Just gave my honnest opinion about my personal experience concerning
the performance of my RRS in the snow, which was outstanding.

I don`t want to say it, because as we all know, all RRS`s are equal,
but mine seems to be more equal than the others....:

My Conti`s DO perform well in the snow conditions i encountered.
My 20` are on a non dampened steering rack, WITHOUT any shimmy.
My 20`Conti`s are NOT wearing uneven.
And no, my RRS`s plastic parts are NOT color coded.

We'll just have to agree to differ then

All I know is that with the conditions I often have to drive in during the winters in the North of Scotland, and having had a horrendous experience in my RRS with just the continental summer tyres on, I would never again risk my life or that of other road users by not having winter tyres on my car during the winter. 2013 Discovery HSE Luxury - 3.0 SDV6 - Santorini Black
2013 Evoque 5 Door Pure Tech SD4 - Orkney Grey with Panoramic Roof (Mrs E's new baby)

GONE - RRS - 3.0 TDV6 HSE - Santorini (2010)
GONE - RRS - 2.7 TDV6 HSE - Java Black (2007)
GONE - Porsche Boxster S - 3.2 - Black

Endjin wrote:

SkyWalker wrote:

I´m sorry Endjin, i didn`t want to talk rubbish. It won`t happen again!

Just gave my honnest opinion about my personal experience concerning
the performance of my RRS in the snow, which was outstanding.

I don`t want to say it, because as we all know, all RRS`s are equal,
but mine seems to be more equal than the others....:

My Conti`s DO perform well in the snow conditions i encountered.
My 20` are on a non dampened steering rack, WITHOUT any shimmy.
My 20`Conti`s are NOT wearing uneven.
And no, my RRS`s plastic parts are NOT color coded.

We'll just have to agree to differ then

All I know is that with the conditions I often have to drive in during the winters in the North of Scotland, and having had a horrendous experience in my RRS with just the continental summer tyres on, I would never again risk my life or that of other road users by not having winter tyres on my car during the winter.

I couldn't agree more!!..I have since sold my Sport and now have a FFRR and took delivery of a set of new Wintracs on Friday..would never risk driving a vehicle like a RR without winter tyres again not after my experience last year on the Conti's ...By the way still have a set of 19's with like brand new 255/50 Wintracs which came off my Sport if anyone is interested??