This time last year, the Green Lady (our 96 Xantia 1.9 sx Estate) needed 3 new tyres (nearing 2.5mm) with the 4th not much better, so (with the pundits predicting a 3rd bad winter), I bought a set of Goodyear Ultragrip 8s slightly cheaper than a set of comparable summer Goodyears - intending to get a second set of rims and fit them with summer tyres come the 'summer'. Compared with Avons on the front and Michelin Enegys on the back, the Goodyears were truly amazing: Sooo much quieter for a start; in torrential rain or well muddy roads (rural West Country) the car was completely sure-footed. Very reassuring some weeks later when we had a horrible trip home up the M5 in high winds, heavy rain and failing light.
When we did have some snow, I couldn't resist being completely irresponsible by using the car to go to Sainsbury's instead of walking. 2-3 inches of wet snow starting to freeze but main roads salted. The car lives on a steep drive with access from a narrow sunken lane, "You won't get back up the lane" said neighbour shaking his head "So-and-so couldn't get up just now in her 4x4!" (RAV4 shod with cheap tyres), ignoring the fact that I'd just driven up the drive over 3" of wet snow!
Long story short: No worries going down the lane or back up an hour later (or indeed over the few days while the snow lasted) and it wasn't me who bounced off the wall on one side and then off the bank on the other! Sainsbury's car park was very slippery under-foot but the Green Lady would turn tightly and stop on white ice, virgin crusty snow and slush. What little snow (compared with the previous 2 winters) we did have was never a problem even when others were sliding around - the main danger then being that you get hit by someone with no idea how to drive on snow/ice AND driving a vehicle shod with (well-worn) summer tyres.
Interestingly, when I ordered my Goodyears from a local independent tyre supplier, I was told there would be a slight delay because they had "to come from the Continent." The stickers revealed that they had been made in Poland and shipped off to the UK the same day, arriving in my hands just 3 days old!
