Anyone else tried Autosocks for a bit of traction in the snow & ice? I found they work a treat. Glad I bought some before Christmas as (funnily enough) their stocks are pretty low now.
Fairly easy to put on - the limited clearance between the tyre and the wheel arch means you might need to use a bit of right or left lock to get them on. Very easy to take off (which you need to do as soon as you reach clear road). Front end didn't lose traction once on the loose or compacted snow or ice.

i was thinking of designing something very similar to this, attaching it in the same way to the wheel, but using rubber/canvas (constructed like a standard tyre) with spikes and a small style tractor tread pattern.

Heard you can do the same thing with old wooly jumpers, TBH. Cut the arms off, place over tyre and tie off the waist bit around the driveshaft bit. Jobs a good 'un...

Summat like that, anyways - I'd give it a go, but the snows nearly all gone now

I ordered a pair of these for my gf. Her BMW is useless in the snow - curse of rwd. Luckily the same size fits the Coupe as well.

The theory is similar to the strange sight of people wearing woolly socks on the outside of shoes. It adds superb grip in slippery conditions. Except the wool on the car will be kevlar based I believe.

Which also means if you're being shot at the tyres are bullet proof. Or you can wear them yourself. *


*This probably isn't true but Kevlar is used for bullet proofing.

I think i'll be purchasing some for next year when this weather all goes prices go down and stock is present.

BMW - have you tried weight in the boot? (bags of sand etc) as weight over the power axle is very handy on RWD

Yeah - definately does work. Ex-foreman of mine ended up badly sideways on a roundabout one morning in the rain and thereafter used to ride about with 250kgs of soil in a tonne-bag on the loadbed of his HiLux pickup, for the same reason.

Like the snow we've just had, where some areas are deep with snow and other areas aren't.... Do you have to keep getting out and putting the socks on when you hit the snow? or can you drive with them on the tarmac (obviously not for long periods of time and driving sensibly)

Only I want to get some socks. but was unseure of the dry miles you could do during snowy patches etc

Don't reckon they'd last long on tarmac at all, at any speed. Kevlar is basically nylon-like in consistancy, and nylon doesn't like weight or friction in combination. You'd have to be creeping along and that would just irritate those behind you.

They're only cleared for 30mph whatever the conditions. No reason you can't drive on tarmac other than the 30mph limit and increased wear on the Autosock. For any distance, I'd guess you really need more than 50% snow / ice cover to make it worthwhile.

They do mention that a bit of wear to make the surface a bit more "furry" actually improves their grip.