Snow chains advice

I would appreciate your advice on the use of snow chains as the season to be miserable approaches. If the tyre treads become filled with compacted snow why don't the chains become likewise affected?

In last winter's snow my wife's 59 plate Z4 manual refused to move anywhere, would having a pair of snow chains available improve things? Also my 530D Auto Tourer was slightly better behaved, so would snow chains be useful for that as well, please?

Asked on 21 November 2011 by Mick Burton, Waterlooville, Hampshire.

Answered by Honest John
Snow chains, snow socks and cold weather tyres with sipes are all designed to pick up loose snow and use the snow itself to provide traction against snow. But snow chains only give traction to the driven wheels. Unless also fitted to the other wheels the car may become uncontrollable.
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