How does the winter tyres process work abroad.
Discussion
In Germany for example.
Do you get a spare set when you buy a car (new or used)?
What months are they mandatory for?
Where do you get them changed?
Who stores them and do they store tyres or wheels/tyres?
How do costs compare against summer tyres?
I appreciate it is the law, but it works and winter tyres are offset against not using summer tyres why isn't it more adopted over here.
Any German tyre experts out there?!
Do you get a spare set when you buy a car (new or used)?
What months are they mandatory for?
Where do you get them changed?
Who stores them and do they store tyres or wheels/tyres?
How do costs compare against summer tyres?
I appreciate it is the law, but it works and winter tyres are offset against not using summer tyres why isn't it more adopted over here.
Any German tyre experts out there?!
You have to buy the extra set. The dealer keeps the winter wheels in summer and the summer wheels in winter. You have a storage number which you can leave in the car when you sell it so that the buyer gets the stored wheels. They send you a note telling you it's time to switch over. It's a great system.
Zod said:
You have to buy the extra set. The dealer keeps the winter wheels in summer and the summer wheels in winter. You have a storage number which you can leave in the car when you sell it so that the buyer gets the stored wheels. They send you a note telling you it's time to switch over. It's a great system.
But how do they have storage capacity to store millions of wheels / tyres?matt21 said:
In Germany for example.
Do you get a spare set when you buy a car (new or used)?
What months are they mandatory for?
Where do you get them changed?
Who stores them and do they store tyres or wheels/tyres?
How do costs compare against summer tyres?
From my five years in Germany....Do you get a spare set when you buy a car (new or used)?
What months are they mandatory for?
Where do you get them changed?
Who stores them and do they store tyres or wheels/tyres?
How do costs compare against summer tyres?
Usually a set of steels and winter tyres are negotiated with a new car sale. If a car is then subsequently traded in where the wheels are a different offset etc it`s common to leave them in the car. I`ve seen many a used car on German lots with a set of winter wheels / tyres in the boot.
I think in Bavaria there is a mandatory period for the fitment of winter tyres. I lived in the north of Germany and most people fitted them around October and removed them around April.
I stored mine on a storage rack in the corner of my garage, most people do this although some garages had storage facilities for thier customers (Mercedes, BMW etc).
I found they cost a bit less than summer tyres.
Hi,
I live near Geneva in the foothills of the alps, been there for 5 years now. I'm not able to point you to a specific website with the law but this is from my neighbour who is a local and from personal experience.
Do you get a spare set when you buy a car (new or used)?
Sometimes come with a second hand car but never with a new one.
What months are they mandatory for?
I go by 01 Nov to 31 Apr however I don't put snow tyres on until the beginning of Dec and take them off March/April depending on how hard the winter is. Not sure of the mandatory dates but general guide line is that although it is mandatory to have snow tyres on the cops will not stop you and send you home if you don't have them on, unless in mountain areas. In mountain areas you have to have snow chains in the car as well and can be turned back from resorts, even if you have snow tyres on, when conditions are bad. Most importantly if you have summer tyres on and are involved in an accident during the period when you should have had your snow tyres on and it can be shown that incorrect tyres were a factor, your insurance will be void. (sorry bit long winded that)
Where do you get them changed?
I keep them in my garage and do them myself (if you use steel rims for winter remember to put a good dose of copper slip onto the hub so the rims don't rust on). My neighbour does his through a tyre dealer as with a previous poster.
Who stores them and do they store tyres or wheels/tyres?
As above, stored at the dealer, tyres and tyres on rims.
How do costs compare against summer tyres?
I've used the same set of winter tyres for the last 5 years, on steel rims, and they are still going well. Buy quality, use them when its cold (some people drive on them for too long, when conditions are still dry and warm) and they will last.
Hope that was of some help.
Robert
I live near Geneva in the foothills of the alps, been there for 5 years now. I'm not able to point you to a specific website with the law but this is from my neighbour who is a local and from personal experience.
Do you get a spare set when you buy a car (new or used)?
Sometimes come with a second hand car but never with a new one.
What months are they mandatory for?
I go by 01 Nov to 31 Apr however I don't put snow tyres on until the beginning of Dec and take them off March/April depending on how hard the winter is. Not sure of the mandatory dates but general guide line is that although it is mandatory to have snow tyres on the cops will not stop you and send you home if you don't have them on, unless in mountain areas. In mountain areas you have to have snow chains in the car as well and can be turned back from resorts, even if you have snow tyres on, when conditions are bad. Most importantly if you have summer tyres on and are involved in an accident during the period when you should have had your snow tyres on and it can be shown that incorrect tyres were a factor, your insurance will be void. (sorry bit long winded that)
Where do you get them changed?
I keep them in my garage and do them myself (if you use steel rims for winter remember to put a good dose of copper slip onto the hub so the rims don't rust on). My neighbour does his through a tyre dealer as with a previous poster.
Who stores them and do they store tyres or wheels/tyres?
As above, stored at the dealer, tyres and tyres on rims.
How do costs compare against summer tyres?
I've used the same set of winter tyres for the last 5 years, on steel rims, and they are still going well. Buy quality, use them when its cold (some people drive on them for too long, when conditions are still dry and warm) and they will last.
Hope that was of some help.
Robert
You don't need to be abroad. I've just ordered a set of winter tyres for a spare set of steel rims I got from a breaker's last week.
The winter tyres will be going on in November and coming off in April, as per last year. The summer wheels (also 16" steels) will be getting some TLC while they're off.
I really can't wait to get the winters on, it's great fun passing all the stuck folk. Last year (different car so different size wheels) I ran Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme - this year I've got a shiny new set of Dunlop Graspic DS-3.
The winter tyres will be going on in November and coming off in April, as per last year. The summer wheels (also 16" steels) will be getting some TLC while they're off.
I really can't wait to get the winters on, it's great fun passing all the stuck folk. Last year (different car so different size wheels) I ran Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme - this year I've got a shiny new set of Dunlop Graspic DS-3.
in Winnipeg, Canada, most folks put their winter tyres on in october. Mostly using a basic steel wheel (winter tyres are usually different profile and width) to save their nice alloys from the salt. Taking them off again in may. Winter tyres are not compulsory, but they are cheap enough that the most folks use them. Some people just put their summer car away and keep either a 4x4 or an old beater for the winter.
matt21 said:
Zod said:
You have to buy the extra set. The dealer keeps the winter wheels in summer and the summer wheels in winter. You have a storage number which you can leave in the car when you sell it so that the buyer gets the stored wheels. They send you a note telling you it's time to switch over. It's a great system.
But how do they have storage capacity to store millions of wheels / tyres?Zod said:
matt21 said:
Zod said:
You have to buy the extra set. The dealer keeps the winter wheels in summer and the summer wheels in winter. You have a storage number which you can leave in the car when you sell it so that the buyer gets the stored wheels. They send you a note telling you it's time to switch over. It's a great system.
But how do they have storage capacity to store millions of wheels / tyres?matt21 said:
Thanks for the response guys. I know its not the law but baffled why these tyres are not endorsed more over here, and why they are not more readily available at fair prices.
I guess there has been a lack of demand in the UK in the past.I suspect that demand is increasing.Although our climate is variable,I do think winter tyres are useful once morning temps get down towards freezing early in the mornings when most people are off to work.Winter tyres provide an advantage in performance below 7 deg C.
Sure,you can get a mild spell for a few days,but you can also get a cold snap.From Late Nov/early Dec to March/April, depending on where in the UK you are, I would say winter tyre use outperform summer tyres.
Getting back on to supply/prices, I just buy them on-line for reasonable prices-usually a little less premium summer tyres.The company I use brings them over from Germany in a matter of days.
Edited by Ullevi on Sunday 8th August 00:32
Ullevi said:
matt21 said:
Thanks for the response guys. I know its not the law but baffled why these tyres are not endorsed more over here, and why they are not more readily available at fair prices.
I guess there has been a lack of demand in the UK in the past.I suspect that demand is increasing.Although our climate is variable,I do think winter tyres are useful once morning temps get down towards freezing early in the mornings when most people are off to work.Winter tyres provide an advantage in performance below 7 deg C.
Sure,you can get a mild spell for a few days,but you can also get a cold snap.From Late Nov/early Dec to March/April, depending on where in the UK you are, I would say winter tyre use outperform summer tyres.
Getting back on to supply/prices, I just buy them on-line for reasonable prices-usually a little less premium summer tyres.The company I use brings them over from Germany in a matter of days.
Edited by Ullevi on Sunday 8th August 00:32
matt21 said:
Thanks for the response guys. I know its not the law but baffled why these tyres are not endorsed more over here, and why they are not more readily available at fair prices.
I can tell you why. Driving my rubbish fiesta around in the snow was quite easy; the 155 profile tyres dug deep into the snow and got plenty of traction. With wider tyres the car doesn't dig in so much giving much less traction. You can see this if you look at snow rally cars, they always look like they are running bicycle tyres.Anyway, my point is that until 10 years ago a normal car in the UK would be running a narrow profile tyre that would have a decent go at gripping in snow. Now every car has massive wide alloys which just spin when things get snowy.
matt21 said:
Zod said:
matt21 said:
Zod said:
You have to buy the extra set. The dealer keeps the winter wheels in summer and the summer wheels in winter. You have a storage number which you can leave in the car when you sell it so that the buyer gets the stored wheels. They send you a note telling you it's time to switch over. It's a great system.
But how do they have storage capacity to store millions of wheels / tyres?davepoth said:
matt21 said:
Thanks for the response guys. I know its not the law but baffled why these tyres are not endorsed more over here, and why they are not more readily available at fair prices.
I can tell you why. Driving my rubbish fiesta around in the snow was quite easy; the 155 profile tyres dug deep into the snow and got plenty of traction. With wider tyres the car doesn't dig in so much giving much less traction. You can see this if you look at snow rally cars, they always look like they are running bicycle tyres.Anyway, my point is that until 10 years ago a normal car in the UK would be running a narrow profile tyre that would have a decent go at gripping in snow. Now every car has massive wide alloys which just spin when things get snowy.
jon- said:
davepoth said:
matt21 said:
Thanks for the response guys. I know its not the law but baffled why these tyres are not endorsed more over here, and why they are not more readily available at fair prices.
I can tell you why. Driving my rubbish fiesta around in the snow was quite easy; the 155 profile tyres dug deep into the snow and got plenty of traction. With wider tyres the car doesn't dig in so much giving much less traction. You can see this if you look at snow rally cars, they always look like they are running bicycle tyres.Anyway, my point is that until 10 years ago a normal car in the UK would be running a narrow profile tyre that would have a decent go at gripping in snow. Now every car has massive wide alloys which just spin when things get snowy.
Zod said:
jon- said:
davepoth said:
matt21 said:
Thanks for the response guys. I know its not the law but baffled why these tyres are not endorsed more over here, and why they are not more readily available at fair prices.
I can tell you why. Driving my rubbish fiesta around in the snow was quite easy; the 155 profile tyres dug deep into the snow and got plenty of traction. With wider tyres the car doesn't dig in so much giving much less traction. You can see this if you look at snow rally cars, they always look like they are running bicycle tyres.Anyway, my point is that until 10 years ago a normal car in the UK would be running a narrow profile tyre that would have a decent go at gripping in snow. Now every car has massive wide alloys which just spin when things get snowy.
(FWIW I was driving a MG ZR on 205/45 r17 Michelin Pilot Sports - it wasn't much good in the snow)
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff