Where do you store winter tyres for driving in Europe?

JP08

AdrianC wrote: »

As for cost - well, while they're on the car and wearing, you aren't wearing the summer tyres - so the cost per mile is roughly even.

I guess this is the one of the thing that bugs me about getting winter tyres. For much of my motoring life, the tyres that were on it when I bought it have outlasted the banger they're on. Getting a winter set would have left me seriously out of pocket come scrapping day ... unless I got another of the same model. And with 13 cars in 28 years, the same make consecutively has happened only once - going from a Viva to a Carlton - let alone model).

neilmcl

JP08 wrote: »

I guess this is the one of the thing that bugs me about getting winter tyres. For much of my motoring life, the tyres that were on it when I bought it have outlasted the banger they're on. Getting a winter set would have left me seriously out of pocket come scrapping day ... unless I got another of the same model. And with 13 cars in 28 years, the same make consecutively has happened only once - going from a Viva to a Carlton - let alone model).

What's wrong with selling them on. With all the winter wheel sets I've sold on I've never lost that much over their initial purchase.

JP08

That's if you can find someone who's cash strapped enough to be running around in something like that you've just scrapped but got enough dosh to spring for a set of nearly new winter tyres and wheels ... can be quite a narrow market ...

Herzlos

Most independent tyre places will store the other set for you, for a small fee.

Or you can look at getting all seasons, which are snowflake rated but can be used all year round, and not have to store anything.

Iceweasel

JP08 wrote: »

That's if you can find someone who's cash strapped enough to be running around in something like that you've just scrapped but got enough dosh to spring for a set of nearly new winter tyres and wheels ... can be quite a narrow market ...

I think things have changed - or at least are in the process of changing as more and more people in the UK come to realise the benefits of having Winter tyres.

But having said that we are a long way off the way they treat the problem of changing to a car with different sized tyres/wheels in Austria, where Winter tyres are mandatory from November through to Easter.

Sell or exchange is the thing - at this time of year every Austrian supermarket customer notice board is full of adverts from people who wish to sell or swap their Winter tyres.

When the tyres reach 4mm they can be used in the Summer - or increasingly they are being bought back by tyre dealers who export them to countries where the 4mm rule does not apply.

Even at 3 to 4mm a true Winter tyre is superior to a Summer tyre in cold weather never mind on snow covered roads.

neilmcl

JP08 wrote: »

That's if you can find someone who's cash strapped enough to be running around in something like that you've just scrapped but got enough dosh to spring for a set of nearly new winter tyres and wheels ... can be quite a narrow market ...

Not at all, there's a huge market in winter wheel sets on the likes of ebay, gumtree etc.

pogofish

PaulMike wrote: »

Living in a flat.

A postmodernist room or hall feature maybe?

Gloomendoom

agrinnall wrote: »

But only if the countries that the OP may be travelling to accept them in lieu of proper winter tyres, and I'm not sure whether they will.

He would have to check that but I've not had any problems in France or Germany, either with the police or traction on snow covered roads.

Austria:

In Austria, the law states that between 1st of November and the 15th of April, a car - that has a maximum weight 3.5 tonnes - can only drive in winter conditions (i.e. snow, ice, slush, etc) as long as winter tyres have been fitted. If an all-season tyre bears the "M + S" mark on the sidewall, these will be considered as an adequate alternative.

Germany:

Recently, Germany added new rules to their Highway Code. According to the law, motorists must have winter tyres (that bear the M+S symbol) if they are driving on snow, black ice or roads covered in frost.

France:

As a general rule, the fitting of winter tyres is not compulsory. There are however, certain regions in the mountains that will indicate when the use of winter tyres is necessary.

Source

loskie

just use all season tyres with the mountain/snowflake symbol. Storage will not be an issue and you will have the tyres you need. Try Vredestein Quatracs or Nokian Winterproof.

gfplux

Compulsory in Luxembourg