spare tyre in france (1 Viewer)

Oct 12, 2008
6,242
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Balma (next to Toulouse) France
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Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
@Marvic This morning, as I had to take the babies out for a walk in the huge pushchair I call the buggy, I decided to pay a visit to 1) Point S , specialist in tyres and exhausts, and 2) to Balma Gendarmerie.

Report from 1)

We can't sell one tyre. If a puncture,we are to put same tyres on a one axle by law.
We can put only one tyre on a one axle if the other one is quite new and under 7000kms. If we don't have the same kind than the remaining one , then we order the right one, and you can show the Gendarmes the invoice of the order.

Report from 2)

NO, they are not (garages/tyres sellers/whoever) obliged by law to sell 2 tyres at a time! You might not be able to pay for both.
We do not fine people having 2 different tyres on same axle as they might not be able to pay for 2 tyres at a time.
By all means, it is much better for your security and for the vehicle to have the same kind of tyres on one axle, and we do suggest that you do it asap.
Foreign vehicles are under the same laws (French ones) as soon as they drive on our territory.

Conclusion, you have to be cleverer than the sellers, and as the previous poster did, just say you want to have a spare tyre. You can ask to one garage to FIT your spare tyre, and then to another garage to buy a spare tyre!


The gendarme who answered me, call the others to give me the best answer so you would have the clearest possible information.

Hope this will really help
 
Last edited:
2

2657

Deleted User
I had to buy a tyre for the 5'er in 2008 in France, I took the wheel to a Point S who fitted the tyre without any argument or mention of the other tyre.

As Yodeli says simply say it is for the spare and swop later if need be.
 

DP+JAY

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@Marvic This morning, as I had to take the babies out for a walk in the huge pushchair I call the buggy, I decided to pay a visit to 1) Point S , specialist in tyres and exhausts, and 2) to Balma Gendarmerie.

Report from 1)

We can't sell one tyre. If a puncture,we are to put same tyres on a one axle by law.
We can put only one tyre on a one axle if the other one is quite new and under 7000kms. If we don't have the same kind than the remaining one , then we order the right one, and you can show the Gendarmes the invoice of the order.

Report from 2)

NO, they are not (garages/tyres sellers/whoever) obliged by law to sell 2 tyres at a time! You might not be able to pay for both.
We do not fine people having 2 different tyres on same axle as they might not be able to pay for 2 tyres at a time.
By all means, it is much better for your security and for the vehicle to have the same kind of tyres on one axle, and we do suggest that you do it asap.
Foreign vehicles are under the same laws (French ones) as soon as they drive on our territory.

Conclusion, you have to be cleverer than the sellers, and as the previous poster did, just say you want to have a spare tyre. You can ask to one garage to FIT your spare tyre, and then to another garage to buy a spare tyre!


The gendarme who answered me, call the others to give me the best answer so you would have the clearest possible information.

Hope this will really help

Thanks Frankie

Now what would be really useful is something official/in writing (in French) to produce to the tyre robbers/fitters.

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Oct 12, 2008
6,242
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Balma (next to Toulouse) France
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Thanks Frankie

Now what would be really useful is something official/in writing (in French) to produce to the tyre robbers/fitters.

Well I don't know where to find an official text saying that another one doesn't exist .... if you see what I mean. I can only type here something saying:

"We have been informed by a Gendarmerie that there is no law obliging you to sell 2 tyres at a time. So if you won't sell us only one, we will call the local gendarmes."

But TBH, I think having just a cunning plan would be far easier!!
 
Oct 5, 2012
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I would certainly not mix up tyres of different makes at all, as they often have different grip characteristics, which could cause problems. No chance on a run flat or squirty or temporary tyre either, part of my negotiations on the new van was a proper spare tyre and hub of the same make as the OEM.
 
Oct 12, 2008
6,242
21,316
Balma (next to Toulouse) France
Funster No
4,394
MH
HymerCamp 51Capucine
Exp
Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
Well I don't know where to find an official text saying that another one doesn't exist .... if you see what I mean. I can only type here something saying:

"We have been informed by a Gendarmerie that there is no law obliging you to sell 2 tyres at a time. So if you won't sell us only one, we will call the local gendarmes."

But TBH, I think having just a cunning plan would be far easier!!


Here in French if you want to print it


Nous avons été informés par la gendarmerie d'une autre ville qu'il n'y avait AUCUNE LOI vous obligeant à installer sur un véhicule en détresse suite à une crevaison, 2 pneus(voire 4 si c'est un double essieu), au lieu d'un seul . La pose d'un seul pneu est totalement admise par la loi et demande simplement à être TEMPORAIRE. Les gendarmes ont precisé qu'ils ne verbalisaient pas 2 pneus différents sur un même essieu. Ils demandent simplement que ce soit fait assez vite.
Si vous refusez de nous vendre un seul pneu, nous ferons appel aux Gendarmes. Merci


(rédigé en Français par la personne qui a interrogé les gendarmes à ce sujet)

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OP
OP
Marvic
Nov 4, 2014
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@Marvic This morning, as I had to take the babies out for a walk in the huge pushchair I call the buggy, I decided to pay a visit to 1) Point S , specialist in tyres and exhausts, and 2) to Balma Gendarmerie.
Thanks. Yodeli.hope you enjoyed your walk. :xThumb:
Report from 1)

We can't sell one tyre. If a puncture,we are to put same tyres on a one axle by law.
We can put only one tyre on a one axle if the other one is quite new and under 7000kms. If we don't have the same kind than the remaining one , then we order the right one, and you can show the Gendarmes the invoice of the order.

Report from 2)

NO, they are not (garages/tyres sellers/whoever) obliged by law to sell 2 tyres at a time! You might not be able to pay for both.
We do not fine people having 2 different tyres on same axle as they might not be able to pay for 2 tyres at a time.
By all means, it is much better for your security and for the vehicle to have the same kind of tyres on one axle, and we do suggest that you do it asap.
Foreign vehicles are under the same laws (French ones) as soon as they drive on our territory.

Conclusion, you have to be cleverer than the sellers, and as the previous poster did, just say you want to have a spare tyre. You can ask to one garage to FIT your spare tyre, and then to another garage to buy a spare tyre!


The gendarme who answered me, call the others to give me the best answer so you would have the clearest possible information.

Hope this will really help
 

stcyr

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There is no law about SELLING a single tyre. There IS a law against a tyre fitting outfit FITTING a different make of tyre.
If you are out on the road and have a puncture, you are allowed to use the spare, if different in any way, TEMPORARILY to get you to destination.
If you change the wheel yourself (or have a breakdown co. do it at the roadside, no probs TEMPORARILY.
If you go to a tyre fitting workshop they are NOT allowed by law to fit just one.
Of course, should you be 'pulled' you have the option to tell the copper it just happened.... ;)

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Oct 12, 2008
6,242
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Balma (next to Toulouse) France
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Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
If you go to a tyre fitting workshop they are NOT allowed by law to fit just one.

I'm afraid Peter this is wrong. Have a look at my post, the gendarmes told me , NO LAW obliges the sellers/tyres fitters to put 2 tyres(they say so, because they think you are not going to check! and hide behind this). They did insist on the fact they you might not be able to afford 2 tyres at a time. They don't fine for that, and just ask you to try and fit 2 identical tyres on the same axle.

Amicalement

Frankie:xsmile:
 

stcyr

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Article 3 :
“Il est interdit de monter sur les véhicules automobiles et leurs remorques visés par le titre II du code de la route :

Article 3.1 Des pneumatiques de structures différentes, à l’exclusion de l’éventuel pneumatique de secours à usage temporaire.

Article 3.3 Des pneumatiques de types différents sur un même essieu, qu’il soit à roues simples ou à roues jumelées.

Article 3.4 Des pneumatiques sur lesquels figurent un indice de capacité de charge ou un symbole de catégorie de vitesse inférieurs aux capacités maximales prévues par le constructeur du véhicule. ”
 
2

2657

Deleted User
There is no law about SELLING a single tyre. There IS a law against a tyre fitting outfit FITTING a different make of tyre.
If you are out on the road and have a puncture, you are allowed to use the spare, if different in any way, TEMPORARILY to get you to destination.
If you change the wheel yourself (or have a breakdown co. do it at the roadside, no probs TEMPORARILY.
If you go to a tyre fitting workshop they are NOT allowed by law to fit just one.
Of course, should you be 'pulled' you have the option to tell the copper it just happened.... ;)

So if I take a wheel into a tyre fitters they are not allowed to fit a new tyre?

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stcyr

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Apr 11, 2011
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Article 3 :
“Il est interdit de monter sur les véhicules automobiles et leurs remorques visés par le titre II du code de la route :

Article 3.1 Des pneumatiques de structures différentes, à l’exclusion de l’éventuel pneumatique de secours à usage temporaire.

Article 3.3 Des pneumatiques de types différents sur un même essieu, qu’il soit à roues simples ou à roues jumelées.

Article 3.4 Des pneumatiques sur lesquels figurent un indice de capacité de charge ou un symbole de catégorie de vitesse inférieurs aux capacités maximales prévues par le constructeur du véhicule. ”

....

La loi est clair, il est écrit noir sur blanc que sur un même essieu 2 pneus doivent être de marque identique. Que vous le vouliez ou non c'est la loi et un motif de verbalisation et, si ce n'est pas un motif de refus au CT, cela sera noté en observation. C'est également un motif de refus de prise en charge par l'assurance en cas d'accident (et les pneus, c'est une des premières chose que l'expert va regarder). En gros: si on a un accident, on se retrouve à payer toute sa vie.

Ce n'est pas par ce que le CT le tolère (c'est toléré afin de pouvoir utiliser une roue de secours), que c'est autorisé. Il y a énormément d'exemples comme ça, pas de contre-visite, mais interdit quand même.
Et ce n'est pas par ce que ce n'est pas un motif de contre-visite aujourd'hui que cela ne le sera pas demain, la liste des motifs de contre-visite évoluant (elle a changé il n'y a pas très longtemps d’ailleurs).

It's there in black & white. The fact that you may not be fined if pulled, and that it is not a 'fail' on a CT(Fr.mot) (but will be an advisory) does not alter the fact that the law is clear. In the event of an 'accident' the first thing an insurance company would check would be the tyres ... The fact that a ct tester may 'tolerate' it does not mean it's legal. Example: you have a puncture on the way to the test station, you put on the spare - this will be 'tolerated'. ... Whether a blind eye is turned or not, the law is c l e a r. :xangry:
 

moulin 87

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On two occasions I have had a single tyre fitted on an axle, the first time it was ' different' to the other tyre and after a few 'words' it was fitted but only after I agreed to sign a disclaimer saying basically I had been told I needed two but had refused. The second occasion was this summer when my local mobile tyre fitter came out to fit one tyre but only after I had told him it was identical to the other one except for about 1000 kms of wear....The issue I had was buying one tyre, it was ordered from Germany, good price & free delivery.

The issue in France will be on the RARE occasion after a 'serious' accident, with the involvement of the gendarmarie, they will be looking at all possible causes, and arguing that a friend on a forum says his friends at the gendarmarie in Toulouse say it is OK is unlikely to help your case. In th

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stcyr

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There yer go ... The law is clear - how it is implemented is autre chose :xwink:
 
Aug 26, 2008
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To my surprise this law that I had been unaware of turned out to be a benefit.

Following a front tyre blow out for which a French HGV was responsible (long story) I made a claim against the trucker's insurance for a new tyre. They insisted on paying for 2 new front tyres.
 
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To be honest I would never consider running different makes on the same axle. On a car they feel wrong, may have different grip characteristics, different wear rates, totally different tread patterns, may be directional, and may even have different rolling circumferences. None of these may be felt by the driver of a heavy vehicle such as a MH but will still have an effect on its handling and on the vehicle stability systems. For a trailer however I'd simply stay within the law.
 

eddie

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We had a blow out in France in July and the depenage were brilliant, no such nonsense

I posted on fun about the incident, somewhere lol

If there were such a law in am sure the the emergency services on the main autoroute out from Calais would know about it

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Geo

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We had a blow out in France in July and the depenage were brilliant, no such nonsense

I posted on fun about the incident, somewhere lol

If there were such a law in am sure the the emergency services on the main autoroute out from Calais would know about it
They recognised you Eddie, blood n stone etc:rofl:
 

Scattycat

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okay, in an emergency there wouldn't be a problem. As in the past, many cars had an emergency spare wheel that was smaller in size to the other 4, but you were only supposed to use it to get you to a place where you could have a replacement fitted to the proper size wheel.

Just a thought but having different makes and therefore tread pattern tyres on the same axel would surely have a different reaction under heavy braking and grip in inclement conditions, eg, winter tyre on the wheel one side and a summer tyre on the other, therefore it could be considered a safety issue. A similar situation could occur with a very low but legal tyre tread on one side and a new tyre on the other side.
 
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Aug 18, 2011
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you can fit and drive legally in the UK with tyres on the same axle that are ; the same load rating, same ply rating; same size, same profile, but different makes .

so you drive over the channel and your vehicle is illegal :Eeek: really???
Probably not. Think the law applies to supplying dealers,,,BUSBY...

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Oct 5, 2012
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Worth remembering if you go abroad... A dysfunctional garage near Colchester tried to sell me a commercial van tyre instead of a vanco (on all other hubs). I tried to explain to him this was no good on many levels including French law....I took my custom to kwickfit Netherlands.
 
Oct 7, 2013
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We recently had friends to visit in France. (They are still caravanners, but hey ho).:whistle:

Their tow car had a puncture on the way to us and he was told it was unrepairable and he needed two new matching tyres, at a cost of 280 euros, by law. He just fitted the spare and carried on to us.

Next day I took him to our local tyre depot who checked his tyre and said it could definitely be repaired. Twenty minutes and 17 euros later it was back on the car, fixed.

Was that a case of different interpretations of the law or "rip off the foreigner time"?:mad:
 
Sep 5, 2013
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Hi Guys, sorry if this is repetitive, but it may help any Funsters visiting France.
We live here, and have cars and a Motorhome, oops sorry Camping -Car in France!

French Controle Technique stations are the equivalent of UK MOT stations.
They are effectively Gov't run in each Department and controlled by Cerfa, the equivalent of VOSA.
They are test stations only, and do no repairs.
They are not allowed (supposed) to recommend garages for defects to be repaired.
A private car has a CT (MOT) every 2 years.
A goods vehicle or van has one every 2 years but also an annual emissions check.

Major items will fail a CT as per an MOT in UK. Ball joint , brakes, steering etc. You are usually given a 10-14 day period to have the defect repaired and re-present the vehicle for a free re-test.
If you have an 'advisory' on your CT list it will still pass the CT however you are expected to get the defect repaired by the next CT.
Tyres of different makes will get you an advisory, but not a fail. You have until the next CT, potentially in two years time to rectify the problem!
What individual garages/tyre places try to sell you is probably based on what they know they can also sell the French, and believe me, they will get away with it to the French too.

Basically, if you have a Michelin fitted, tell them to fit a similar Michelin, you do not need a pair, just the same make tyre. They are covering their backs which is understandable.

A friend of mine from UK who has a M/H carries a single spare tyre only on his cycle rack, as his Chausson has no spare, so he can match his tyres on his axles if he has a problem.

Sorry for the lengthy waffle, hope someone finds it useful!
I'm off to drink cheap wine and see how much further the euro has crashed:(

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