Winter Tyres (1 Viewer)

[Jackie.Kearley]

Hi we are off to the slopes in January with our motorhome and we are unsure if we should fit winter tyres or not. Some people we know who have lived in snowy wintery climates have said that they are essential whilst others have said just use chains. We know that in Austria they are compulsory but aren't sure whether this only applies to Austrian registered vehicles only and whether we would be exempt in a UK registered motorhome....we are planning to Ski in Austria for about a month. If it is best to have winter tyres fitted we wondered if anyone could recommend somewhere in France that we could have them fitted and at the same time store our normal tyres as we will need to change them back after the ski season (we won't be going back to the UK until August so will need to change them back in France). Any help or advice woukd be very much appreciated. Many thanks, Jackie

 

[jockaneezer]

Search 'winter tyres' on here, plenty folk running them all year, me included. Wouldn't dream of going skiing in Austria without them personally. How much tread have your existing ones got on them ?

 

[JeanLuc]

I use winter tyres all year-round. I don't ski, but would not consider going into 'skiing country' without them. You will also probably have to carry chains for the driving wheels (mandatory requirement in some countries). As I understand it, local regulations regarding winter tyres / chains apply to any vehicle entering the territory, regardless of country of registration.

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[Deleted member 36503]

Winter tyres and chains are mandatory as Philip has said in certain parts of Europe during winter months.

If your outfit is front wheel drive then I would strongly urge you to carry snow chains.

Buy a good complete set of winter/snow tyres and use them all year, you will hardly notice the difference when driving in the summer.

If I were you I wouldn't even dream of buying any tyres in France as they charge far higher prices over there than they do in the UK.................. When I was living there over the past 10 years, I saved a veritable fortune by having tyres sent over to my home in the Dordogne and then paying to have them fitted.

All the best

Phil

 

[Bill and Shell]

Ive also had a look at this, apparently all-season tyres last longer during the warmer months and are also suitable for winter months in Germany and Austria etc. You do have to ensure that they are marked with either the snow or alpine markers though

 

[Jackie.Kearley]

Thanks very helpful information everyone.

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[Traveller_HA5_3DOM]

There must be a cut off point for commercial vehicles, surely the big artics do not change all their wheels over twice a year.

 

[Traveller_HA5_3DOM]

Thanks for that I presume from your answer that if only most HGVs have winter tyres then it is not a legal requirement which was the area I was trying to gather information about.
If it is not a legal requirement, then just how far down the weight limit does it extend?

 

[Traveller_HA5_3DOM]

We purchased our German built Hobby, new in the winter months of 2014. Is it conceivable that it is supplied with different tyres for winter and summer and if so does anyone make the Camper tyres in the two different guises.
The supplied tyres are Continental Camper Tyres no snowflake on them, but they do not do two versions of camper tyres.
It begs the question would a German manufacturer(other than VW) do something illegal?

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[Bill and Shell]

There must be a cut off point for commercial vehicles, surely the big artics do not change all their wheels over twice a year.

When we were looking in to this, I could only find the guidance that vehicles up to 3500kg were required to have snow or all season tyres in some countries during winter months.
We have a 4500kg vehicle and couldn't find any guides as to whether we are required to fit winter specific tyres.
Maybe someone here would know the answer?

 

[sdc77]

This might assist

 

[Jill]

They are excellent. We carry chains but didn't need them last year at Les Menuires. The year before we went to Les Saisies with friends (who didn't have winter tyres). They started sliding around and had to put chains on but we were fine. Hubby was sure we'd make it all the way but I bottled and made him put ours on too lol.
Bear in mind that the main roads are normally ok and we've found its only going to be a struggle on the smaller roads and getting into the aires and campsites (We're off to La Clusaz after Christmas).

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[funflair]

We purchased our German built Hobby, new in the winter months of 2014. Is it conceivable that it is supplied with different tyres for winter and summer and if so does anyone make the Camper tyres in the two different guises.
The supplied tyres are Continental Camper Tyres no snowflake on them, but they do not do two versions of camper tyres.
It begs the question would a German manufacturer(other than VW) do something illegal?

If your Hobby was built for the UK market there would be no requirement to fit winter tyres, if it was built and supplied for the German market in the winter my money would be on it having at the very minimum M+S tyres but more likely four seasons. Camper tyres will just be the one version for example Michelin are M+S but Continental are summer tyres.

We visit the N+B factory in November and the last 3 years for sure they have been fitting the Continental fourseasons as do Morelo, the fourseasons are badged with the snowflake and mountain they are a good tyre IMO with a higher load rating than the camper specific ones, all camper manufacturers do not fit camper tyres.

Martin

 

[Bill and Shell]

This might assist

Yup, this gives me the answer I was looking for, thank you

 

[EuroTrotters]

Fit winter tyres, run them all year. I have done on almost everything for 35 years. Winter tyres were like rocking horse muck back then and termed "town & Country"

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[Deleted member 36503]

Fit winter tyres, run them all year. I have done on almost everything for 35 years. Winter tyres were like rocking horse muck back then and termed "town & Country"

I have been a LR Defender owner for many a long year and always ran on M&S all year long, yes they are slightly more noisy, but for heavens sake when you are in a noisy old rig what the hell does that matter (and the same goes for almost all motorhomes and panel van conversions)?

 

[CWH]

@DavidG58 what did you use on your Durness trip last winter?

 

[DavidG58]

@DavidG58 what did you use on your Durness trip last winter?

I have no idea, I left it to my tyre man to fit what he thought was best, but I have a feeling they are bog standard van tyres, did me alright, but although it was -10C the snow never got too deep

A lot to do with the rear wheel drive I reckon

A little to do with driver skill , although a cleverer driver would not have gone

A different game in the alps or serious mountains, remember @Terry and his escapades on the 'wrong road'





did

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[Deleted member 36503]

Gobsmackingly beautiful scenery David

 

[DavidG58]

Addendum to above post, it reads like I am really pretentious, when I say I left it my man, I did not have tyres fitted just for the trip to Durness, they needed changing last year due to age, I left it to him to chose what to fit for the next three years use

Don't want you lot thinking I have more money than I know what to do with

 

[CWH]

I have no idea, I left it to my tyre man to fit what he thought was best

Sounds like a good plan to me! (We're more likely to be "doing snow" in Scotland than the Alps)

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[BeyondTheVan]

View attachment 86861

Holy cr*p I'd be bricking it taking my luton conversion on that road. 4500Kg RWD I'm guessing isn't likely to handle great, even with twin wheels on the back!?

That scenery however is beatiful!

I'm on normal road tyres but now I'm wandering if something more hardcore would be good for winter and fields....?!

Rich.

 

[bubble63]

Toyo H09- M&S run them all year!