What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Winter tyres
Visiting German in laws this week in my '97 Astra estate, I bought four Uniroyal MS Plus 66 winter tyres (195/55 R 15 85H fitted, balanced, new valves) for Euros 441.56 - that's 375.12 UK pounds at a branch of ATU (AutoTeil Unger - a Halfords type chain).
Price included my old tyres wrapped in plastic bags and loaded into the back of the car. I stored them with relatives and will refit them in March. The tyre fitter said I was lucky to get them as Germany mandated winter tyres on December 1 and there's been a rush for them.
He claimed customers were coming from nearby Netherlands and even Belgium for tyres. He had no steel rims in stock my size, but could get them in 2-3 days. My tyres cost Euros 95 each, but I later saw German made remould winter tyres in at Euros 35 each in a Toom store - a sort of B&Q/Homebase type business. Snow/ice is worse in Germany and the stopping/starting grip with these new tyres is substantially improved...probably side grip too, but I don't attempt RAC Rally speeds.
This feedback prompted by your "Winter Tyre Advice" notes.
Price included my old tyres wrapped in plastic bags and loaded into the back of the car. I stored them with relatives and will refit them in March. The tyre fitter said I was lucky to get them as Germany mandated winter tyres on December 1 and there's been a rush for them.
He claimed customers were coming from nearby Netherlands and even Belgium for tyres. He had no steel rims in stock my size, but could get them in 2-3 days. My tyres cost Euros 95 each, but I later saw German made remould winter tyres in at Euros 35 each in a Toom store - a sort of B&Q/Homebase type business. Snow/ice is worse in Germany and the stopping/starting grip with these new tyres is substantially improved...probably side grip too, but I don't attempt RAC Rally speeds.
This feedback prompted by your "Winter Tyre Advice" notes.
Asked on 27 December 2010 by iangloverjames
Answered by
Honest John
Many thanks. Well done. You are now a lot safer and the new tyres are not costing you much because your summer tyres would actually be wearing at a faster rate than wintery tyres wear in winter.
HJ
HJ
Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.
Honest John's Guide To Winter TyresSimilar questions
What is the best used car for driving in snow, that does not have 4 wheel drive or winter tyres?
I have a set of winter tyres 165/70/R13/79T on a Peugeot 106 and want to know what other makes and models of cars they will fit.
After begin rear-ended (twice in the same acccident by the same person), I now have to buy another car quickly. I was thinking about a Volvo S40 or S60, as they have lumbar support (bad back!) and I believe...
Elsewhere on 
.jpg)
