There are a few things to consider when it comes to winter tires. When buying a car, most people realize that if they don’t want all-season tires, the car needs more than just one set. If summer tires adapt perfectly to the conditions of the warm season, this effect disappears at the latest with the first night frost. Reason enough to look for winter tires or complete winter wheels in good time. This is how you can start the season with safe slippers. To ensure that everything goes smoothly when buying and using the tires, you will find ten crucial questions and answers here.
1) When do you need winter tires?
When it comes to car safety, winter tires are a must. Not only do they provide better traction in the snow and ice, but they also protect your car in the event of a blowout.
Here are four things to keep in mind when you need winter tires:
1. Your car’s make and model. Not all cars need winter tires, and not all winter tires are compatible with all cars.
2. The type of snow and ice. In most cases, winter tires are designed for snow and ice. However, some regions may experience sleet or rain. In these cases, you may need winter tires that can handle all types of weather.
3. The mileage. The more miles you drive on snow and ice, the more likely it is that you’ll need winter tires.
4. The condition of your roads. If your roads are in poor condition, your car may not have the traction to handle the snow and ice. In that case, you’ll need winter tires that can handle poor conditions.
2) What is the difference between winter tires and complete winter wheels?
As the name suggests, winter tires are just tires. They must therefore be pulled onto a corresponding rim after purchase and only then can they take their place on the car. If you have a spare set of rims that fit your car, all you need to do is buy winter tyres.
However, if this is not the case, complete winter wheels come into play. Rims and tires are already combined here, which increases the purchase price a bit, but makes it unnecessary to laboriously remove the summer tires from their rims.
3) What tread depth do winter tires have to have?
The law prescribes a minimum tread depth of 1.6 millimeters. However, this is a daring limit, because even tires with such a low profile can lead to significant restrictions while driving. A tread depth of around four millimeters is therefore recommended, which, according to reifendachs.de, is also prescribed in Austria, for example.
4) How many winters can a set of winter tires last?
There is no general answer to this question, as your personal habits have a major impact on the wear and tear of winter tyres. A tire with a rather low mileage can last longer than one with which you cover several thousand kilometers in the first winter.
Basically, after six years, your winter tires should be thoroughly checked. If there are cracks or damage caused by aging, they need to be replaced. However, an exchange may be necessary much earlier. Checking the tread depth and general condition should therefore be a regular part of the plan.
5) When should tires be changed for the winter season?
A question that also cannot be answered with a fixed specification. The famous and frequently quoted “from O(ktober) to O(stern)” is not required by law, as the ADAC reports. It is much more important that you treat your car to winter tires when the road conditions are wintry, i.e. slippery or snowy. A survey shows that around 40.5 percent of drivers in Germany change their tires in October, while 21.4 percent switch to winter tires in November. Since the road conditions are usually already wintry at this point, only 1.2 percent of Germans are waiting until December.
6) What is behind the abbreviation M+S?
The M+S marking can often be seen on tyres. This is the abbreviation for “mud and snow” (or mud + snow), which speaks for a tire that promises sufficient grip and safety even in wintry weather.
7) What does the snowflake symbol stand for?
Not only M+S plays a role when buying winter tyres. The so-called “Alpine symbol”, a small mountain with a snowflake, is now becoming much more important as part of the winter tire regulation. This symbol will only be seen on tires if they have been checked very carefully and meet strict specifications.
Tires that only bear the M+S mark and were produced up to and including December 31, 2017 are still considered suitable for winter conditions until 2024. However, for tires produced on January 1, 2018, the “Alpine Symbol” is mandatory. Then there can be trouble if your own tires only have the M+S abbreviation.
8) What are the consequences of driving with summer tires in winter?
If you are driving with summer tires in winter and are caught by the police, you will receive a fine of around sixty euros and a point in Flensburg. If you obstruct traffic because you are not using winter tires, the fine increases to eighty euros. In addition, your insurance company can also significantly reduce its benefits in the event of an accident with summer tires in winter.
9) Is it sufficient to mount winter tires only on the drive axle?
No way. Anyone who believes that winter tires on the front or rear axle are sufficient to maintain control in wintry road conditions will often face problems. In both cases, safe road holding cannot be guaranteed, which can lead to instability when cornering and in potentially dangerous situations. Even if your car starts to swerve, half the equipment with winter tires is a guarantee that there will be difficulties.
10) Can winter tires also be used in summer?
Theoretically, you could also use your winter tires during the summer months, because there is no legal ban on doing so. However, it remains unwise to go on summer vacation with winter tires. As a result, the desired driving characteristics of a winter tire are not maintained in warm temperatures, which can have a negative impact on road holding and significantly increase braking distances.
You will also use a lot more petrol with the softer winter tires in summer and extremely accelerate tire wear. In terms of both your safety and your wallet, winter tires should therefore be left unused in summer until the next season.
Conclusion
When it comes to winter tires, there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, always make sure to get a tire size that is appropriate for your vehicle. Second, always use a winter driving guide to ensure that you are using the right tire for the conditions. And finally, always check your tire pressure regularly to make sure that they are at the correct levels.