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The time to switch up winter tires seam. But does it have to be a classic refrigeration specialist or is an all-season tire also an option?
Habby has his expert talk on the subject of changing tires here!
In the middle of October it will slowly be time to deal with the topic of winter tires. Because despite the mostly milder winters in recent years with less frost and snowfall, cold spells can occur as early as the end of October / beginning of November.
Which one suits me better?
Drivers who need a new winter tire, be it because the tires are too old or the tire tread depth is approaching the legally required minimum of 1,6 millimeters, are faced with the question of which type of tire they should appreciate. You can choose between classic winter tires or all-season tires. Both types of tires have advantages and disadvantages.
A small “quiz” from the tire manufacturer Goodyear (http://reif Typ.goodyear.de) offers a decision-making aid. Six different parameters are queried here, including the annual mileage, engine type, vehicle type or the geographical location of the place of residence and work.
Commuters and field workers should take winter tires
Put simply, the question of which type of tire is the right one depends on the area of application and the driver's profile. Classic winter tires are primarily of interest to drivers who travel a lot across Germany and who are always dependent on their vehicle. These include, for example, commuters or employees in the field. Owners of highly motorized vehicles who also like to drive in a sporty way would also better turn to the refrigeration specialists. If you also want to go on a winter holiday in the mountains, you should also put on winter tires. If, on the other hand, you only cover a few kilometers by car a year, drive mainly in areas with little snow and can leave the vehicle in the event of unexpected heavy snowfall, an all-season tire is a good choice.
All-season tires - also called all-weather tires - have blossomed from a niche product into an alternative to seasonal specialists in recent years. While the year-round tires in 2018 in the replacement tire business for cars and vans had a market share of 18 percent, in 2020 it was a good 25 percent, according to the BRV industry association.
Quality of all-season tires improved
The reasons for this are diverse. The comparatively mild winters of recent years have made motorists in snow-poor areas doubt the usefulness of winter tires and are looking for alternatives to the seasonal tire specialist. In addition: the all-season tires have improved in quality. Unlike summer or winter tires, which are specialized for the respective application, all-season tires have to cope with both cold and warm seasonal conditions.
The fundamental challenge in developing an all-season tire is to design the tire in such a way that it can at least satisfactorily cope with the various requirements when driving, for example on snow, black ice, dry or wet asphalt or in hot outside temperatures. Although the all-season tires do not achieve the peak performance of the season specialists, they usually offer a decent compromise. As with summer and winter tires, the tests by automobile clubs and car magazines also provide a good overview of the properties of the test subjects for all-season tires.
In addition, drivers only have to buy one set of tires and there are no costs for the seasonal change in the workshop. In addition, there is no need to store the second set of tires. If the driver does not have his own storage space in a garage or in the basement, this must be paid for at the tire dealer or in the workshop.
Mild winter is hardly an argument
In addition to the question of cost, time and convenience factors also play an important role when deciding on all-season tires. A survey by the tire manufacturer Michelin showed that two-thirds of those surveyed stated that the time saved by not having to visit the workshop every six months was the most important reason to buy an all-season tire. The points environmental friendliness (33,5%), climate change (30,2% and the expectation of a mild winter (24,2%) play a significantly smaller role in the motivation for buying such a tire.
A bad idea is to try to tackle the pitfalls of winter with summer tires. Winter tires are not compulsory in Germany, but anyone who slips on the road with summer tires in winter conditions faces a fine of at least 60 euros and a point on their Flensburger account. You can recognize winter tires by the snowflake symbol on the flank. Since January 1, 2018, all winter and all-season tires sold in Germany must bear the snowflake symbol in order to comply with the winter rules of the Road Traffic Regulations.
The “3 Peak Mountain Snow Flake” symbol is only awarded to a tire that has previously passed a standardized comparison test. The marking "M + S" (mud + snow or mud + snow) on the tire flank is not legally protected and is therefore no longer valid as proof that it is a winter tire.
