From O to O | The winter tire special 2015

From O to O, right? Every year the question arises: When should I actually change the tires on my car from summer to winter wheels? As a donkey bridge, there is a simple phrase to remember: "From O to O." This refers to Easter and October. At Easter the right time has come to take the winter wheels off the car and raise the summer wheels. In October, it will be time again to assemble the winter tires and to clear the summer tires in the garage.

Welcome, now it's time again!

But why Easter and October?

Winter tires and summer tires are excellent specialists for the respective season and in your own interest should only be installed when the temperatures are right. The winter tire likes the cold, the summer tire seeks the warmth. From Easter onwards it is usually no longer so cold at night that you have to expect slippery conditions on bridges. During the day it can get warmer than 10°. This is where the winter tire reaches its limits and its soft rubber compound starts to “smear”. From October onwards the nights (in our area) become significantly cooler. Anyone who commutes by car and sets off in the dark is likely to be surprised by hoar frost and slippery bridges. The winter tire offers much more safety here.

Therefore - easy to remember:  "From O to O." 

Appropriate tires are mandatory in wintry road conditions. At the latest when the roads are full of snow and ice, you can only drive with winter tires that have the legal minimum tread depth. But fog, rain and twilight already massively worsen the visibility in autumn. The temperatures are also falling. The road surfaces become wet and slippery. Goodyear-Dunlop, one of the world's largest manufacturers of premium tires, advises you to adjust the tires to the expected weather conditions in good time and to take special driving tips into account in winter.

With the right tires on the safe side

Already in autumn, the temperatures fall in the single-digit range. Now summer tires are no longer suitable for the ride.

my-auto-blog explains why: The rubber compound of summer tires becomes hard and the tires lose road grip. Winter tires, on the other hand, remain soft and have a special lamellar profile. They provide traction, a shorter braking distance, better steering behavior and effective acceleration on snow and ice. In winter, traveling with the wrong tires is not only reckless, but can also result in penalties: According to German road traffic regulations, cars are allowed to drive in the case of black ice, snow, slush or frosted ice only with tires that have an M + S marking (mud and snow). If, however, violated, a fine of at least 60 Euro is due. A point in Flensburg is added.

my-auto-blog advises, pay attention to another symbol next to the M + S marking: Only tires with a snowflake symbol have all the winter properties for safe driving on icy roads!

Again and again there is a puzzle, when is the right time to change?

my-auto-blog recommends The classic O-to-O rule (October to Easter) for winter tires: If you also agree on an appointment with his car repair shop in October, you avoid long waiting times and are prepared for a sudden cold snap!

Attention: It will also be expensive if the tread depth of the tire falls below the legal minimum value of 1,6 millimeters. Because only when the tire has enough profile, he grabs in mud and snow properly and can develop his wool performance. Motorists should therefore check their winter tires in terms of tread depth and possible damage before the onset of winter and, if in doubt, purchase a new set.

Driving in the winter - how it works!

In winter, tires and driving style must urgently be adapted to the weather conditions! In particular, smoothness can pose an incalculable risk. It should be noted that in addition to snow and ice, wet leaves and hoarfrost can also ensure smooth roads. With summer tires, the ride can quickly turn into a slide. But even if the car is equipped with winter tires, important rules of conduct must be observed:

mein-auto-blog has put together five helpful tips to help you get to your destination safely even in snow and ice.

1. In order to be able to react to the vehicle slipping, including the person in front, an increased safety distance should be maintained.
2. So that the tires do not spin off when starting off, it is easy to accelerate in second gear. A large gear and a low engine speed make sense for the entire journey.
3. When accelerating, the gentler the better, otherwise the vehicle may break out.
4. Jerky steering movements are to be avoided, because only then can changes in the resistance perceive.
5. Especially important for braking in the case of smoothness: disengage and depress the pedal with little pressure. Should the vehicle still get into a jolt, there is no reason to panic: simply disengage and gently counter-steer. Only if this measure does not take effect, a full braking should be made. ABS, the anti-lock braking system, which ensures optimum braking performance and a straight carriage guidance, only works at maximum pedal pressure. If a car does not have ABS, it can easily break during fast braking. In this case, a brief release of the brake makes sense, because so the direction of travel is stabilized.

With these tips and adapted tires, you can reach your destination safely even in the cold season. Good ride!

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You should think about that:

Premium tires save fuel

With the EU label, tire customers in Europe have, for the first time, the opportunity to distinguish thrifty brands from those that have a greater impact on the environment. The information system on the label rates tires with regard to three important criteria: fuel efficiency (fuel consumption), wet grip (safety) and noise emission (rolling noise). Tires in efficiency category A have a roughly 40 percent lower rolling resistance than those in category G. High-performance tires can be more expensive to purchase, but they reduce fuel consumption by up to seven percent. In the long run, consumers will benefit from these fuel savings.

For example, with a fuel price of 1,60 Euro per liter, a car that drives 15.000 kilometers per year and consumes seven liters of fuel over a distance of 100 kilometers can save more than 130 Euro fuel costs compared to F tires with Efficiency Category B tires , The additional investment from 20 to 50 Euro per "green tire" has therefore returned in less than two years.

[=”notification_mark” ]In cooperation with Goodyear-Dunlop Germany