Winter tyres for Hire

[rickyclean]

Hello all

I am planning a trip to the Alps in February next year and I am likely to opt to driving rather than pay for the plan, bus ect.... I am reluctant to buy a set of winter tyres as this is very likely to be a one off event so was wondering if any of your fine members of this forum would be interested in hiring me your set of winter tyres for one week.  My expected mileage is about 1,100 miles... Bit of an odd one I know but.....

Thanks

RC

[sid10]

Hi why not just bite the bullet and buy mine , once finished with them sell them on again !
  Seriously there are a few sets on here for sale , they save your summer tyres as the compound is softer and are fantastic in the soft stuff .
  Which car do you have a they are slightly different offsets and some need spigot rings ?

[Turks]

Honestly RC, I think the suggestion that sid10 makes is reasonable, although I'm not saying you should buy his particular ones.

I purchased a spare set of genuine 4.6is 20" wheels and got a set of Yoko Winter Tyres for them... I wanted the car to still look right, but have the safety throughout the winter period of winter tyres. They are fantastic in the wet and this is something that some people don't think about when thinking of winter tyres - they believe that they are only for cold, snow and ice.

This is a large outlay I understand, but, as sid10 mentions, while you are running these you aren't using your summer set.

If you don't like that idea, then sell them afterwards. I wouldn't have a car now without a winter set of wheels / tyres.


Turks.

[Horizon]

I had 19" stagered set up on my E53 and bought a set of Vred Wintrac Extremes from Tyreman on the internet for £600, the same profile as my summers.
I ran them all year round, the second year I had the car. They were superb in the snow and wet, never even flashed the traction control light under normal driving in deep snow,
I ran winter tyres on my van last year as I was crossing the Pennines every day as I was living in Manchester and the office was in Halifax. The wear was no worse than on my summer tyres.
Now if your running 20" rims, your tyre choice be more restricted, as well as grip.

[celica]

Winter wheels are best if smaller or less width I believe

[CondorX5]

I rely on my winters now, they transform the X5 in wet slushy conditions into a really proficient beast......and I cover huge mileages year round, so really rely on my car keeping moving in all weathers.
Also went with Vredestein Wintrac Extreme for the past 5 years for my E53 and they were great - I acquired a set of BMW 18" alloys from a breaker when I bought the E53 - had them refurbed and they have really served me well. When I bought the E70 in August I immediately hunted  for a set of winters and was lucky to find someone locally who only wanted £400 for an as new set of E70 winters with * rated runflats just as on the BMW the configurator.
Winters are well worth it, I doubt anyone will want to rent theirs out, but definitely worth buying a set and selling them on if not wanted later - there is always a market for winter wheels.

Just to say, smaller is definitely better with winter wheels - the more rubber on the sidewall and the narrower, the better. 
E70s can have 18" alloys with 255/55R18 tyres, of course there are 19 and 20" options too but they are more expensive and the smaller wheel will perform better in snow, ice and wet conditions.

[sid10]

the ones I would recommend are the 19" they fill the arches better especially if you have an M sport , the 18" just look weedy .

[sid10]

SPEN555 has a set for sale a bit  closer and cheaper !

[Turks]

It is true that the more sidewall and less width, the better the traction. However, I didn't want mine to have 18" wheels on for 6 months of the year - they do not look right on a extended arch X5 and I still want the car to look good.

I work overseas, so really if the weather is bad at home when I am on my time off, i'll just stay in the house in front of the log burner. The only reason I want winters, is if I have very important journeys to make then i'm safer than on all-year or summer tyres in severe wet or very cold icey / snow conditions. If I was commuting every day, then I might have considered the 19" set up.

Considering they are 20", they coped fantastically on some very icey hills last year, cruising past a Toureg and a Cayenne which were obviously struggling with their cars on summer tyres.


Turks.

[rickyclean]

Hi All

Firstly apologies for not responding to all your suggestions, I was rather unwell last week and was not one the web much.

Many thanks for the sage advice all! I am just trying to decide if we are flying out to the Alps or  driving, and if I am driving then I will be in touch with those who have them for sale.

Thanks again for all the advice, as always on here, very very useful 

[sid10]

Hi hopefully you are better , best changing plans and jetting off somewhere hot !
I have some for sale aswell as SPEN555
      good luck !