I’m going to do a month in the Alps, resort skiing, off piste, maybe some touring. I’m going to be based in one area so won’t be driving around much. I have a car with new summer tyres. Will I, as some people claim, face certain death the second the air temperature drops below 7C or can I get by with some supermarket chains when needs?

If you’re really, really not going to need to drive then you’d probably be fine. But, if you’re going to use the car at all then it’s worth considering especially if you’re touring and wanting to get to places off the beaten track. I know I was sliding around a bit the other week before I put the winter tires on and that was in a 4WD with AT’s on it. I’d been slow to stick the winter tires on and I was out in the snow a few times thinking the summer tires were newish AT’s with 4WD and it would be fine. We stayed on the road but it was a pain on some of the back roads. I’d got chains in the car but it’s a hassle and not a great deal of help for the odd steep bend where the rest of the road is predominantly clear.

I’d probably think less about driving around in an epic snowstorm with snow over the axles which might be avoidable and look more at the day-to-day going places on icy roads early in the morning etc on untreated roads with packed snow and so on. Having winter tires won’t stop you need chains potentially though although, like most people, I can’t recall when I last used our chains. In fact, I may never have used the current set.

I’d think if you had a set of winter tires, probably plus wheels, and wanted to use them for month before punting them on ebay you’d do OK. We sold our last couple of sets privately when we changed cars and it worked well. In fact, if I deduct what we sold them for from what we paid it was a pretty good deal.

You could ask on WinterTyresDeathMatchHeads.com, not very illuminating but it would give me something funny to read next time I’m bored

http://www.tcs.ch/fr/test-securite/tests/pneus/hiver.php

And Which? Magazine rated the Michelin’s top this month too. They are an eye wateringly expensive though. And remember that each km you drive on the winter tires that’s a km less wear on your summer tires.

The tested tyres are not even “real” winter tyres like the Nokian Hakka. There’s a world of difference between winter tyres for real winter conditions (like the scandinavian market) and the central-european “winter” tyre that is best suited for wet autobahns and the occasional patch of snow.

I’ve fitted winter tyres on my car in the UK for a number of years now - great on snow and good on wet and muddy roads - no need to buy wheels as most tyre fitters will sore and fit them for a pretty minimal fee. Way more cost effective that buying a 4WD and just as good. Wouldn’t drive in the alps in winter without them. I carry snow chains, but like ise I can’t remember when I last had to fit them.

I have just read the Auto/Moto tests (French magazine) and was a bit surprised at their results. The test protocol seemed very thorough but what surprised me was that all but snow covered roads you were better off with a summer tire.

Breaking on wet roads from 100km/h at 8C. The Continental Contisportcontact 5, a summer tire would stop you in 53.3 meters, the shortest distance of all the tires. A Bridgestone Blizzak would take 59.7. On dry roads at 7C the Conti took 36.2 meters and the Blizzak 45.1m. Other winter tires were up towards the Blizzak. Not an insignificant penalty at what are not unusual winter air temperatures except in cold alpine valleys.

On the snow the Conti takes 35.4m to stop you compared to Blizzak which takes around half the distance of 18.4m from 40km/h with an air temperature of -9C. Now that IS a serious difference and a real win for the Blizzak. All the other winter tires were within a meter of the Blizzak. I’d be interested to see figures for dry/wet roads at lower air temperatures to see how the Conti does.

The moral is, for the Steppes of Surrey or even downtown Geneva you are probably as well to stick to good summer tires year round.

As for your ski trip. All I can say is that I run winter tires from November to May and like others can’t remember when I last fitted chains although I do remember when I last stopped on a climb because of ice which I would have made it over had I fitted chains. I just didn’t want to take the risk for a few hundred meters extra.

The resale on ebay idea is interesting and if you can get a good deal, perhaps from a French/Swiss garage, would not cost you much money? Beware that garages get their stocks in at the start of winter and may not have any winter tires after New Year.

Another moral may be that those people leaving their winter tires on all year around are a bit irresponsible. There always seems a few people who seem to think its quite clever, I’ve never understood how they can’t tell the difference when they’re driving. I can feel the difference really clearly with our tyres when we change over, right now that means they don’t feel great down in the valley but much better over the local (technically closed) higher cols.

For resale, we’ve had some success selling a couple of sets with wheels and snow-chains and in one case with some roof bars and ski rack all in one go to someone with the same model car. People are looking for the brand names that have done well in the motoring organisation tests.

Useless fact, one of the TCS test sites is at the road head for the col-du-grand-saint-Bernard.

I’ve been visiting the Alps for the last 30 years and either rented cars or left one in Geneva. If I rent from the Swiss side they always have winter tyres and are exceptional but being a tight sod, I would rent from the French side where the cars would be fitted with standard tyres and have had some interesting times - I’ve bought more sets of chains than I’ve had hot dinners. For me, putting chains on and off is a 2 minute job but I can understand those that think it is a pain.
I am leaving a car in Geneva again this year and have just bought a new set of chains on eBay - for my Discovery they cost £45 so a lot cheaper than winter tyres. If I was living oyt there, then winter tyres are a no brainer but for 1 month, the as long as you are comfortable fitting them, go with chains.

Thanks for all your help. I went the eBay route and got some second hand hardly worn tyres that I will re-ebay when I get back. Obviously someone who had the same idea as people here. Maybe there is a place for a winter tyre hire service in the UK?