 Poster: A snowHead
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Urgent Austria question:
I am driving to Vienna today (3 month tour of Europe with my kids ☺️) and just found out its a legal requirement in Austria to have winter tyres fitted on all cars from Nov 1. The problem is that I am in a long term hire car (from UK), am already in Europe and have to return the car with the original tyres!
So, my questions to any kind Austrian dwellers out there are:
1. Can you recommend a place to have winter tyres fitted which won't cost a fortune?
2. I don't have space for the original tyres, so can you recommend how I send them to UK to get them re-fitted in January before returning the car?
I hope there's someone out there who can help! THANK YOU!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@3Point5DotsOnTheMap, just go to a garage in Austria and ask them to fit winters and store your summers for you, then swap at the end of your trip. How long are you actually in Austria for?
EDIT, on reflection, what quinton said.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Fri 30-10-15 12:09; edited 2 times in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Ring the hire company. They will have rules regarding this.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@3Point5DotsOnTheMap, Don't do anything about changing tyres until you have spoken to the hire company. They don't take kindly to customers making modifications to their vehicles. If you have hired from one of the international companies (Hertz, Europcar, Avis etc) they will have local agreements with suppliers and garages in Germany and Austria, as they will have hundreds of cars that require 'winterisation' each year, so hopefully they can organise something. If you have hired from a local UK company it will be more difficult, but as others have said, garages in Europe are set up for this - e.g. every car in Austria has to have the wheels or tyres swapped every autumn and spring and most are sold with 2 sets of wheels as standard.
'Winterisation' means more than just snow tyres. You'll need to consider chains or socks, a shovel, de-icer, anti freeze and screen wash that's good to minus 25, spare blanket/gloves/hat etc. What did the hire company advise when you told them you'd be driving in Europe for 3 months?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@quinton, 100% concur with that advice! It may be difficult to get any garage to change and store a set of tyres for a short period of time and it will not be cheap to be honest.
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Quick question...I have a company car in which the Fleet will not allow me to have winter tyres fitted. I plan to be travelling through Germany/Austria end of January using the AutoRoute's only, to the Dolomites. I will have with me snow chains and snow socks. Will I be pulled by the Police??
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@Simon94, The police do spot-checks and issue spot fines in bad weather, worse still if you are in an accident your insurance could be in-valid and there are heavy fines plus liability issues (I believe). I'd argue with your Fleet provider and put them on regardless of what they say, I never even ask mine and just do it, spare set of wheels and tyres in garage, swap over weekend before I travel, put my own winter wheels/ tyres on and change back when I get home)......not using my rubber on Company vehicle when at home!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@3Point5DotsOnTheMap, question here, far too late at this stage anyway, but why did you hire a car in the UK when you would be spending that long in the continent? To me it would have made more sense to hire a car on the mainland and so be driving a car from the "correct" side of the vehicle (probably not the best way of phrasing it, but you get the idea, and could also have got you winter tyres).
Other than that, as above, see what the company you hire the car from say.
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| Simon94 wrote: |
| Quick question...I have a company car in which the Fleet will not allow me to have winter tyres fitted. I plan to be travelling through Germany/Austria end of January using the AutoRoute's only, to the Dolomites. I will have with me snow chains and snow socks. Will I be pulled by the Police?? |
If you get hit with serious winter weather you probably won't get there. Chains should only be driven up to around 30mph so you would need to come off the Autobahn and crawl along the A & B roads other Drivers with winter tyres would be able to drive on the Autobahn at 50mph plus. I wouldn't do it, the police is only one risk the greater risk is being involved in a serious accident. You could also have insurance implications and liability issues should you injure anyone else. It's akin to driving a car with bald tyres and dodgy brakes during wet conditions back in the UK.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Fri 30-10-15 19:17; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@3Point5DotsOnTheMap,
I live in Vienna. It might be worth you picking up some second hand wheels & winter tyres then having your wheels posted back to the UK.
Conditions are not bad at the moment and it's still warm but the weather can break anytime.
Feel free to send me a private message if you need help.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thank you all for your responses and advice. I will try to respond to to those questions returned to me!
Sitter - Don't worry! I am driving a left hand drive, as I actually hired from Peugeot Open Europe. I collected and have to return the car in London for many personal reasons, hence me saying that I had to get the tyres back to UK
TallGuyUK and Quinton - I have checked with Peugeot and they require the car to be returned with the original tyres, but have no objection to me changing them in the meantime
- also thanks for pointing out about chains, anti-freeze, etc. I had planned those in advance, but it was the actual winter tyre requirement I did not know about.
Alistair Pink - I am now in Vienna and have spoken to my Austrian host, who says that it is not so urgent to change them on Sunday, because the requirement is to have them in bad weather and none is forecast for this week! I will be in Salzburg lakes mid-week and he recommended changing them there
- a friend in Ischgl has offered to store the summer tyres for me and then take them back to UK with him at Christmas, so I can pick them up there - VERY KIND OFFER! - so, I just need to arrange a courier from Salzburg to Ischgl! * Any advice welcome *
- Samerberg Sue - I was wondering if I could find a place that would sell me good condition second-hand winter tyres, as I will only need them for 6 weeks. Are there any reputable companies who do this in Austria?
Any further advice very gratefully received 
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Thanks FreeRider. I will send you a direct message.
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You know it makes sense.
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Can't seem to send a private message, FreeRider! Here's what I had typed:
Hi FreeRider
I just arrived Vienna this evening. If you saw my last post on the forum, you'll see that I only have to send the tyres to Ischgl and was already thinking about buying 2nd hand too.
If you have advice on a reputable 2nd hand place here and courier, I would be very grateful.
I was not intending to use the car while staying here, as my kids and I want to explore the whole city in only 3 days! The car is safely parked underground at the AirBnB place where we are staying. However, I could get the tyres sorted out on Tuesday on my way out of town towards Salzburg.
Any advice you can give would be wonderful.
Thanks
Patricia
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@3Point5DotsOnTheMap,
One of the tyre companies will probably take tyres off a car where the tread has worn down from 8 to 5 mm (legal limit is 4mm) but as the driver is high mileage they will get changed before hitting 4mm. I'd send an email to the tyre companies stating what size tyres you need and get them to send your summer tyres to their branch in Ischgl (or nearby) where your friend could pick them up.
you could try the big tyre outfits such as
Profi Reifen
Reifen John
Points
Euromaster
Fast Box
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Fri 30-10-15 20:17; edited 2 times in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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@3Point5DotsOnTheMap,
Sent you a PM (top right of the screen "Send/Read Messages").
DB
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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To the chap going t the dolomites, you do,realise the rules apply in italy and that you're in the middle of a high mountain range in the Dolomites don't you? Yeah, you might only just be getting there and then ditching the car, but its highly dangerous to assume that you'll be ok. At our place we have snow and ice on the road through the village from december to late february/early march despite ploughing and gritting. We've had people to stay who didn't get snow tyres and they have all had trouble. Chains are too much of a faff, you'll think you can get away with it when you can't and then at best get stuck, at worst cause a serious accident. Yeah sure, its expensive. If its too expensive fly and hire as by the time you drive down theres really not much difference in price...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just a quick note to say a very big thank you to DB who went out of his way to help us with this.
It is all sorted out now, thank goodness, so my kids and I can continue on our travels with no worries.
DB - all your advice and support was invaluable. Thank you.
And thanks to this forum for allowing us to get in touch!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| 3Point5DotsOnTheMap wrote: |
| And thanks to this forum for allowing us to get in touch! |
Stick around - you'll find that there is a huge amount of snow related information here, not just winter tyres! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| 3Point5DotsOnTheMap wrote: |
Just a quick note to say a very big thank you to DB who went out of his way to help us with this.
It is all sorted out now, thank goodness, so my kids and I can continue on our travels with no worries.
DB - all your advice and support was invaluable. Thank you.
And thanks to this forum for allowing us to get in touch! |
Great, so the tyres (and wheels?) in Ischgl were a match 
Good to meet you and the (grown up) kids. Have a great time on your european travels and down in NZ.
Do keep us posted about the skiing down there.
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This is why Snowheads is great. Well done all.
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I would try and hire the car at a Hire company in Austria, saves hassle.
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FAQ
