 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I bought my tires second hand from some very okay guy, and he experienced the same thing last year already... He couldn't buy wintertires for his wifes car at all anymore... not until next (this) year.
And the legislation change is correct, Germany wintertires are compulsory... They may be tolerant for now, but if you have an accident you will very much regret not having them.
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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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just got some this week from ATS in the UK for a VW transporter. Did take them a little phoning around, but seemed the best out of the normal UK suspects.
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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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Many dealers DOWN SARF have never even heard of winter tyres, big struggle when I brought some had to tell dealer what to buy?
When I swap summer tyres for winter ones (this week) the spanner monkeys are very amused. 
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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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DOH!!!!!
I moved to Canada in April and because I didn't get organised before I left the UK, I ended up taking my Vredestein snow tryes (for a VW Transporter van!) to the tip! To make matters worse, we've just shelled-out $500 for new snow tyres here!!!
I am glum.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you want to buy winter tyres in the UK I think you would be well advised to start to process during the summer! When I bought a set a few years ago I started looking in November. It took calls to several different dealers to make any progress, then I ended up paying a lot for the tyres because the only model they could source as very expensive.
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I had a very successful and pleasing experience a few weeks ago buying winter tyres for my Freelander from Pneus-Online. I ordered a set of 5 Michelin Alpin 4x4's from their website on a Saturday and they arrived from Switzerland on the Wednesday. I couldnt have wished for a better service.
Sadly, but not entirely unexpected, the service from my local ATS getting them fitted to 5 loose rims was not quite so enjoyable. I had my work cut out encouraging the misery guts to fit them anyway as they say its against company policy because they hadnt supplied the tyres. I replied that he wasnt able to supply them which is why I had to buy them online. He tried to argue that I didnt need winter tyres because our winters arent that severe, to which I pointed out I hadnt bought them for use in the UK, and they are a legal requirement in Germany and Austria. He then reckoned he could have supplied them cheaper but after prodding his computer for 15 minutes admitted he couldnt get them in that size. Back to square one - can you please fit these tyres for me?
He fitted and balanced them then wanted £89 plus VAT. My reply of "You must be ***** joking" worked well enough because he settled for 50 quid, which is more like what I had expected to pay. Perhaps I should have shopped around a bit.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| If you want to buy winter tyres in the UK I think you would be well advised to start to process during the summer! When I bought a set a few years ago I started looking in November. It took calls to several different dealers to make any progress, then I ended up paying a lot for the tyres because the only model they could source as very expensive. |
You could try Scotland - seems that in the north there's a market for them...
I found this webpage which has some interesting facts about winter tyres in the UK and the continent.
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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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roga, the strange thing seems to be many UK based manufacturers and online sellers are happy to extol the virtues of winter tyres on their websites but when it comes to the crunch very few can actually supply. I'm not surprised they may be available in Scotland as their winter conditions tend to be more fierce, but I wouldnt go all that way to buy tyres. Perhaps a Scottish branch of a major national supplier could be persuaded to send some by courier for customers elsewhere in the UK, but I didnt investigate that route.
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Hugh,
In hindsight I think your mistake on the fitting was probably in using ATS - I would recommend a small independent tyre fitter for pretty much any job ahead of the ATS Kwikfit type of outfits....
I've got the opposite problem to everyone else - I've got tyres but no wheels... I'm waiting for the god of ebay to offer up some cheapies.  plenty of time before the February drive to St Anton.
Dave
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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MazDave, Welcome to snowHeads 
Have you tried local dealers etc for your wheels, there are stories of dealers selling wheels cheaply after someone has upgraded to Alloys.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks guys - I've got a set of wheels in my sights on e-bay. They come up pretty regularly as people upgrade from the standard alloys to bigger and shinyer ones... I think £10 a wheel is pretty fair for fitting - after all it's not something you could do yourself. 
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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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MazDave, I got a set of 5 original Toyota alloys off ebay for less than the cost of 1 from Toyota and that included transport from UK to Spain. Use all kinds of search terms, because some people list them under the most obscure catagories. BTW Andorra has a massive choice of snow tyres straight off the shelf 
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Poster: A snowHead
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MazDave, Hugh Jarse, I think that although ATS are a major nationwide name, the service and attitude you get varies wildly between branches.
I can definitely recommend the Merthyr Tydfil one, but they aren't all as pleasant to deal with.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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alex_heney, I think I definately got "Mr Jobsworth" on a bad day, but at least he did drop the price with a little persuasion.
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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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Hugh Jarse, I got my snow tyres fitted, valves and balancing included, at ATS for a fiver each and I'm male. Bought snow tyres from 'mytyres.co.uk' and alloy wheels to put them on from eBay.....complete bargain I say!
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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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R32, You did very well, I'll give ATS a try next time. I used mytyres this week for the actual tyres too, maybe I was lucky but they had my size in stock. They do stock the very cheap asian ones that start from about £35 but I went for the mid range Avon's at £62 each inc delivery, they had a higher speed rating and whilst I don't drive fast I wanted (perhaps) a little more security, could'nt afford the Vredsteins. I paid £12 per tyre for the change and used a small independant tyre fitter, he has offered to store the regular tyres for me until I want to swap back as I could'nt find a set of steels to use in time, friends of mine paid £10 per tyre with another small independant this week for their swapover.
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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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Frosty, ..... your post just reminded me of an important point in relation to replacement tyres ..... regardless of what speed you drive, do check that the tyres are correctly speed rated to suit your vehicle. Insurance can be invalidated if lower rating tyres are used and I also understand that it's against the law.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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BernardC, Thanks, good point, I'll check this out, mine are SR to 138mph which I hope would be a sufficient margin over whats required although they do sell higher SR ones to 155mph(  )
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Frosty, Got the Avons as well, they're spot on, but checked when I was at ATS and they were double what I paid for them in there . Have been fantastic this week as car is rear wheel drive and a nightmare on the ice!
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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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P.S. If anyone has a Renault Clio and would like some original steel wheels (13") to put some snow tyres on, etc, I have some sitting in the garage from Missus R32's old car. Wheels have never been used and from an S Reg (98 ). Free to a good home, as long as you can collect! PM me if interested.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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george owen,
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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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George - oh it's dragging alright. I have to wait until Fab half term hols before we set sail...... 
Dave
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I'll be in Austria this time next week and its dragging. Still have tons to do though.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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R32,
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Hugh Jarse wrote: |
| ................Still have tons to do though. |
Its that ski challenge game holding you up 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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katiebeagle, nah, I only play that when I'm at work
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FAQ
. Haven't booked the electronic "Pass-Tignes" yet.(anyone done that and used it in anger?).
