Winter tires – premium or cheap?

in germany there is no law that obliges motorists to use winter tires. However, if a driver is found driving with summer tires in winter road conditions, i.e. snow, slush or ice, a fine is usually due. Because it does not get so wintry everywhere, some motorists do without winter tires. But since the weather is usually unpredictable, sometimes there is heavy snowfall even in regions with little snow. Then it is not only a question of fine or no fine, but it is a question of traffic safety – for yourself and all other road users – to drive with winter tires.

German drivers take the "O to O" rule very seriously

There is no specific time for changing tires. Most people drive the winter tires "from O to O", i.e. from october to easter. However, this is not set in stone. If it is still warm in October, there is no reason why you should not continue to drive with summer tires. However, if there is a sudden onset of winter and the first snow has fallen, it is often difficult to get an appointment at the workshop. therefore it is advisable to switch to the coarser profiles at an early stage. On weather.De can display snow forecasts for the whole of germany for the next 14 days to give an indication of whether it is urgent to change the tires. German drivers take the O-to-O rule extremely seriously. Demand for winter tires is particularly high in october.

tires from china very cheap to buy

Cheap tires, most of which come from China, are less popular with German drivers than brand-name tires, even though they are about 30 percent cheaper. only about two percent of customers buy the cheap tires and for good reason. Because in terms of fuel efficiency and durability, brand-name tires outperform by far.

• Fuel Efficiency

The fuel efficiency of a tire can be determined on the basis of rolling resistance. There are different classes. In class A the tire shows ideal rolling conditions, in class B the fuel consumption is about 0.1 liter fuel per 100 kilometers higher. In the worst class, fuel consumption is 0.66 liters higher per 100 kilometers. Of course, the fuel consumption also depends on the individual driving style. But while many premium brands offer class A tires, the cheap tires from the Far East are predominantly in the worst fuel efficiency class. In concrete terms, this means that a large part of the saving on the purchase price is eaten up by higher fuel costs.

• Braking distance and aquaplaning

But that is not all. The cheap tires often have significantly worse properties in the wet and in handling, the braking distance is usually longer. While a premium tire brings the vehicle to a halt after just under 50 meters during emergency braking in the wet at an initial speed of 100 km/h, cheap tires require a longer braking distance. The longest braking distance was about twelve meters longer. This means that the cheap tires in serious cases can become a real danger. There are also serious differences when it comes to aquaplaning. Cheap tires already float when driving over a wet surface, understeer strongly and then can not be kept in the track even with heavy steering. Premium tires meanwhile stay on track even at 80 km/h. This can also end badly.

• Wear

The differences in wear and tear are just as significant. To measure wear, each tire or type of tire is driven several thousand kilometers in a test, either on the road or on a test stand. The mileage is then calculated down to the legally required minimum tread depth of 1.6 millimeters. cheap brands usually achieve no more than 30.000 kilometers, while the high-quality tires with a mileage of around 60.000 kilometers score. This is more than double. The importance of the minimum tread depth for tires is explained by the association for citizen-oriented traffic policy under fine catalog.Org.

What is ultimately important when buying

At the latest when winter road conditions with ice and snow prevail, winter tires are mandatory in Germany.
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