Winter tyres for travel to Germany

Just as an aside, the A5 is particularly crap at the moment on the lower section between when you cross over into Germany at Mulhouse and up to around beyond Baden-Baden because of road widening works (and corresponding accidents), so if you can, try and pick and choose your moment to drive on that stretch to avoid major traffic movements…or else drive up the A35 and take the Offenburg exit.

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Talking of Mulhouse :wink: :upside_down_face:… anyone visited the car museum there ???

Unfortunately, I only ever drive around it…

We’ve longed to visit for some time now… ah well, something for the bucket list…

I was stuck for two hours leaving Stuttgart nearly two years ago and I don’t suppose it has got much better.

I drove along that stretch 5 or 6 times last year. It has always been a bit hit or miss, but definitely worse IMHO now than in previous years.

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It was going up the hill leaving Stuttgart and the press of traffic was horrendous. It was worse for the lorries, they must have taken twice the time.

Good advice Alex re roadworks - thanks.

That’s the reason we’re going Stella… to see the Bugatti Schlumpf collection at Auto Museum and believe it’s quite remarkable, but also calling into Sochaux for the Peugeot Museum - bit of a 70th Birthday boys trip!

Oh you lucky fellow. :relaxed: :relaxed: :relaxed:

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I live in Luxembourg where we have similar rules to Germany concerning winter tyre.
Here you must use winter or all weather tyres if the temperature is below +6c
I have for 2/3 decades had two sets of wheels. The cost is not small as a set of big BMW tyres with aluminium wheels can cost up to €2000. However if you have a small car like a Fiat 500 a set of tyres on steel rims costs +/-€400.
Changing wheels twice a year is not an old mans job (I am very old) The weight of a big BMW wheel with tyre is amazing. So there can be the cost of having someone else changing your wheels.
This last year I have a new 4x4 and have opted for all weather tyres. The car (made in Austria) came with Michelin Latitude 235/60 R18 (107V) M+S
While having two sets of tyres can mean they last a long time please remember that tyres that are older than 5/6 years should be replaced. There is a simple code on all tyres that tell you the date of manufacture (check google) so beware some good priced tyres as they may be (very) old stock

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Good advice and information re tyre dating…thank you

If you have an accident with summer tyres you will automatically be culpable and insurance is void. Either buy 4season tyres, legal and very good to use, or winter tyres on rims. Garages normally offer storage at cost. So speaks a german. :wink:

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Sound advice Gudrun from a German who knows, which convinces me more to act before I leave France.

Could you just get the train?

Yes that is an option Catherine to leave the car in Mulhouse and catch a train to Stuttgart and then tyres aren’t an issue, but I really wanted to enjoy a road trip by car with my buddy in areas of Germany where he drove Scenic Tour coaches many years ago. The timetable isn’t very convenient to get to the Mercedes Benz Museum in the east and then north to the Porsche Museum at Zuffenhausen with Hotels in between…however, we haven’t ruled it out and I appreciate your suggestion - thanks.

If I was doing that trip I’d want to drive through the Black Forest so the train wouldn’t be an option. If you’re a fan of the railways there’s also a railway museum there.

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