I'm investigating whether it's worth fitting winter tyres to a Saab 9-5. The standard tyres are 225/45 R17 but 16" wheels are listed as an option. I'm tempted to get two 16" steel wheels and put 205/55 winter tyres on them to replace the rear wheels. Is it legal to mix sizes and profiles front/back providing the rolling diameters are the same?
Dave
It's not illegal - many cars, including many Mercedes models, have a "staggered" setup.
However if you change away from either the original sizes or alternatives recommended in the handbook then you open a can of worms insurance wise. You really ought to ask them, and they'll probably be uppity about it.
Also, are you suggesting 2 winter tyres? That's a no no - they really do make a huge difference in slippy conditions and you'll find the back-end trying to overtake the front on cornering and when you try to stop. It the same issues as why new tyres should always go on the back of a car.
You'll probably trigger a huge discussion on whether it's better to put the snow tyres on the back or the front - I've seen some quite epic arguments over that one :-)
I've been in the US for a few years so I don't know if there's a recent UK law, but I don't remember there being one in the past, so long as you were meeting minimum tread depths.
cheers
Jules
The owner's manual gives 6.5x16 as alternative wheels, with 205/55 16
91Q tyres.
... that's why I was thinking of putting the winter tyres on the back (and to use snowsocks on the front, if needed, to get traction).
It looks like steel wheels are going to be hard to find, is there any reason not to use alloys?
Winter tyres Dave - we have hardly had more than a dusting of the white stuff this week! Can't answer your question but....
There was something on the Radio 4 this afternoon - possibly Moneybox Live where someone was reporting insurance companies wanting to charge more if you were running on winter tyres. Seemed a bit daft if the policy holder was taking extra precaution to be charged more. It did not hear all the item as I had my woodworking machinery running on and off. If I stopped to listen to all the interesting bits, I'd never get anything done!
Cheers
Bob
I think what they want is for you to notify them, so they can note it against your policy. They may not charge you extra but it seems like these days there's an "admin" fee for varying your policy.
The car may still behave unpredictably as the rear will have better adhesion (on wet and cold etc).
Last time (8-10 years back) I got a brand new steel wheel for then newish 9000 (which wore alloys) from a dealer. It was only 50 GBP. Alloys would be more expensive, and much easier to damage. Also alloys are in the more difficult sizes for getting specialist tyres for them. There is the option of just changing tyres on your existing wheels (probably like me you don't fancy the idea).
Scrapies may be an option as it is likely you can use the wheels of the older 9-5s (the ones that died from sludge).
You should really do all 4s, esp. if you can source second hand wheels. Aim for the narrowest tyre with the highest profile and stay within manufacturer's specs. Check carefully if the wheel bolts are suitable for bolting steel wheels (length of bolt and mating face). They are ok for bolting the little steel spare wheels (but they are limited in speed and distance). Consider how the insurance may be affected.
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If I could get steel wheels for a 2008 9-5 Aero I could have done it + 4 winter tyres. Only a few 17"s can fit the damn thing.
There are a couple of car groups, including a SAAB group (quiet) post there if you are looking for sources of stuff.
Cheers C.
I've seen tales on the Audi forums where Audi insurance (OK it's outsourced) refuse to insure an Audi with dealer fitted Audi brand winter wheels/tyres, despite Audi on the continent recommending the same winter wheels/tyres and outsourcing to the same insurer!
Wider tyres must be fitted to the rear, not the front. The exception in law is a designated space saver tyre - which imposes various load, speed and even distance limitations.
Insurers will require notifying if you go from steel wheels to aluminium (ie, increase the attractiveness of the vehicle re risk they are undertaking). The police may check the load rating of a tyre is appropriate in any accident, for example some narrow low profile tyres have a load limit of 893lb at max inflation which if the vehicle load is 1100lb per wheel is not legal (it was an easy mistake to make actually when "plus-sizing").
Simplest thing is remove your existing tyres, fit winter-summer snow tyres, done. By winter-summer snow tyres I recall they have a winter tread which wears through leaving summer tread underneath. I can not recall their name, perhaps Blizzaks or something similar. The summer compound is "reasonable" (do not expect P-Zero etc). Buying smaller wheels etc does not gain you much traction, snow tyres are so much better than a far wide low profile summer tyre.
Of course once the snow lifts the front subframe off the ground, you need a tractor :-)
If you fit snow tyres, you would find that 4 is an improvement and 2 is merely entertainment... or horror.
Don't go to Switzerland then in the winter. If you have an accident in the winter you will find it difficult to claim that the accident is not your fault if you don't have winter tyres on!
A car I have arranged to hire from Geneva next week comes with chains (and winter tyres and ice scraper). The law states that chains (and maybe the other items) must be provided between the 15th November and 31st March.
I'd be inclined to go for four rims and tyres to save having a problem with front-rear balance. The better option for tyre size would be 195/65/15 on
15" rims as the narrow profile will bite through the snow better, I don't know about Saab 9-5 but a 9-3 is a Vectra and 15 steel rims are quite common on ebay from the boy racers who like to 'kev up' to alloys from standard base trim steelies. Some insurance companies appear to taking this trend for more safety as an oppurtunity to charge (an admin fee at the least!!) but if the tyre size is an optional size then I doubt they have a leg to stand on in trying to refuse a claim but that probably wouldn't stop them wriggling.I run on winter tyres and have chains (from years as a ski-bum) and I'd take my chance in front of twelve good men and true if the insurance company ever got arsey about me having 'modifications'.
You don't get 12 men on civil claims.
You get a fairly knowledgeable ombudsman and if that fails a judge. If you are very lucky indeed the judge might even know about this area of law rather than criminal, child care etc.
The 9-5 Aero has large brakes so 15" wheels don't fit.
In that case get steel wheels in 16" and the narrowest profile (to cut through the snow) that will give the same rolling circumference.
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