[MegaMatt3]

I feel like I'll be right on the cusp. I do plan to travel into the Alps (Zuspitze, etc). Do you guys think winter tires will be necessary?

Side question: if I do rent winter tires, is it delivered with those already installed at the Welt?

[iainb]

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...nfoWinter.aspx

The following website outlines a snow tire rental option and includes pricing and details of booking the tire rental in Germany. Please be advised that all cars must come back to Munich to have your original BMW tires put back on the car before shipment to the U.S. Please note, snow tires are subject to availability.

www.edwintertires.com

[MegaMatt3]

Originally Posted by iainb

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...nfoWinter.aspx

Right, so they say 10/15 through 4/15 you should have winter tires, but my understanding is this information is outdated. I believe the current law is you can be cited for not having winter tires when the weather is snowy, whenever that is.

So my question is, will 10/13 through 10/20 be a safe time of year to travel with summer tires, or should I rent winter tires? It's going to be like $300 to rent them, so I want to be sure they're needed first.

[iainb]

Originally Posted by MegaMatt3

Right, so they say 10/15 through 4/15 you should have winter tires, but my understanding is this information is outdated.

If your car has summer tires you're going to want to run winter/all-season tires during this same period here in the Mid-Atlantic.

You do not want to be on summer tires when the temperature is in the (F) 40s or lower.

Here are the average temps for major European cities in October:
http://www.currentresults.com/Weathe...re-october.php
http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w...Munich-Germany

[SteveInfante]

Originally Posted by MegaMatt3

Right, so they say 10/15 through 4/15 you should have winter tires, but my understanding is this information is outdated. I believe the current law is you can be cited for not having winter tires when the weather is snowy, whenever that is.

So my question is, will 10/13 through 10/20 be a safe time of year to travel with summer tires, or should I rent winter tires? It's going to be like $300 to rent them, so I want to be sure they're needed first.

You can be cited as well as you run the risk of paying for all damages and medical bills out of your pocket should you be even involved in a vehicular accident, even if it's of no fault of your own. The Police here WILL check to make sure you had the correct tires on your vehicle if there is an accident. The insurance company will automatically default to you being personally liable because you made the personal choice to be an unsafe driver. This scenario is even when there's frost or slush. It doesn't have to be driving on snow.

My advice, just rent the tires or ask them to install A/S tires instead of the MPSS's. Ask yourself if possibly being liable for tens of thousands of Euros is worth it to skip out on the $300 to rent them. Oh and it will be hard to leave the country should you be involved and found personally liable.

Bavaria is unpredictable at best from around the middle of September through May. I've lived here for 3 years. It was 50 degrees two weeks ago here if that's any indication. If you are going to Garmisch then for sure get the tires. It's colder down there near the mountains.