The first tyre change on the car: tips and tricks

As if the choice wasn't torture enough, you also have to consider a whole lot of specifications and restrictions when buying tires. Only very specific tire sizes are permitted for each car.

This is logical, after all, small cars and SUVs do not come with the same tires on the roads. So which tyres are suitable for your own vehicle? The answer can be found in several places – or rather: you should also find it in one of these places.

• In the registration certificate: This has replaced the vehicle registration document since 2005. Which tire size is the right one can be found in Part 1 under point 15.
• In the case of an old vehicle registration document, the numbers 20, 21, 22 and 23 show the tyre size. In some cases, other tyre sizes can also be found under number 33.
• The CoC document (Certification of Conformity, can be requested from the brand dealer) provides information on the prescribed tire size under numbers 32 and 50.
• The tire size is also indicated on the tire sidewall, i.e. the sidewall of the tires.

The type of tyre is usually indicated in the form of a code made up of letters and numbers. As a novice driver, however, the jumble of numbers and letters is not so easy to crack. However, if you know how to decipher the code, the tire size can be easily read.

We will show you how to do this using the example code 195/65 R 15.

• The first number, in this case 195, represents the tire width. This is given in millimeters. In our example, the tires are 195 mm wide.
• The next number describes the ratio of tire height to tire width in percentage. 65 therefore means that the tire cross-section has a height of 65 percent of the tire width.
• Next comes a letter that refers to the construction of the tires. In our case, we are dealing with the usual "radial design". So car owners will encounter the R in most cases. A D would stand for diagonal tires, for example, but these are only common for classic cars.
• The number following the letter indicates the rim diameter. In the example, this is 15 inches (38.10 centimeters) and corresponds to the inner diameter of the matching tire.

Once the code has been cracked, almost nothing stands in the way of buying a tyre. Only one decision still has to be made: winter and summer tyres – or should it simply be all-season tyres?

The law leaves this decision up to the motorist. The situational winter tire requirement allows both winter and all-season tires in different weather conditions on German roads. Nevertheless, the majority of drivers rely on winter tires in icy weather.

For good reason: Although the all-weather tyres replace the annoying replacement, they show clear weaknesses compared to the summer-winter variant, according to ADAC tests. That's why the supposed all-rounders will probably remain only a compromise in the future, which you should better not make. Our recommendation is therefore clear: Do not put your own safety at risk - but rather use suitable winter tyres!

In short, it's not as simple as it sounds. After all, the selection is huge and the risk of accidentally buying the wrong set of tires is great.

Tyres online or on-site?

Online retailers seem to be the clear winners in terms of price. In addition, delivery to the front door is usually included in the price. So, should your next tires be from the internet?

The decision is not quite that simple. After all, one crucial step is missing with online tires: mounting them on the rims and on the car. Because if you have the tires professionally fitted in a workshop from the Internet, you usually pay a lot more. In most cases, the additional costs are so high that the purchase and installation at the dealer around the corner would be cheaper in comparison.

In addition, online retail can hardly keep up with the local retailer when it comes to advice. In most cases, online trading is therefore only worthwhile if you can take care of the installation of the tyres yourself. If this is not the case, we recommend paying a visit to the local dealers.

Car tires used or new?

Driver's license, vehicle and then the new set of tires? The dream of owning your own car can be quite expensive. So are old, retreaded tires a good economical alternative?

In principle, there is nothing to be said against buying second-hand. However, if you want to equip yourself with second-hand tires, you have to look very carefully when buying. After all, unlike buying a new one, there are no guaranteed flawless, factory-new tires. For the purchase to be worthwhile, three factors must be right.

• The tread depth of a new set is about eight millimeters. To ensure that drivers are still safe on the road – regardless of the temperatures – the tread depth should not be less than three millimetres, and not less than four millimetres for summer tyres. In order to be able to use the tyre for a while, we recommend that you use a tread depth of at least five millimetres when buying used.
• The age of the tires also plays an important role. Because the longer the service life, the harder the material. The result: the tire can no longer grip properly on the road. This can be particularly dangerous on roads with ice and snow. The reused set of tyres should therefore not be older than three years. By the way: The DOT number on the tyre sidewall shows how many years the tyres have already been around. This consists of three blocks of four characters each. The date of manufacture is revealed by the last block. The first two digits indicate the week of production, the last two digits the year of production.
• Storage is just as crucial when buying tyres. Dry, cool and dark storage of the tires is optimal and speaks for a purchase. If this is not the case, the condition of the tires suffers considerably, and damage is possible. This means: Stay away from the used bikes!

Whether it's buying online, tyres from local retailers or even a second-hand bargain – don't forget to compare prices!

Although buying tires then requires (even) more effort, in the end the time investment is still worth it. Because don't buy the first set of tyres that comes along, with a little luck and patience you will discover real bargains - online, in the store and used!

Sind die richtigen Reifen erst einmal gefunden, geht es zum tatsächlichen Reifenwechsel. Eine aufregende Situation für Fahranfänger. Schließlich stehen die meisten zum allerersten Mal vor dieser Herausforderung. Das ist jedoch noch lange kein Grund in Panik zu verfallen! Denn ob Hobby-Handwerker oder Schrauber-Niete: Beim Radwechsel gibt es für jeden die passende Lösung.

Wechselt man die Reifen auf eigene Faust, erspart das nicht nur Kosten, sondern auch die Fahrt zur Werkstatt. Klingt erstmal gut, oder? Dennoch ist hierbei Vorsicht geboten. Schließlich trägt die Funktionsfähigkeit der Autoreifen einen entscheidenden Teil zur Sicherheit des Fahrzeugs bei. Führen Sie den Radwechsel selbst durch, sollten Sie also besser ganz genau wissen, was Sie tun!

Zur Erinnerung haben wir die wichtigsten Punkte zum Reifenwechseln auf eigene Faust zusammengefasst:

• The tyres with the best tread go to the rear axle. This is crucial for driving stability and therefore requires the fittest pair of tires.
• In addition, the tire tread is in some cases directional. The tires may therefore only be mounted on one side of the car. Which side this is is shown by an arrow in the direction of travel, which is located on the tire sidewall.
• Then it's time to check the tire pressure. What this should ideally be like is usually written in the fuel filler cap, in the driver's door or in the car's operating instructions. Newer models also have a TPMS system for continuous measurement of tyre pressure as standard. This is helpful - but the appropriate pressure measurement valves must also be installed in the tires. If this is not the case, the vehicle is considered "not roadworthy".
• In order to get the car on the roads next year, the care of the removed wheels must not be missing. These should be cleaned with clear water and washing-up liquid.
• The last step of replacing the tires involves marking the removed tires with chalk in order to know the position on the vehicle next year. The following markings are common among drivers: VL (front left), VR (front right), as well as HL (rear left) and HR (rear right). After about 10,000 kilometers, the front tires should then be moved to the rear, as the wear of these tires is usually weaker.

But if you lack the right knowledge, a torque wrench, the wheel cross, the right wheel nuts and the jack, it is of course better to go to a specialist. Here, too, we will show you what you need to consider at the end.

If you don't feel prepared for changing wheels or just want to save some time, a car repair shop is the right place to go. But before you put your own car in the hands of the professionals, you should check off the following points:

• Compare prices! Because they sometimes differ enormously. For orientation: A seasonal tire change should not cost more than 20 to 30 euros.
• When changing tires, the well-known "O-to-O rule" also applies. The winter tyres therefore remain on the vehicle from October to Easter, the summer tyres from Easter to October. Logically, the rush to the workshops is particularly great at these times. Therefore, it is better to pick up the phone early enough to get an appointment for a tire change.
• The rim bolts often differ between summer and winter tires. So you should definitely bring the right screws with you to the change date.
• The same applies to the attachment or key to be able to release the theft protection of the tyres – if there is one.

If the new wheels are firmly attached and the old slippers are off, the tire change is not (completely) done. After all, tyre control on the car also plays an important role. The tire nuts with which the tires are attached to the car can loosen after some time. Yes, seriously! Therefore, drivers should check that everything is in order after about 50 to 100 kilometers driven and tighten the nuts again.

And optimal storage is also an important factor for safe, long-lasting tires. Because proper storage ensures long riding pleasure.

If you have your own garage or a spacious basement, you can store the tyres in your own home. What do you need to keep in mind? Some:

• Over the months of storage, the tires continuously lose air. Therefore, you should increase the air pressure of the tires to 0.5 bar above the manufacturer's specification before storing. This way you can be sure that the pressure will be sufficient the next time you change the tyres and that the tyres will not give out before that – and possibly deform adversely.
• Complete wheels, i.e. tires already mounted on the rims, should be stacked on top of each other.
• Tyres without rims, on the other hand, should be stored upright and rotated by a quarter from time to time.
• The location of storage should also meet three requirements: dry, cool, dark. And also very important: Oils and solvents must not get on the tires during storage!

A city apartment, on the other hand, has little space to store car tires appropriately. So alternatives are needed here. If there is no space at home, we offer...

• car repair shops,
• tire dealers,
• Car dealer