snow chains.............None will work????!!!!

Again, you missed the point, which is not whether its right or wrong, good or bad to use those kind of wheels, but the fact that lots of people seem to do so, which suggests that back at home they have a set of nice fat alloys with summer tyres on in the garage ready to swap over when the season changes. The cars I saw were virtually all German or Austrian registrations.

Its probably also got something to do with the fact, as stated elsewhere, that many spec'd cars come with wheels which are low profile or with too little clearance to take chains.

My Leon FR is hardly a performance car, its a 2.0 diesel, but it came with 18 inch wheels and low profile tyres which most certainly will not allow me to put snow chains on them.

I think that probably takes us quite nicely back to the original question, as oppose to the one you raise of motorway stopping distances.

well just to reiterate (by the way I havent a clue what a steel wheel is....is that alloy?) My tyres are 205/60/15 and are hardly low profile or performance. So I am hoping that as long as the chains I order actually fit the tyre and clear the wheel arch that they should be ok.

But fingers crossed if worse comes to worse we will leave the car at worgl and get a taxi. (if the chains are no good).

Can you actually go 70mph with snow chains on? I wouldnt have thought you would want to go that fast with snow chains on if the roads are bad? or is that just me?

"If you use steel wheels on cars with fairly modest performance then you will adversely impact braking performance, that's extremely dangerous when travelling at autobahn speed. Alloy wheels were originally fitted to cars because the alloy used has properties that dissipate heat under hard braking, that's why alloy wheels have spokes to increase surface area and allow the wheels to cool under hard barking. And that's why in some countries you're not allowed to use steel wheels on some cars."

Which comic did you get this ?
Not counting the Swiss MOT standards, of course.
And Autobahn speed being 65 kmh, 130 kmh, or Bugatti Veyron 400kmh ??

Think it's time to admit you're wrong, ISE ...
And stop sucking lemons.
G

So am I right in saying I havent got steel wheels? and this doesnt affect me?

Karen ... you don't do 70kmh or mph with chains on. You crawl up the hill and take them off when you get to the top. Chains are used for traction.
And forget what Mr "I know it all backwards" says about steel and alloy wheels. Stop worrying ... you'll be fine.
G

PS .. what exactly is hubby contributing to this holiday ?

Karen, we used to have a Passat, and we had snow chains, however models vary, and your car may have less space inside the wheel arch. This means that some of the chunky chains may not have enough space, and the chain can catch on the wheel arch, or the suspension leg, or the brake bits, or worse still, you could not turn the steering properly. I would be very wary of buying chains from ebay.
I trust the folks at the Roofbox Co to give sensible guidance. Ian Wickham posted the link earlier. They will tell you which brand of chains to go for. They also do rental, though I have not used that service.

Don't worry too much about the alloy wheels debate, get the size and brand of chain right and it will cease to be an agenda item.

gdbn wrote:"If you use steel wheels on cars with fairly modest performance then you will adversely impact braking performance, that's extremely dangerous when travelling at autobahn speed. Alloy wheels were originally fitted to cars because the alloy used has properties that dissipate heat under hard braking, that's why alloy wheels have spokes to increase surface area and allow the wheels to cool under hard barking. And that's why in some countries you're not allowed to use steel wheels on some cars."

Which comic did you get this ?
Not counting the Swiss MOT standards, of course.
And Autobahn speed being 65 kmh, 130 kmh, or Bugatti Veyron 400kmh ??

Think it's time to admit you're wrong, ISE ...
And stop sucking lemons.
G

bizzare :roll:

http://books.google.com/books?id=BJUVdn5SMBgC&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=brake+fade+alloy+wheels&source=bl&ots=rO7uj3XOCt&sig=KHCmCB0kIcNlaL_qdNnoPDjfkZ8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result

time to admit you're wrong maybe?

I don't see any need for you to be quite so abusive.

You never do! And I dont think he was being in any way abusive.
And please check your spelling before pontificating!