In my particular case it concerns a Citroen C3, the base model with 68 hp (so no handling and no speed ). I check tire thread every winter to see if I need new tires, I do not run them down to less than 3 - 4 mm. I do not go high speed (68 hp!) but am typically on cruise control at 95 kmh on the right lane (also when the limit is 120), this saves gas and is not so stressfull.
Another thing, I figure that I am driving around on the wrong tires in the 'good' season. With plenty of light, good visibility and good road conditions I estimate the chance of an accident in summer is less than in the winter. What I am saying, braking distance might be a bit longer but the chance that I need to do an emergency stop in summer is smaller than in winter. With the wrong tires in the winter (summer tires) is a different story...
Considering the other case (where I would swap tires every season), how do 6 year old summer tires compare to 3 year old winter tires, in the summer ? What is the general level of safety in winter when using 6 year old winter tires ? I am just happy to have new rubber al'round every 3 years...
The weather conditions can change very rapidly and although you may get to a lovely spot in the mountains without the chains, you may not be able to get back. Given that avalanche danger is currently very high, the chances of roads being closed is also very high. The WI in wife stands for WIsdom. have fun!
Would something like the Michelin Alpin 6 suffice with a FWD car on most roads in Switzerland, or better stick with more rugged models such Michelin X-ice Snow?
The X-Ice Snow seams to be a North American model which is not usually sold by Michelin in Europe where the Alpine models are sold.
The Alpine are often top contenders in the annual TCS & ADAC winter tyre test. A thread pattern might perform better/worse in one dimension then in an other.
Maybe Europeans are less concerned how the tyre looks than actually how it performs on snow. Or maybe Europeans are indeed concerned how it looks but it must look nice and sexy. Who knows.
Edit: Or central Europeans, such as I, do not know what "Nordic" means. Looks like a good "European" can outperform a bad "Nordic". But the best "Nordic" is better than the best "European". Considering the temperature here is often above 0 °C I do not see the use of a "Nordic" in the low lands.
In recent years I've always gone with budget tyres, even on high-performance vehicles. Sites like reifendirekt.ch/pneu-direct.ch give a number of ratings, including grip, noise and economy and these allow a sensible selection to be made.
In my experience there's little to choose, in pure grip terms, between the cheapest and the most expensive winter tyres; this is based on a lot of winter mountain driving, often on unsalted roads, and often in an "enthiusiastic" fashion on reasonably powerful [1] 4wd road cars, over the last twenty-odd years.
(I don't count my experience with the Landrover Defender, as tyre choices are so limited and it has many other factors at play than for most vehicles.)
So I would consider going for the premium brands like Michelin Alpin largely a waste of money, but I know that a lot of people will still just go for them anyway. Branding is still a strong factor in many people's decision-making.
As for the original question, if you buy a "winter" tyre here it will have the snowflake marking, which is really all you need to worry about. North American markets, roads and vehicles are different enough to discount in this context.
[1] does 300bhp count as "powerful"? It does in my book.
Most roads in Switzerland is quite general. If there's effectively a lot of snow, you should mount the snow chains. Therefore the best tire is irrelevant. See this thread https://www.englishforum.ch/transpor...uirements.html
If it's just cold but no snow (usual condition in the Swiss plateau), any tire with the snowflake symbol works. And drive with care and keep safe distance from the car in front of you
Three things to consider when buying a winter / all season tyres:
1. Snow flake symbol
2. Three peak mountain symbol
3. M+ S marking
Most newer tyres have 1 and 2 above as one symbol.
Apart from above, I personally consider the European wet rating, A or B. This is to keep my mind at rest whenever I see the aquaplaning warning signs in the autoroute
“Nordic” is about how well (or if) they clear the roads. In Finland for instance, many roads are not cleared of snow, but rather snow is pressed in, and more chunky tyres are needed to keep biting into this surface.
In continental Russia where I’ve been living most use studded Nordic tyres, as poorly cleared snow and black ice are probably the biggest threat.
Most roads are kept free of snow. There's a road sign that says something like snow is not cleared beyond this point with text but you'll never find this sign on any major road connecting villages. This sign is found on small roads connecting farms and isolated houses. Check the places around your usual driving areas to find where's the limit of the snow cleaning coverage.
