You are now in Europe so we don't need to hear how the americans do it better!!
While all season tyres may be fine there, the majority of tyres here are either summer or winter. Hence why there is a need if you are driving into certain locations that you need the correct tyres. Austria is one location where I am reasonable sure it is law and you will be asked not to proceed in some areas if you front up with summer tyres.
If I recall correctly, my local garage charges 10 CHF to change one whole wheel (rim+ tire together), or about 40 CHF to remove the summer tire and put the winter one on. To have a full set of tires+rims for each summer and winter means a higher up-front cost, plus about 80 CHF cost to swap the wheels 2x per year (plus the time). 80 CHF is about the cost of one mid-priced tire. Instead of changing tires, after 2 years you could buy 2 new winter tires. So I think even if the winter tires do wear faster in summer, it still might be cheaper to leave winter tires on year-round. Plus less hassle.
On a side note, I am from New York (city are, not upstate) and there we got about the same amount of snow as here in Bern, but in NY I never saw anyone have winter/summer tires, everyone just had all-seasons, and it's not like cars were sliding all over the place there in winter. Of course every place does things different, and that doesn't mean one's right or the other's wrong. I think here in Switzerland, it's maybe more part of the culture to swap tires, because technically it's slightly more efficient (same why Europeans prefer manual transmissions over automatics). Or maybe if you drive to the mountains (which alot of people do) it's a good idea. But generally, for driving around Bern, I think summer/winter tires are kind of un-necessary. Which is why I think I'll just leave my winter tires on year-round. ...but so far, based on the poll above, I seem to be in the minority.
I am using Cooper Discoverer M+S tires all year-round. They have been by far the best tires I 've ever owned. I have never experienced any problem driving on snow rain or dry. Had though some problems driving on ice but I don't think any other tire would have behaved better taking all things into account. I have driven approximately 35000 Kms and they still look like new. Cheers
We have 2 sets of wheels (different sized rims) and were swapping them over ourselves.
Two years ago we needed to buy new summer tires and were quoted 1800 chf. Buying online they wanted extra fitting fees or the tire places didn't stock the ones we wanted. We just left the winter ones on and they are still good. They are a fair bit noiser and screech a bit when it is warm. We don't drive much though.
On a connected note if you mean to travel to Italy in the summer, I maybe be out of date but it was illegal to drive in the summer on winter tyres there, worth checking out.
If you are here long-term (ish) it is NOT a rip off at all, as a/ you, your family and other road users will be much safer and b/ your tyres will last much longer. Makes sense no?
stvJulia - I just love NYC. Doesn't mean we have to agree about tyres though
That's insane, do you have some kind of special size or something? On-line at 123reifen.ch or reifendirekt.ch I can get 15" tires each for about 60 CHF (low-end), 80-100 CHF (mid-range) or higher for top-end stuff.
I just drove to Italy last summer, I didn't know they had any rules relating to driving there, it seemed like road-signs were just "suggestions"
Unless like me you live VERY close to the border and the French shops are equidistant to the Swiss ones, it does not really make sense to go shopping in France or Germany for a loaf of bread and a few bits. But for a full set of rims and winter tyres, it would make sense to compare and make the journey worth while. BTW Sarko is putting up French VAT to 21.5% soon- so claim the VAT back as CH VAT is about half. Or fill the car up as each person can use his/her 300CHF allowance, 1 tyre/rim each.
I also come from the Upper Midwest and we got alot of snow. I ran winter tires on the rear seems like forever, but we get off the orod into the dirt now and then, plus the rain on gravel roads.. yuck.. but again we didn't have mountains and our insurance and police didn't look at our tires if they were winter, MS or all season.. it's like they say do it as the others do.. causes less problems. Oh we didn't have the Alps in the upper midwest and weren't in Switzerland. So my advice do as the others. A U.S. person here has to really shrink the bubble around him, cause we are always getting bumped if not on every move we make.