[by way of a more extreme example I bet if you tried to fit the top of the range bling BMW 20" alloys to your bottom of the range 3 series the insurers would consider that to be a non-standard 'modification'].

Modifications in my view is about stealability. Adding the top range 20" alloys from a 335i to your 316i will make it LOOK like a 335i and therefor it has more risk from being stolen. The same with a spoiler or what not from a higher model. Engine modifications add to the speed the car can do and thus the risk it might be exposed to - so I see the point in having to declare this and other "cosmetic" changes. But winter tyres!? On bare basic I-really-don't-want-to-steal-that-car steel wheels?! Gosh they are petty these insurance people. But as you say they will try anything to not have to pay out.

As I intend fitting 16" steel wheels which are standard on the "Yeti E" but not available with the "SE" will this count a a non-standard fit?

According to my insurer, yes, as those are not the wheels the car was fitted with a standard to an SE.

Inside the fuel flap, I have two different tyre sizes listed for my Yeti 103kw Elegance 4x4:.

225/50 17 and 215/60 16.

Fitted to VAG wheels, I am convinced that winter 215/60 16 tyres are therefore NOT a notifiable modification.

As others have suggested though, I will not risk my insurers having anything to use to avoid their responsibilities, so I will be advising them in writing of the wheel/tyre details when I change. I do not expect to be charged but will let you know what happens. I think that Directline must be one of the biggest insurers, so could be interesting.

I've gone down the route of buying 4 Spectrum alloys for my car and Dunlop Winter Sport 3D 215 x 60 16" tyres.

I've got Skoda insurance and will report back when I have contacted them about the 'winter wheels'.

I got a reasonable discount from my dealer on the rims and they included the centre Skoda badge so that saved money and issues on 'filling the hole'.

I hope that buying Skoda spec'd rims will help.

ernieb

:wall:

+1

+2

It was 3.5 degrees this morning. It is acknowledged that below 7 degrees summer tyres lose their effectiveness as the rubber stiffens up.

John

Surely the answer is to replace the standard sized summer tyres with winter tyres? I can only assume that the insurance issues are mainly centred on the change in wheel size from the OEM fitment.

Having looked on mytyres.co.uk, for example, there are plenty of 225/50R17 winter tyres available.

i took the simple route of buying a scabby set of OE alloys in the normal size. I did check with my insurance co about speed rating (in case I ended up with H rated tyres), and they didn't care. As it was, I have V-rated winters.

Having looked on mytyres.co.uk, for example, there are plenty of 225/50R17 winter tyres available.

Much more expensive than the 16" ones though.

Mike

Personally I think the insurers have a point. If you have winter tyres on you are likely to be tempted to venture out in poor conditions and hence be more likely to have an accident. Surely winter tyres only help improve the grip for moving away in snow, they will be no better at starting or stopping on sheet ice than normal tyres.

Winter tyres are generally better in the cold, not just snow.

And the tyres may not be so suitable for high speed use on normal dry roads when the weather is clement.

You couldn't be wronger- mine are V rated. You're not going to do 149mph on snow, surely?

Edited 13 October, 201015 yr by cjb

Replace existing tyres with winter tyres on existing wheels - no problem

Get a set of identical wheels with winter tyres - no problem

You don't need to inform the insurance company as no modification has taken place in the above cases. Many insurers take the view that if you are asking there must be some doubt as to whether it's a modification. If in doubt - charge for it.

Well I think you will find that insurers like mine, WILL charge you or even invalidate your insurance if you swop over to winter tyres and not tell them !

I agree with you its an absurdity which I find startling, but I have spoken on the phone to my insurers today and they class even changing the tyres to winter tyres as a modification and will charge for that. Ridiculous ! So using their logic every time you have a service and the recommendation is that you need a new tyre, do you have to run cap in hand to your insurer to make sure its ok ?.....course not so why are winter tyres different.

Apparantly if you get the car from new and they come with winter tyres thats different, as they are not classed as a modification, or if you get them with the car as an extra from new they will not be classed as a modification until you physically change them over. The whole thing is an ass.

yours lividly

So, come March or April when you change back to "summer" tyres that will also be a modification, will they charge you more....or

when you change back will you be removing a modification and thus be entitled to a lower premium.

Reductio ad absurdum

(Latin: "reduction to the absurd") is a form of argument in which a proposition is disproven by following its implications logically to an absurd consequence.

tom

Reductio ad absurdum

Love that Tom and spot on! Indeed. So the winter ON extra premium will cancel out the summer OFF premium ad infinitum.

Would this solve your problems

Part No:-CEP800001 - Snow chains to fit the SE wheels .£65 from Skoda.

Edited 13 October, 201015 yr by Terfyn

Reductio ad absurdum

Isn't that the motto for the ABI

Just a quick update - I phoned Skda Insurance this morning and they said they would note the information on the policy (use of winter wheels) but that they did not consider it constituted a modification or change to the car. (no charge)

Job done.

eTyres coming this afternoon to fit the tyres to the rims - I'll make the wheel swap latter in the year.

ernieb

Just a quick update - I phoned Skda Insurance this morning and they said they would note the information on the policy (use of winter wheels) but that they did not consider it constituted a modification or change to the car. (no charge)

Job done.

eTyres coming this afternoon to fit the tyres to the rims - I'll make the wheel swap latter in the year.

ernieb

Great result plus peace of mind for you.

You couldn't be wronger- mine are V rated. You're not going to do 149mph on snow, surely?

Just because this thread is raising the temperature a little does not mean that standards of English should drop. Wronger!! Is this a Corsa SRX site for hoodies? We even have someone quoting latin on this thread. (by the way, your point is spot on)

Just because this thread is raising the temperature a little does not mean that standards of English should drop. Wronger!! Is this a Corsa SRX site for hoodies? We even have someone quoting latin on this thread. (by the way, your point is spot on)

Anything that has anything to do with these vultures we call insurers raises tempertaures !!

Insurers and fog lights seem to be the issues which get people hottest under the collar. Maybe we should see who can come up the worsest way of getting angry. Wronger or worsest, any advances?

Sorry, that may hijack the thread. Fun and frivolous but there is a serious discussion going on here. Back to insurer bashing.

Great result plus peace of mind for you.

I just called Skoda Insurance for a quote and whilst it was about £80 more than I currently pay I like the 'UK only' call centre aspect and the fact that all repairs would be carried out by a Skoda approved body shop so probably worth it overall. When i asked about the winter wheel/tyre issue the advisor was initially unsure and spoke to a supervisor who said that any wheels/tyres fitted in line with Skoda dealer recommendations would not constitute a notifiable modification.

I just called Skoda Insurance for a quote and whilst it was about £80 more than I currently pay I like the 'UK only' call centre aspect and the fact that all repairs would be carried out by a Skoda approved body shop so probably worth it overall. When i asked about the winter wheel/tyre issue the advisor was initially unsure and spoke to a supervisor who said that any wheels/tyres fitted in line with Skoda dealer recommendations would not constitute a notifiable modification.

It would be interesting to know who actually Skoda Insurance are i.e. they will most likely be a subsidiary of, or underwritten by, one of the major insurers.

Skoda Insurance is provided by Allianz (as is VW etc.,) - it was until recently Zurich......

It would be interesting to know who actually Skoda Insurance are i.e. they will most likely be a subsidiary of, or underwritten by, one of the major insurers.

I think they are Allianz insurance iirc. They beat my lowest quote by £100 AND covered the panoramic roof under standard glass cover (meaning a small excess of £60). The next cheapest quote that I got that did that was Zurich and they were just over double compared to Skoda insurance! :wonder:

It would be interesting to know who actually Skoda Insurance are i.e. they will most likely be a subsidiary of, or underwritten by, one of the major insurers.

Yes I was wondering that as I want to move from my existing insurers who said they will charge me for changing to winter wheels and tyres !! I am angry at having to pay for trying to do something proactive to make my car safer to drive in bad weather.