So front summer tyres are down to 3mm and will need replacing soon, however I have my winters in the garage so question is, would you put the winters on early or change the fronts to new summers now and put the winters on in November?

 

Just don't want to pay out twice for fitting if you get my drift?

Can't see the point in changing them twice myself?  It's a bit early for winters - could you stretch another month from the fronts and stay legal?  Swap fronts and rears for now which will keep the wear off the fronts?

IMHO the problem is that 3mm tread depth on front or back tyres is not the safest when the autumn weather arrives and it gets even more wet than it has been this summer.

 

I would get the new tyres and then change to winters when the cold weather threatens.

 

If the OP is way down south, how often are the winter tyres needed?

Buy a second set of alloys? Pay once for fitting and swap at will

 

Would mean the fitting of your new summer tyres wouldn't be such a waste.

 

(I know that alloys are more expensive than many fittings, but at least they retain some value)

I'd swap the fronts now. Far too early for winters IMHO. September can be a fairly mild month, and October heatwaves, although unusual aren't unheard of. Early November is the time to put winters on. Give or take a week or two.

As said above, a second set of alloys would ease your dilemma and wouldn't cost much in the long run.

Or buy all seasons.

Or just rotate your wheels for a couple of months, and wear the rears out a bit

Then tyre swap in October and worry about it in the spring

oops, pearoast

Edited 1 September, 201510 yr by johnthesparky

I am not a fan of repeatedly taking tyres off rims and putting them back on again. All that levering of the bead cannot do the tyre any good.

A second set of rims is a much better option, if you have space to store the spare set.

This means you have much better control of when you change over, and if the weather goes against you, you can always swap back again.

Stick the winters on

I'm in the same situation I've got 3.5mm on my front tyres I'm going to run them to the end of September and then put my winters on

I wouldn't bother. I would leave them as they are knowing that I should take extra care if I encounter heavy rain, and then I would change to wintertires a bit earlier than I normally would do.

I definitely wouldn't rotate front and rear wheels now, as it is safest with the best tires on the rear axle.

Edited 1 September, 201510 yr by citembe

Thanks guys for the responses.

 

Rotating not an option at this late stage and as the fronts are on 3mm, I wouldn't want that tread depth on the rear with the wet weather we get in the UK.

 

Possibly go with putting the winters on a month or so early in the hope the fronts can take it with me doing 2k miles a month.