I keep reading different posts about people changing/swapping their alloys for winter.

Are you just 'saving' them or is there another benefit I've not thought of?

I've spent a decent amount of money on my new alloys, apart from them getting mucky, what's the problem with using them through the winter. And really when does winter end? In this country it can run for 4, 5, 6 months!

I have the original wheels in the garage with 2000 mile tyres on them, should I switch back?

I think people take them off to protect them from the winter crap on the roads like grit and dirt. I done that on my last car just because the wheels were quite a fancy set but now that I've got the Vrs I'm keen on the wheels and would not change them. Also too much of a pain to take them off and find a place to store them.

Davy

On the continent where they get slightly more predictable winters most car owners will have a set of wheels with pukka winter tyres on. In some parts of the UK this is common practice (high rural areas). However winter tyres aren't cheap in the UK as they aren't popular enough, so what many owners of fancy, hard to clean alloys and more importantly owners of polished alloys tend to own are a set of tattyish alloys for use whilst the roads are likely to be salted thus protecting their 'babies' bearing in mind a decent set of top notch alloys can set you back over a grand it's not such a bad idea.