Snow chains

[Ant]

I'm considering the new E320CDi Sport. Mercedes state that snow chains cannot be fitted to this car. The standard Rud disc chains won't fit because there is insufficient clearance between the tyre and wheel arch. Spikes Spider produce the Carrier model which will fit the tyre and they maintain that Mercedes have tested them and consider them to be excellent but they won't endorse them because they would lose a fortune in sales of extra wheels and winter tyres. Has anyone tried these Spikes Spider chains and are they acceptable. Any other ideas or comments please. I need chains to go skiing.

 

[marnix]

There is a new product called AUTOSOCK.
I have seen it for sale in France and Switzerland and it is now available in the UK.
It's like a sock that you slide over the tyre and is machine washable
The link is bellow

http://www.autosock.co.uk/

 

[Ant]

Many thanks for your reply Marnix. I have also seen the sock advertised and is available in the UK from www.roofbox.co.uk and is certainly a lot cheaper than Spikes Spider. The only problem is that if you are driving to France, it is a legal requirement to carry METAL chains if driving in the mountains. In Vald'Isere in February, all cars were turfed off the road by the police and were not allowed to proceed without chains on. If the Gendarme is in a bad mood, probably following the last driver who argued.........?

 

[marnix]

You didn't mention you were going to France for your skying holiday.
They do like nothing better than anoying the rest of the world that lot.
The chains are much more effectif than the socks while driving up hill (in the snow that is). I think they are the only ones making the chains a legal requirement. Don't think they are as fussy in switzerland. If you get stuck, you only have yourself to blame after all.
Your best bet is to fit smaller wheels than usual , this will give you more clearance for the chains. as you will be going much slower, i would not worry about the speedo being slightly out on your real speed. If you stick to 70 or 81 in France, you will be bellow the national speed limit anyway. Or keep up with the rest of them, you should be doing about 95-100 by then. But remember, they do target us rich people in fancy cars coming from the UK.
I got stopped in France last summer for keeping up with traffic on the motorway. They came over to the car talking between them about how to deal with a British customer and got the shock of their lives when they had finished their conversation that I was actually a French speaking Belgian citizen living in the UK. I had heard the whole of their conversation and was going to report them to the local authorities and their own superior, as one of my good friends is a commanding officer in the Parisian Gendarmerie.
after a frank exchange of opinions, they let me go with no further action required and no money exchanged.
Didn't like them before this and like them even less now.
And we complain about our own police, we don't know how lucky we are.

 

[psmart]

If you've got a 4x4, the Gendarmes dont bother you. Several times in La Clusaz/Chamonix area, everyone got stopped except 4x4's.
One bit of advise though, if your going to use chains, either put on steel rims for the journey or get some sort of protector. I always carry 4 chains with me, and I've never really needed to use them, except in Norway coming down a 1 in 3 gradient, then wished I hadnt because the chains chewed up the alloy laquer, costing £250 to get re-faced. To be honest, I've got winter tyres on a 4x4 and in 5 years of using the car in the Alps/Scandiwegia, havent needed them (including Norway, where I was over cautious).
Never looked into alternatives to chains, they take 2-3 minutes per wheel to fit and relatively cheap to buy, so unless like Ant you've got specials on, why change from something tried and trusted by alpiners? Also, snow at this time of year? In Austria (Salzburgerland), its peeing it down, in 2 weeks most of the snow has gone!!

 

[Ant]

Marnix - delighted to hear that you got one over on the French police. It is because they seem to target the British that I always stay close to the limit. We also use ViaMichelin directions which always give warnings on where the speed cameras are. We are going to Les Arcs on Friday in our old car - E320CDi Avantgarde (old shape) so won't be needing new chains until at least next year now. Maybe by then something esle will come up.

 

[psmart]

Also, snow at this time of year? In Austria (Salzburgerland), its peeing it down, in 2 weeks most of the snow has gone!!

I take it all back, just driven to Munich Airport and since last night, it has been dumping it down with Snow Bad driving, many cars had to put on chains, so it looks like if your not 4x4, carry chains at all times uptil Summer