It may still seem like summer in some parts of Spain, but the season is slowly changing with more rain, storms and falling temperatures, so it may be time to start thinking about changing your tyres.
If you live in northern or central Spain in particular, it could be time to start preparing for the winter and thinking about what you may need to do to your car to be able to drive safely on potential frost, ice and snow.
The most important of these is to change your car’s tyres and make sure you have appropriate winter ones instead.
In Spain, cars typically have mixed tyres, wheels that are suitable for driving in the high temperatures of summer but also when there’s lots of rain on the road.
Winter tyres – called neumáticos de invierno or ruedas para nieve (wheels for snow) will allow you to brake more quickly and experience greater grip while driving.
In northern or higher-altitude areas, such as Castilla y León, Aragón and the Pyrenees, you may need to change them even earlier than the official start of winter.
To be clear, it isn’t mandatory to have winter tyres for part of the year as it is in other European countries.
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In Spain, Royal Decree 2822/1998 regulates legislation on winter tyres. It establishes that, in conditions where the use of chains or snow chains is required or recommended, you can instead choose to use tyres specifically designed for driving in cold weather.
Winter tyres can be identified by the markings on them which say “M+S,” “MS,” or “M&S,” short for Mud and Snow. Some makes may also have an icon of a snowflake.
They are made with a special rubber compound that remains flexible at low temperatures. This allows them to maintain contact with the road, providing better traction and shorter braking distances.
They also feature a deeper tread and tiny grooves, which shed water, snow, and slush, helping maintain grip on slippery roads.
Summer tyres often stiffen up in winter and are no good in colder conditions.
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Winter tyres are designed to offer maximum performance below 7C and are a lot more useful than chains. So, if it starts getting below 7C, you’ll know that it’s time to change your tyres.
Each tyre is associated with a speed rating – a letter that indicates the maximum speed at which you can safely drive with that tyre on.
When you install winter tyres, they may have a lower speed rating than your regular summer tyres. This is because in winter, with snow or ice on the roads, it is not necessary or safe to drive at high speeds.
Tyre ratings should never be lower than Q, which corresponds to a maximum speed of 160 km/h. This means that even if your car can travel faster, if your winter tyres only support 160 km/h, you must keep to this limit.
If you choose winter tyres with a lower speed rating than you would normally use, regulations require you to place a warning label somewhere on your car.
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They can be used for distances from 30,000 to 65,000 km so you may be able to use ones you had from last winter or if they’re new, you’ll be able to use them next winter too.
It’s not recommended to use winter tyres in summer or during other times of the year, however, as they will wear out easily and will lose their efficiency.
