Help required for a company that wants to fit winter tyres to its company car fleet
ARE there any leasing companies that will provide winter tyres as an optional extra on contract hire vehicles?
I have an extra set of steel rims with winter tyres and the difference in cold weather traction is amazing. I can do three point turns and hill starts in full control on inclines where the summer tyres are simply deadly. The winter tyres are also much more durable, with an extra 11000 miles and counting compared to the summer tyres. Not bad for a heavy vehicle.
My problem is that the leasing company is refusing to maintain them under the service agreement, so we are effectively having to subsidise their tyre budget with roughly half the year’s mileage falling on our tyres. Any help with finding cooperative leasing companies would be welcome.
PS An extra set of steel rims is the way to go if anyone is thinking of fitting tyres, it’s much more convenient to swap the tyres over this way as the temperature changes. Also saves your alloy wheels from the winter salt.
Martin Brown, managing direct of fleet solutions provider Fleet Alliance offers this advice.
MANY leasing companies will now provide winter tyres – subject to their own terms and conditions.
Lex Autolease, for example, are happy for this to be done. The client pays for winter tyres and the original tyres are stored on their behalf and switched later as appropriate.
Another is Inchcape Fleet Solutions. The leasing company says that if you decide to make the switch to winter tyres they will arrange for the fleet’s summer tyres to be placed in storage and winter tyres fitted in their place. Inchcape charges a nominal fee for the tyre storage, management and fitment.
More reading on winter tyres
See our special report The business benefits of winter tyres.