WHERE TO CHANGE YOUR TYRES IN GENEVA – BE SAFE, NOT SORRY!
by Alexandra Belz and Kirsty Dunlop
Main picture credit: Pneus Claude SA
Yes, we know it’s late, but we’re not quite Swiss-ed enough to have the tyres done early in October, as is recommended. If you don’t have your winter tyres on yet, this week’s little snow scare was probably enough to spur you into action.
Not only do you risk a fine if you don’t do it – and the traffic police are already out checking! But if you slip and slide into another car during an accident and you don’t have winter tyres on your car, you may find yourself paying through your nose as your insurance may not cover you because of negligence and you may even be pursued on the same grounds. Book an appointment now!
Here are some useful tips on where to go, as the garage you might have bought your car from is not necessarily the cheapest:
EMIL FREY SA
This garage opened its doors in 1924 and is well-known all over Switzerland. There are two locations but the most convenient one is in Acacias. For the change of tyres or wheels you can of course take any brand to EMIL FREY and as of this year you can book your rendezvous online (see below). The service takes about one hour during which you may want to walk around, stack your stationery cupboard in nearby Office World or find a café for a quick espresso close by.
As many of us don’t have the facilities to store our summer tyres during winter, they also offer a storage option for the season, which is great.
PRICES
Change tyres CHF 75,60 (4 tyres)
Change wheels CHF108,00 (4 wheels)
Storage costs CHF 70,00 for the season
WHERE
Emil Frey SA
Route des Acacias 23
1227 Geneva- Acacias
T 0041- (0)22 308 5308
Emil Frey Auto Center Vernets
Rue François- Dussaud 13
1227 Geneva- Les Vernets
T 0041- (0)22 308 5508
HOW TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT
www.emilfrey.ch. (on this website you can change the language to DE/FR/IT)
Go to:
DE- Reifen Manager
FR- Manager de pneus
IT- Manager Pneumatici
OPENING TIMES
Monday-Friday 07:30- 12:00 and 13:30- 18:00
PNEUS CLAUDE SA
Now we are talking… this must be the best changing-tyres experience that I have had in Geneva as it is quick (30 to max 40 minutes) — you can wait sur place in a waiting room with tables and chairs and you can buy a coffee or soft drinks from a vending machine.You book your appointment online, arrive, leave your key in the car with the window down, a member of the team will take the car away while you pay the bill and … drink your coffee. About 30 minutes later a friendly staff members calls out your car model and colour and off you go.
They will store your tyres and you can order new tyres with good and honest service (this must be done beforehand as the tyres need to be ordered – I needed two new back tyres last winter and they had a special offer for the tyres plus a free road sticker for 2018… not bad).
Another great plus here is that as from October they’re also open on Saturday mornings from 7am – noon.
PRICES
It depends on the car model and therefore size of the tyres, for my car (a Freelander) it is
Change tyres Chf 112,00 (4 tyres)
Storage costs Chf 60,00 for the season
WHERE
Pneus Claude SA – with or without appointment (we do suggest to book an appointment)
Route du Bois de Bay 71
1242 Satigny
T 0041- (0)22 753 1405
Pneus Claude II – only with appointment
Route de Thonon 150
1222 Vesenaz
T 0041- (0)22 752 4585
HOW TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT
www.pneusclaude.ch (on this website you can change the language to FR/EN)
OPENING TIMES
Monday-Friday 07:00- 18:00
Saturday 07:00- 12:00 (April, May, mid October to December)
GARAGE FAVRAT
Just over the border in Collonges-sous-Salève, Garage Favrat is a reasonably priced option to store and change your tyres. Frank is the owner and speaks perfect English, which makes the whole ordeal easier if your French is lacking… You will need to make an appointment beforehand.
I would give yourself an hour. Luckily Collonges has a good boulangerie where you can pass the time sipping a renversé and indulging in something sweet. If you are the energetic type there is also a beautiful walk through the vineyards next to Croix de Rozon, about a five minute walk back across the border into Switzerland.
PRICES
Frank charges 30 euros per seasonal tyre change and 80 euros for annual tyre storage (vehicle is a medium sized 4×4). This price may vary depending on the size of the vehicle.
WHERE
18 Route d’Annemasse, Collonges-sous-Salève, 74160, France
HOW TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT
Tel : +33 450 43 60 46
I would also recommend Jantes A9 Rapides https://www.j9r.ch/ , seasonal tire changes are 25 chf / tire .