Check out all the Estonian Winter pictures here
After 2 days on the inside, unable to get the Volvo out, the snow has backed off and my drive way had thawed out somewhat, so it was time to make another attempt to get the car down the street
Great Success! Step one of the plan has gone to.. err plan. I am up on the street! Now thats only half the battle, well a third of it really, I need to make it to the end of my street, see I live in a dead end and they dont plough such streets so mine is caked with snow. Even if I had got it up (oh haha) yesterday, I wouldnt have made it down the long mile.
My street some days ago
Ok, so Im out of there, I go and hit the first tire joint, "RehvidKodu" or in English "Tire Home". Their website said they had second hand veljed (rims) and the tires seemed pretty cheap.
I got there and I was presented with one small door in an industrial estate. I am always a bit hesitant about entering such things, I mean it is generally a long shot the mechanic will speak english but then again, if I want pretty service then Id have to pay for it at the flashy store up the road so in I went… and old mate boss guy speaks English, rockin! He checks out my car and goes rummaging through the back for 5 minutes and comes back with an aluminium rim, 4 will cost me 2500 (250 AUD)… not too bad. He asked me what sort of tires I want? "cheap mate, give me the cheap ones". I am beginning to like his style. 4 tires will cost me 1000 eek.. thats sweet 25 bucks a tire. gold.
I nose in Eurotank into their workshop and let the trained tire engineers go to work
Go you good thing, old mate here is a professional who values the quality of his work.
So, add in the 700 EEK for labour I get out of there with 420 bucks for tires and rims fitted. Thats about as good as I am going to get it considering I left it until AFTER the snow storm to organise this. Its worth it for resale too, having a car with the extra set of winter tires bumps up the resale value just that little extra.
Now I fear no snow! No ice shall make me wary! Check out those bad ass studs
Getting winter tires put on my car is one of those little things which would be easy in your own country but when you are somewhere else it suddenly becomes a big thing. Thats the challenge, frustration and enjoyment of living in a far off land, small things can become intensely interesting and end up as their own achievement. Now getting tires seems like a piece of cake, but 4 days ago I was utterly confused by it all. Why would one deliberatly ADD difficultly to their life? Such is being human. Or being Louis.
Get Some, Go Again.