This has been one of the bigger frustration in dealing with people at Sixt; they don't understand the difference between all-season tires, dedicated winter tires and the unique summer-only tires that this car came equipped with-- with that compound that turns to rock in freezing temps.

You're obviously a car-guy, so you instantly see what I'm posting and think "what?? how is could they give you those tires??" but the Sixt people I was speaking to were sort of befuddled about cars and tires and probably thought I was asking why I didn't get full-on winter tires, or, whatever they thought. Still they knew enough to tell me to stay put in the small village I was in while they "arranged a new car with Bolzano"-- only to tell me days later Bolzano wasn't really a six-owned location and was basically laughing at the request. The folks at MUC airport were great throughout, just had no way to fix anything.

But, for sure, summer-only tires have NO business being on the road in the middle of winter (even they weren't -well- past their prime, these tires were approaching home-made racing-slick status) and, on a M5, was like driving on ice a lot of the time and on very challenging (read: normally, fun!) roads.

Sixt's lack of understanding of their product and lack of communication and any kind of follow-through was downright scary at times-- I've never experienced anything quite like it with an airline, hotel or car rental company.