Niall

That's about where my 2007 Octavia Scout was. OK, but 200mm+ is better for my circumstances. Still, better than I thought, might be worth a look. What chance a Scout version?......

Might be back in the Skoda fold if I can get an answer to this question...... Anyone know what the ground clearance will be on the Enyaq? ID.4 is allegedly 210mm which is around where I need it be for my job (one the reasons the previous Octavia 4x4 was swapped for an Outback). Can't find a figure online for the Enyaq (which I prefer the 'look' of). Any info welcome! Thanks, Niall

Winter is coming, I have a Mk2 Octavia, what are my options? 1 - Risk it on my current rubber, drive sensibly and carefully and see how I manage 2 - Keep some snow chains/autosocks in the boot, drive sensibly and carefully and see how clean I can stay every time I transition between deep snow and clear roads 3 - Get setup with some proper "winter" tyres, drive sensibly and carefully and manage. What are winter tyres? Tyres specifically formulated for use in lower temperatures. They are made of softer compound rubber which massively outperforms "summer" tyres below 7 deg C. At this point the rubber used in summer tyres starts to harden and become even less grippy. Winter Tyres come in a variety of flavours, some are designed to perform best in deep snow whilst others are designed with a tread pattern better suited for a variety of winter conditions. Read online reviews and pick the ones you think will meet your requirements. What are the advantages of winter tyres over chains and autosocks? Chains and autosocks are for emergency use in snow and require to be removed for tarmac. Winter Tyres can improve the roadholding and therefore safety of your vehicle throughout the winter months, whether it snows or not. Cold, wet, standing water, snow, ice, winter tyres can cope with these situations better than normal tyres. Do you live somewhere where it is routinely and consistently below 7 deg C for several months of the winter? If so winter tyres may be for you. Winter Tyres are not just for snow!! Yeah, yeah, surely they can't be that much better? Well if you won't take my word for it, watch this: RWD BMWs normally lambasted as being "rubbish for snow" in the UK, safely negotiating a 90 degree bend at 20mph! Convinced yet? Could make all the difference between being involved in an accident and not. OK, I'm convinced, but its going to pricey, right? Kind of. There is undeniably an upfront capital cost in buying the additional tyres, but whilst they are on you will be resting your "summer" tyres so they to will last longer before needing replacement. Dependent on your annual mileage you could get several seasons out of both sets. Cost over the life of the vehicle is the same. My Octavia is front wheel drive, can I just use two winter tyres on the front? You can, but it is not recommended and some would say downright dangerous. The back wheels will have lower grip levels and under lateral cornering forces release grip sooner. If you think you can get away with it, on your head be it. It is not recommended. OK, what are my options? Two choices, use your current wheels or buy wheels specifically for your winter tyres. If you're running 17s or 18s you may find that four tyres to fit the existing profile are more expensive than buying another set of wheels in a cheaper profile (15s or 16s) and the tyres. May depend on how long you keep the vehicle too. Say changing tyres costs £5 per corner thats £40 a year (2 x £20) or £120 over three years, at which point you could have bought a second set of wheels and have full control over when you change between tyre types (say the snow comes early or stays late). An extra set of wheels, what do I need to know? 16" wheels will fit on all Octavia 2's 15" won't fit on the VRs, and depending on who you speak to, some other models too. The specs you need if looking for second hand wheels (the cheapest option) are as follows: The wheels must be 5 stud with Stud Diameter PCD of 112 and ideally an offset ET 50. Using eBay there are filters on the left hand side of the page to filter your choices based on this information. Generally other VAG cars based on the same platform (Mk2 Leon, Mk5 Golf, etc) will be suitable donors. Steel wheels are generally cheapest, though not everyone can live with the looks and may prefer another set of alloys. Though as my wife said the other day to our friends who laughed at putting steels on their 3 series Coupe, "what would you rather, get home, or look good in a ditch...." Steels can be made to look better (dependent on your own opinion) with OEM Trims from Skoda or Centre Caps from VW vans. What are the "ideal" VAG OEM steel wheels? The VAG "winter wheels" are part no. 8PO060102703C these are 16" x 6J width, so meet the Octavia manuals stated requirements for snowchains. If you can live with buying more expensive slim-line chains if and when you think they may be required (if ever) then you can order VAG wheels part no. 1K0601027A03C that are 16" x 6.5J. These can both be fitted with 205/55 R16 tyres. If buying second hand the part no, PCD, width and ET are all stamped into the wheel around the hub centre on the outer face of the wheel. Will these different wheels affect my speedo reading? Probably. Check out the Alloy Wheels Site which has a tyre size comparison to see what effect changing wheels will have on your speedo reading. Can't I just get the tyres and wheels as a set? If you can't face the hassle of sorting the wheels and tyres seperately then some dealers and the website "mytyres" will do steel wheel and winter tyre combo's to get you started. Where do I get the tyres from? What more do you want? Google for yourself or speak to your local dealer/tyre supplier!! Niall