Hello,

New to this forum.

I am looking to set my mk1 04 Octavia TD Elegance estate with winter tyres.

The car currently has 16" alloys (Tyres 205/55/16).

I would prefer 15" wheels because:

1)Cheaper wheels and tyres

2) Narrower tyres are supposedly better in snow

3) Should I need to I can fit standard snow chains (not possible on standard 16" wheels)

I am thinking of buying two 15" steel wheels from mytyres with winter tyres (195/65/15) - they should have almost exactly the same rolling circumference.

In a years time I plan to buy two 15" wheels for the back.

Questions are will 15" wheels fit ok (clear calipers in particular)? (mytyres do not have 15" wheels listed on vehicle search for my particular model (81 kw). They do for other models Octavia though)

Any obvious problems in driving for one winter with 15" front wheels and 16" rear wheels?

Do I need different wheel nuts for the steel wheels?

Is this change likely to affect insurance?

Any advice appreciated

Unless you are planning to be in a snow and ice area for a long time, I would consider snow socks as an alternative to chains.

See: snow sock video

There are even snow socks in the Skoda accessories catalogue so tyre size is not a problem.

I believe the TDI 110 all came with 280mm brakes (Look for FSIII in the front claipers).

If this is the case the 15" should fit, but I would check with one before ordering the lot.

Also I wouldn't even consider running normal 16" tyres on the rear of a car in the winter if you are running snow/winter tyres up front.

Yes steel wheels need different nuts.

Thanks for the replies.

I have two good Vredestein Quatrac 3 tyres on the back - hence idea of going for fronts only.

I have come across snow socks although it sounds like they perhaps don't last very long and are not great on ice.

Yes steel wheels need different nuts.

The steel spare is ok with the normal nuts from the alloy wheels - or is that because it is seen as a temporary thing? Or am I missing something?

The pre-facelift SLX is supposedly the same car as the Elegance except for trim details, so 15s should just bolt on.

As for the wheel nuts, you may or may not need different nuts for steels; that will depend on the design of the nut seats (and is probably why there's no speed or mileage restriction on the genuine full size steel spare on the Elegance [the steel is designed to seat with the alloy nuts]).

Edited 26 August, 201015 yr by KenONeill

When looking at getting winter steels the various sources I have asked have said new nuts. I saw a picture of one and the shape was marginally different.

I guess as you say the steel spare may be designed with the alloy nuts in mind.

If you have quatrac3, I'd just go and put two more on your 16" wheels bearing in mind the conditions you're likely to get here.

Snow they will keep you going albeit more slowly, but they won't go wobbly as much on dry tarmac.

>>> If you have quatrac3, I'd just go and put two more on your 16" wheels bearing in mind the conditions you're likely to get here.

That is an option but I do quite a high millage (25 to 30000). I fitted the Quatrac3 tyres in June and if I had not switched them to the rear they would have been at least half worn before the winter. Also there was a noticeable drop in fuel consumption (maybe 1.5mpg for 2 tyres). Seems to me it would be an overall saving to run dedicated summer and winter tyres as buying the tyres fitted on steel wheels cost very little extra.