Didnt check for a part number tbh but they are "Skoda approved" according to Mytyres before I ordered. Insurance company had no issue with them coming from a source other than Skoda either. (and its Skoda Insurance!)

Brilliant. That is amazing value. I'm still doing mine via Skoda and spoke to them today and no way will they even attempt to source the silver VW wheels for me. Grrr. And the black Skoda ones have part number 8P0 601 027 and the silver VW ones are 2K3 601 027. Three letters different and £2 per wheel in price but no can do. Oh well. Black they will be then.

That all sounds very familiar!

If I was you I'd check out Viking Snowtech 2's. ........... £400 plus postage from mytires already mounted on 16" steelies.

Thanks for that very helpful information.

But unfortunately I can't find them on the mytyres website, which presumably means they are out of stock.

Will have to keep looking.

I don't normally have to cope with much snow, but then I didn't expect so much of it last winter.

Would seem daft to spend so much on one of the safest cars in its class and then skid around on summer tyres with the treads full of ice and snow.

One shunt could cost me more than the tyres.

(Interesting too that in winter conditions a 2WD on winter tyres can make better progress than a 4WD on summer tyres.)

Fred

Thanks for that very helpful information.

But unfortunately I can't find them on the mytyres website, which presumably means they are out of stock.

I had the same problem. They ONLY show up it seems when you tick the steel wheels and tyre combo.

I had the same problem. They ONLY show up it seems when you tick the steel wheels and tyre combo.

May I ask what size wheels/tyres you've ordered from MT. I believe they show the wheel for say, the 1.2 Yeti 5L 1197cc 77kw BJ 09-2009, to be ..... 7x16 5x112 x 57.00 ET 45.00. The wheel being a 5 hole 9257.

With regard to their list of complete wheels/tyres combination they then show tyres in two sizes:-

215/60/16 and 205/55/16. The former of the two being closer in tyre diameter to standard by a couple of percentage points according to the published tyre size calculators.

My, purely unscientific, perception of the most highly regarded makes gained from generally looking on the web and also the Auto Express test and the several 'Tyre Review' tests are the following:-

Conti. WinterContact TS830

Vredestein Snowtrac

Dunlop Winter Sport

Goodyear Ultragrip 7

Michelin Alpin A4

Nokian WR G2

Of these only the Dunlop, Nokian and Michelin are shown in the 215/60/16 size....all the others are shown as 205/55/16 (the latter being generally cheaper).

Conti etc are available in the 215/60 R16 size, just my Tyres has run out of stock. They had loads in a couple of weeks ago. I ended up buying from my local tyre supplier and getting Skoda to supply the wheels. Was cheaper than buying both from MT.

Mike

Conti etc are available in the 215/60 R16 size, just my Tyres has run out of stock. They had loads in a couple of weeks ago. I ended up buying from my local tyre supplier and getting Skoda to supply the wheels. Was cheaper than buying both from MT.

Mike

Point taken, RH.

I did, this afternoon, ask if steel wheels were readily available from my local Skoda dealer and he replied firmly in the affirmative. This, obviously, gives us the option to go to whoever has stock. The dealer very much gave me impression that he wasn't asked about WT's very often.

The dealer very much gave me impression that he wasn't asked about WT's very often.

That may change! My local tyre dealer gave me that impression as well.

Mike

Edited 3 November, 201015 yr by rockhopper

I think the biggest argument is that I don't want to lose too much braking performance in dry conditions, I'd really like the best of both world's, good wet and dry brake performance.

Fred

Hi Fred,

I don't think you need to worry too much about the dry braking performance of any of the winter tyres. I certainly do not have any problems with the Goodyears in the dry - braking, handling or noise. For most situations, the all important performance in winter is wet, cold braking and handling. This is where you can get a nasty surprise. Snow is visible, and if you pay attention and use your head inside, is predictable to some extent.

Be aware that tyre ratings from the Northern Scandinavian countries do not apply to UK or DK conditions. They have a lot of cold and snow covered roads for a long time with no gritting or salting, so those conditions are very different.

17" winter tyres are much better than the same size summer, so don't sweat the size if it makes economic sense to stay with the size wheels you already have.

Hi Fred,

........

Be aware that tyre ratings from the Northern Scandinavian countries do not apply to UK or DK conditions. They have a lot of cold and snow covered roads for a long time with no gritting or salting, so those conditions are very different.

.........

Hi Agerbundsen

Perhaps I'm being thick but I'm not sure I understand the implications of this paragraph.

Can you explain what you mean a little more please?

Thanks

Fred

Sure, Fred,

In Norway, Sweden and Finland, they regularly have snow covered roads and very cold temperatures in winter. The roads are only plowed outside the cities, not gritted or salted. The tyres' most important quality is how they perform on both loose and hardpacked snow. Hence the various tests for tyres used in those countries put most emphasis on that.

In the northernmost parts, also studded tyres are frequently used.

In the UK and Denmark, long time serious snow conditions are rare - despite the situation last winter - so the more important tyre quality is performance on wet and slick roads at low temperatures, not deep snow.

Got it?

More generally you could say that cold weather / winter tyres are optimised for differing conditions, so when you look at comparative reviews it is a good idea to consider what your priorities are for the conditions you are likely to meet, and base your decision accordingly. There's no one tyre that 'best' and, importantly, many tyres appear to score highly in a limited range of sizes, so that's something else that needs to be considered.

Edited 5 November, 201015 yr by AnotherGareth

More generally you could say that cold weather / winter tyres are optimised for differing conditions, so when you look at comparative reviews it is a good idea to consider what your priorities are for the conditions you are likely to meet, and base your decision accordingly. There's no one tyre that 'best' and, importantly, many tyres appear to score highly in a limited range of sizes, so that's something else that needs to be considered.

Spot on!

My primary criterium has always been wet handling - both summer and winter, coz that's where you get the surprises.

It would be the wrong criterium in Oulu, Finland in winter.

It would be the wrong criterium in Oulu, Finland in winter.

From what I remember a large proportion use studded tyres.

Sure, Fred,

In Norway, Sweden and Finland, they regularly have snow covered roads and very cold temperatures in winter. The roads are only plowed outside the cities, not gritted or salted. The tyres' most important quality is how they perform on both loose and hardpacked snow. Hence the various tests for tyres used in those countries put most emphasis on that.

In the northernmost parts, also studded tyres are frequently used.

In the UK and Denmark, long time serious snow conditions are rare - despite the situation last winter - so the more important tyre quality is performance on wet and slick roads at low temperatures, not deep snow.

Got it?

Thanks.

I think I've got it.

We really need to adjust the weighting of the scores from the tests to reflect local conditions. Some tests/reviews (but not all) declare the weightings applied to the various characteristics to arrive at the final score, which makes that possible. I'll experiment with a spreadsheet and see if I get any reasonably consistent results after changing the balance of the criteria. Deep snow will be demoted and wet (including slush) and dry braking promoted, for example.

Fred

Thanks.

I think I've got it.

We really need to adjust the weighting of the scores from the tests to reflect local conditions. Some tests/reviews (but not all) declare the weightings applied to the various characteristics to arrive at the final score, which makes that possible. I'll experiment with a spreadsheet and see if I get any reasonably consistent results after changing the balance of the criteria. Deep snow will be demoted and wet (including slush) and dry braking promoted, for example.

Fred

I would recommend that you check-out the ADAC site. They show the weightings, and you can alwaýs use google translate if your German is not up to the task. Look for Winterreiffen 2010 in the search box.

I would recommend that you check-out the ADAC site. They show the weightings, and you can alwaýs use google translate if your German is not up to the task. Look for Winterreiffen 2010 in the search box.

Thanks for that. In Googling to the ADAC test, I found this video comparing tyre performances on some rather widely differing 4x4s. Interesting, nonetheless. Sorry if this has been posted before.

My link

I would recommend that you check-out the ADAC site. They show the weightings, and you can alwaýs use google translate if your German is not up to the task. Look for Winterreiffen 2010 in the search box.

Hi

My German is non-existent, but I'll collect and analyse the data and then send it for checking privately if I may just in case I foul up.

Fred

TP provided this link in another thread.

My link

It relates to a Yeti greenline review, but has an ad for winter tyres.

Put your favorite size in the check boxes, and ýopu get a comprehensive list of available winter tyres in the Yeti size.

Don't sweat the Czech language, just click the little selector arrows, and the choices that come up will be obvious. The results are obvious too.

Edited 8 November, 201015 yr by Agerbundsen