Winter tyre sizing

[goosander]

I'm quite tempted to get a set of steelies and winter tyres for my 1.8 TSi but there isn't much choice of winters tyres in the 205/60-15 size the car came with, so I'm thinking of getting 195/65-15's instead:

Would a change in tyre size be considered a modification from an insurance point of view?

Would it be legal to go for a lower speed rating e.g. T rather V as I never get anywhere near the cars top speed in the dry never mind wet or snow.

mytyres.co.uk are offering tyres fitted to steel wheels for little more than the cost of the tyres, but they seem to be suppling 5" width wheels rather than the 6" ones Skoda fit as standard on some models, would this make much of a difference?

[Indulgence]

I'm quite tempted to get a set of steelies and winter tyres for my 1.8 TSi but there isn't much choice of winters tyres in the 205/60-15 size the car came with, so I'm thinking of getting 195/65-15's instead:

Would a change in tyre size be considered a modification from an insurance point of view?

Would it be legal to go for a lower speed rating e.g. T rather V as I never get anywhere near the cars top speed in the dry never mind wet or snow.

mytyres.co.uk are offering tyres fitted to steel wheels for little more than the cost of the tyres, but they seem to be suppling 5" width wheels rather than the 6" ones Skoda fit as standard on some models, would this make much of a difference?

Hi

I had that size on my old Octavia 2.0TDI 4x4

Tom

[NabLane]

Got these on my Octy 08 1.9TDi: Avon Ice Touring 195/65 R15 91T rated.

In summer I run around on Michelin 205 55 R16 W-rated Primacy's that are dangerous in the winter months. I changed over to winter tyres again last weekend.

Done three winters in these including the Alpinestrass road in southern Germany.

I'd like to see an insurance company penalise you for fitting winter tyres. I'm sure there will be a precedent set soon where a collision involving two-cars (one with winter tyres fitted against one with summer tyres) should assume blame to the one with summer tyres where it is 50:50.

If you look in the handbook at recommended tyre sizes, you'll find that the 195's are also fitted to the Octy. Indeed the sticker inside the fuel filler cap says so on mine.

Also note that you need to fit different wheel bolts for the steel wheels. They have a rounded edge as opposed to a flat one as used on the alloys.

[juan27]

Also note that you need to fit different wheel bolts for the steel wheels. They have a rounded edge as opposed to a flat one as used on the alloys.

I suspected that...I asked about this previously on here and did not get this answer!

Edited 29 November, 2010 by juan27

[AnotherGareth]

Also note that you need to fit different wheel bolts for the steel wheels. They have a rounded edge as opposed to a flat one as used on the alloys.

I thought that would be the case for our Mk1, having known it to be the case for another marque. The local main dealer spent a lot of time searching their parts database and concluded the same bolts were appropriate to use with both oem steel wheels and oem alloy wheels. Aftermarket wheels may be different. One point to bear in mind is that VAG cars are often supplied with 4 alloy wheels and a steel spare.

Anyway, I used the normal bolts with steel wheels through last winter and it was fine.

[goosander]

Thankyou all,

Looks like 195/65's are the way to go. Will be on the phone to the local scrappies for some steels wheels first thing.

[pbutterworth]

Hi,

I'm also considering a set of winter tyres for my Octavia.

Do you always need to get a full set, or would a front pair do the job?

What wheels and tyres would i need to get to be the same as the 205/55 R16's I have, thus making them legal etc.

Thanks

Paul

[psycholist]

Can anyone recommend specific 15" tyres for winter use. There's a huge list on eiretyres.com and I'd like to narrow it down a little. Are cheap winter tyres likely to be as bad as good summer tyres used in the winter? I haven't used winter tyres before, but on christmas day the last two years I drove 60 miles on completely iced roads and don't recommend it on standard tyres. A friend of mine happens to have suitable 15" alloys that will fit my car, offset changes 13 mm, so hopefully not enough to make any difference, so all I need are tyres hopefully.

[pist0nbr0ke]

Any problem with 225/60/16's on 16" VW steelies? I've checked on the alloywheel.co.uk website & circumference is 6% out which is a bit high, but radius is only about 3.8cm bigger. Will they foul the arches? Bearing in mind that my std 18" Zeniths are 225's usually?

[Dallan]

Any problem with 225/60/16's on 16" VW steelies? I've checked on the alloywheel.co.uk website & circumference is 6% out which is a bit high, but radius is only about 3.8cm bigger. Will they foul the arches? Bearing in mind that my std 18" Zeniths are 225's usually?

Owen

I think it will depend on the offset of the wheel, i have 65's on mine and they are fine

My wheels are ET50 but i have 205's on

Dallan

[pist0nbr0ke]

Owen

I think it will depend on the offset of the wheel, i have 65's on mine and they are fine

My wheels are ET50 but i have 205's on

Dallan

Cheers Dallan-Zeniths are ET51 & steelies are ET 50 so should be hunky dory!