THE Winter Tyres Thread

[VRShaun]

I think it's disgusting that some insurance companies have been charging extra for winter tyres!!! In fact they should give us a rebate for the time the tyres are fitted as it only works to reduce their risk.

A lot of the mainstream insurance companies have operations on the continent and clearly know the score on winter tyres. If any insurance company has been unscrupulous enough to charge for winter tyres, they should either fully refund the charges or face severe penalties form the appropriate governing bodies.

Any kind of policy that charges extra for winter tyres is one that encourages the motorist to put the safety of themselves and others at risk.!

[bahnstormer vrs]

Bad news, the uprated callipers on a vRS will be too big for 15" wheels.

It is not so much the callipers on the vRS (they are actually the same as other models) but the fact the the vRS has 312mm front discs whereas other Octavias have 288mm from discs. 16" wheels are required to provide the clearance needed due to this, the 312mm discs.

Edited 12 December, 2010 by bahnstormer vrs

[bahnstormer vrs]

I know the requirement and desire to use winter wheels/tyres is often based on locality and the likelihood of a heavy amount of snow, but all comments I have read on this subject seem to relate to getting narrower tyres than OE fit and on smaller wheels.

Has anyone thought to just switch their 'summer' tyres for 'winter' tyres? i.e. on a vRS using 225/45 17 or 225/40 18 Winter tyres. This will keep the roadholding and handling ability as near as normal for most of the time and you then have winter tyres to provide better grip when it is cold and it snows.

This is is what I'm doing with my Yeti by just switching the normal 225/50 17 tyres to a 'winter' brand now and then changing back in the spring.

[pist0nbr0ke]

I know the requirement and desire to use winter wheels/tyres is often based on locality and the likelihood of a heavy amount of snow, but all comments I have read on this subject seem to relate to getting narrower tyres than OE fit and on smaller wheels.

Has anyone thought to just switch their 'summer' tyres for 'winter' tyres? i.e. on a vRS using 225/45 17 or 225/40 18 Winter tyres. This will keep the roadholding and handling ability as near as normal for most of the time and you then have winter tyres to provide better grip when it is cold and it snows.

This is is what I'm doing with my Yeti by just switching the normal 225/50 17 tyres to a 'winter' brand now and then changing back in the spring.

Yes.

However, you can usually get hold of four 16" wheels and tyres for less than the price of four 18" winter tyres. Hence no need to swap tyres, less risk of alloy damage etc., etc.

You'll only pay once to get the tyres fitted, & you can fit the wheels yourself. (I hope!)

Kerbing a steel wheel accidentally will cost you less than an alloy!

Narrower tyres do seem to work better in poor grip conditions.

Storage for a second set of wheels? Well you'll have to store four tyres anyway if you just swap them!

[Eenymac]

This is is what I'm doing with my Yeti by just switching the normal 225/50 17 tyres to a 'winter' brand now and then changing back in the spring.

Any idea what winter tyres are being supplied in that size? I looked everywhere for winter tyres for my Scout in the original size of 225/50/17 but could find nothing at all.

[bahnstormer vrs]

Any idea what winter tyres are being supplied in that size? I looked everywhere for winter tyres for my Scout in the original size of 225/50/17 but could find nothing at all.

There is technically a reasonable selection available, but the current problem is that most suppliers are 'out of stock' or charging larcenous prices.

Ones that are available in this size (by no means a full list) include; Vredestein Wintrac Extreme, Yokohama W.drive, Hankook IceBear W300, Michelin Alpin, Pirelli Sotto Zero, Continental TS810.

[Niall]

Kerbing a steel wheel accidentally will cost you less than an alloy!

Ahem, potholes attack in the night, again......

...one of the 43p eBay specials due to be replaced with a full price replacement later this week. Tyre still holds air fine , but it ain't quite round anymore (bulge by valve) :'(

Still, £64 inc VAT is alot better than a new Proteus!!

Niall

[guinness1]

Just been told by my local dealer thet the earliest they can supply 16 inch steelies is the middle of January. Local Kwikfit is doing Continental winters for £394 a set but at the minute have nothing to put them on!

Anyody know of anywhere in the northeast doing steelies for my scout?

[Niall]

Are you looking for the 6.5J steel wheels found on the Golf, Leon, etc or the 6J "Winter" Steels?

I just checked at Verve Newmains (VW) and Chathams Sighthill (Skoda - Edinburgh) and they could both get the 6.5J wheels within 2 days as a standard part, at the same standard price, £55.16 ex VAT.

The part no's on the first post of this thread are universal so you can always try your nearest SEAT or VW dealer instead?

Niall

[Eenymac]

There is technically a reasonable selection available, but the current problem is that most suppliers are 'out of stock' or charging larcenous prices.

Ones that are available in this size (by no means a full list) include; Vredestein Wintrac Extreme, Yokohama W.drive, Hankook IceBear W300, Michelin Alpin, Pirelli Sotto Zero, Continental TS810.

Thanks. as you say, those that are available in that size are ridiculous prices.

I think the only way I am going to get anything reasonable is to get a set of steelies and drop to 205/55/16. I was hoping to avoid that as, living in a 2nd storey flat with no garage, I have nowhere at home to store the summer wheels / tyres.... unless I get them fitted and pop up to visit Ma in Norfolk and take over some shed space!

Ho Hum.. gonna be spring by the time I manage to get anything sorted at this rate.

[Niall]

I just checked at Verve Newmains (VW) and Chathams Sighthill (Skoda - Edinburgh) and they could both get the 6.5J wheels within 2 days as a standard part, at the same standard price, £55.16 ex VAT.

.....except they can't.

If I wanted one on back order I'd have it for early January, by then I would hope to have the time to find one from a scrappy. Looks like it's hammer-time tonight to tide me over till then!!

Niall

[pist0nbr0ke]

There's a few 16" 5x112 VW steelies on this Irish site.

Dunno about carriage though! :(

[mark999]

Skoda approved wheel/tyre combinations for 2010 Octavia Scout pd tdi via customer services.

tyre size wheel size

195/65 R15 91V 6J x 15

195/65 R15 91V 6.5J x 15

205/60 R15 91V 6.5J x 15

205/55 R16 91V 6J x 16

205/55 R16 91V/W 6.5J x 16

205/50 R17 89V 6J x 17

A bit surprised at the speed ratings

[Carpus]

I'm more surprised at the load rating especially as the originals are 94 rated.

[carrock]

winter tyres are hard to find in the uk

Ordered a set for wifes car from mytyres who are a germany company with a uk subsidiary, I am pleasantly surprised at the service.

Ordered friday evening, received email with tracking details, tyres despatched yesterday afternoon from East Germany, arrived in Birmingham hub 7pm this evening and will be delivered tomorrow.

Now THAT is seriously impressive- some tyres from UK stockists arent shipped as quickly

[charles]

just had a pair of Cooper weathermaster snow tyres fitted, 225/40x18 ! £150 each.. straight onto the vRS alloys no problem. amazing difference in traction and grip as at the moment its snowing hard and covering the roads here in the Mount Tabor and Wainstalls area of Halifax.

[bahnstormer vrs]

just had a pair of Cooper weathermaster snow tyres fitted, 225/40x18 ! £150 each.. straight onto the vRS alloys no problem. amazing difference in traction and grip as at the moment its snowing hard and covering the roads here in the Mount Tabor and Wainstalls area of Halifax.

Why only a pair? Front or rear?

[charles]

Had them fitted to the fronts only. Really have made a difference with the grip.If cost was not an issue i would have rears done aswell but on todays driving evidence not neccessary.

[900000]

Had them fitted to the fronts only. Really have made a difference with the grip.If cost was not an issue i would have rears done aswell but on todays driving evidence not neccessary.

I guess you did not look at the second video in the original post then? Having far grippier tyres on your driven wheels and sledges on the back is a sure fire way to get your car to do a 360 in an emergency stop. I'd save every penny I have to buy those rear tyres as soon as you can.

[magic62]

Had them fitted to the fronts only. Really have made a difference with the grip.If cost was not an issue i would have rears done aswell but on todays driving evidence not neccessary.

Cost will be a great issue, when you loose the car in case of an emergency.

This (as already written a lot of times) is saving at the wrong end.

Especially with high speed rated tyres.

It is less an issue if you are driving a 4x4 Panda with ultra thins as std but a big issue

when driving a car with originally wide and high speed rated summer tyres.

I dont know this from hear say, I tested it myself.

Winter tyres up front and the higher speed rated summers at the rear made a worse oversteering nightmare than an old school 911 (driven lots of them) out of my XR2 Fiesta.

Almost killed the car and a couple of parked cars the first corner I had to back of the gas.

[guinness1]

Managed to get some 16 x 6.5j rims from the main dealer and should pick them up on Monday, Skoda "winter" wheels are not expected until the end of next month if they turn up. Kwikfit don't appear to have any of the Continentals left in 205/55/16, the lad in the shop rang about 30 other dealers who were in the process of putting the last ones they had left on various vehicles at the time. He rang the main import warehouse who said they would not be getting any more in until the end of the month. Managed to get some Michelin Alpin A4 but at £550 for the four all in. I suspect if I'd knocked that back I would be struggling to get anything at all. The Alpins seem to get a pretty good write up, hope they make my journeys to the Lakes and the Highlands over the holidays a bit less exciting!

[magic62]

The new Alpin A4 should be a gem according to all the winter tyre tests.

Better by a big margin compared to the older Alpin tyres!

Because of the stricter rules in many countries the manufacturers are having problems supplying the winter tyres.

Bought my winters in October at 190 euros each, at the moment prices are shooting up and the same tyre (245/40 18 for the A6)

is priced at >270 euro at the moment.

[marcusthehat]

When my decent local dealer let me down yesterday for the third time regarding promised delivery of the Hankooks I had ordered.

I cancelled them, then phoned our local Coleraine Quikfit, who offered me either Michelins at about £600.00 fitted

Or Contintental TS830's in either 15 o16" rim sized.

I plumped for the 16" to fit my existing rims, £388.00 fitted incl for nitrogen inflation(sigh) and the unneeded new valves.

So say £95.00 per corner ( well without that unneeded nitrogen or valves)

But hey for once i was not complaining

The man i dealt with there said Quickfit had bought in/brought in 35,000 winter tyres.

They do seem to be much better.

[fbrj]

After too long faffing about I finally decided to get some winter tyres. Last year we could hardly get up the road to our house even though it is close to a town centre but is never gritted. Having read most of the threads - and this one in particular - I thought in an ideal world (ie if I had done something about this 2 - 3 months ago!) I would buy new steel rims and fit 195/65/15 winter tyres to my FL Octavia 1.8 TSi DSG estate (bought new a year ago). Anyway, with time running out and snow rapidly approaching in our area (Hants/Surrey border) the best I could do was to buy winter tyres to fit on my existing wheels (205/55/16 91V).

I spent 2 hours (Friday 17th) from 9-11am phoning every tyre supplier in the immediate area (ie radius 10-15 mls) - finally tracked down 2 Avon Ice Touring ST 205/55 R16 91H at National Tyres In Farnborough and 2 more identical ones at National in Guildford....was just about to set off when the former rang back and said they had just gone! Btw - the "all in" quotes were £250 and £220 respectively from each dealer - robbery! As a final throw of the dice called National in Kingston (National seemed to be the only people with any stock at all....everybody else - "sold out - don't know when next stock is coming" etc etc.). They had 6 Avons in stock!! Dashed off and got 'em - all 4 fitted for £400.

So........if anyone else needs that size - there may still be 2 in Guildford and 2 in Kingston!

I wouldn't have chose the Avons by choice but absolutely nothing else around.

Tyre here:

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=25158116.110.27537&Cookie=froogle&typ=R-149242&ranzahl=4&Breite=205&Quer=55&Felge=16&Speed=H&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&sort_by=brand&Transport=P&F_F=1&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi

Some comments here:

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Avon/Ice-Touring-ST.htm

Anyone think I will get any grief from my Insurance Co (Aviva) re new tyres which are rated "H" and not "V", which was what was originally fitted? (H is rated up to 131mph - should be enough in the winter I would have thought!).

[Del B]

Just picked up 4 x steels from my local dealership (Farmers Leicester) and I'm expecting my tyres to arrive from Germany (reifen.com) on Tuesday.

I'm not too sure what my VRS is going to look like with black steels :S

Also, my insurance company (AXA) was cool about fitting the steels + winter tyres

Cheers,

Shaun.

How did you find reifen.com? I checked them out as a last resort after finding nothing for my Yeti at Performance Alloys or MyTyres. I was surprised at how competitive their prices were and they seem to have reasonable availability. I ordered a set of Dunlops on 12th Dec and I've just been informed they'll be sent from Germany on 27 December.

Thanks

Del