Nokians arrived yesterday, steels and jack set arrived today, booked a slot at the fitters for next week. Should then be all set for winter and will have a spare in the car at last. Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.

Dare I say bring on the snow?! Nah, not yet.

My Avon Ice Touring ST's manufactured in Melksham, have just turned up from Germany 8.5mm of tread with a Landrover Defender style 'chock block' pattern and unusually for an H rated tyre 'rim flange protection', oh their date stamped 4811.

Impressed again with mytyres service; ordered Tuesday lunch, arrived Friday morning.

TP

Could use some advise guys. Planning on taking my MK1 vRS to Italy for the coming ski season. So I'm gonna be buying some winters. The car is on standard suspension and wheels, but I've been running 225/45 without issue for a few years now. Two things:

1) Do I need to revert to 205/50, if so why?

2) Do I really need steels? Fact is, my standard alloys have survived 156k of England with crappy winters and grit everywhere already. They're not in show condition and they probably never will be, so does it really matter?

Thanks in advance.

Oh yeah, and any other tips on "winterizing". Wanna start getting everything in place in advance....

Edited 24 August, 201213 yr by okenobi

Idont have any steelies, just put my winters on my OE wheels

you can run whatever size you want that keeps your rolling radius within about 3% of original ... 205/50's may be a bit cheaper, and narrower is often said to be better in the snow!

my OE size is 205/40/17 (mark II fabia vRS) but winters are hard to come by in this size, and most availability is the massively expensive pirrelli's.... so my winters are 205/45/17's cheaper, easier to het hold of, and although the higher profile dulls the sharpness of the turn in, that doesn't concern me in the winter

Could use some advise guys. Planning on taking my MK1 vRS to Italy for the coming ski season. So I'm gonna be buying some winters. The car is on standard suspension and wheels, but I've been running 225/45 without issue for a few years now. Two things:

1) Do I need to revert to 205/50, if so why?

2) Do I really need steels? Fact is, my standard alloys have survived 156k of England with crappy winters and grit everywhere already. They're not in show condition and they probably never will be, so does it really matter?

Thanks in advance.

Oh yeah, and any other tips on "winterizing". Wanna start getting everything in place in advance....

Certain parts of Europe in the winter require full winter tyres (mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall) to be fitted from Oct/Nov to around April. Go into the alps and you get areas where carrying snowchains is also required during that same period of time.

Looking at the Skoda Germany list of approved rims and tyres, then for a Octy MKI vRS, to fit chains you need 205/50 R17 tyres on 7Jx17 ET38 rims (assume these are the standard ones you have already). Also narrower tyres tend to work better in snow. oh and no you do not need steels; most people use them as its cheaper than another set of alloys and or they need to go down a size or two to fit wheels suitable for chains.

http://www.skoda.de/...php?e=348-10-23

http://www.theaa.com...now-chains.html

Other things to think about are for example, how young is your engine coolant and strength; can get a lot colder over there, also screen-wash, the VAG stuff is probably best as neat it works to -70. Further see again the AA for other compulsory equipment you need to carry depending where your going.

http://www.theaa.com...seas/index.html

Hope of some help,

TP

Thanks guys. Yeah, I was in the Alps last winter for work as well, but wasn't driving. So I know where the chains are required. The Italians are a lot slacker than the Germans or French (which I like). I may possibly be nipping across to France on occasion as well. So I'll bear that in mind.

And yes Mario, that's my size. Thanks for the info. Just had a full MOT and 40k last week. She sailed through. Will probably get a new windscreen on insurance soon, just in case as I have a couple of small chips.

Ok, snags. I want Nokian D3s, but they're only available in 225/45. The prices of almost everything in 205/50 is huge (maybe I waited too long whilst I was saving?). The Nokian A3s are available in 205/50, but I'm concerned that my requirements are far beyond that of the average British punter and I don't know if these are good enough for the Alps...

What should I do?

Edited 22 September, 201213 yr by okenobi

A3's are a full winter just like the D3 but one is directional tread pattern the other asymmetric.

Could also recommend the Hankook W310 from my own experience with them fitted to the Yeti and on mytyres anyway, there's a good saving over the Nokian in the 205/50 R17 size.

http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=43967720.110.15682&typ=R-203265&ranzahl=4&Breite=205&Quer=50&Felge=17&weiter=40&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&sort_by=preis&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi

TP

Certain parts of Europe in the winter require full winter tyres (mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall)

As I understand it, the requirement is to fit tyres with the mountain and snowflake symbol. Some all season tyres are marked with this symbol as well.

Well I've found the A3s on Oponeo for £104, so that closes the gap considerably. My current Hankooks have been amazing, and I recommend them all the time, but the marketing for Nokian (and youtube vids!) has sucked me in. Plus I think they'll do a little better when I come out the other side of April on the way home.

So, I understand the basis, but I'm suffering from paralysis of choice.

I have a 2006 Octavia Elegance 2.0 TDI PD with the 16" Vega wheels (including a full spare alloy). So I have 6.5J 16H2 wheels with 205/55 R16 tyres, and I want a full set of winter tyres.

Not wanting to to change the tyres I figured I'd buy a set of steel wheels, and being rather lazy using a company like mytyres.co.uk should make the whole process easier. I thought buying 15" wheels with 195/65 R15 winter tyres would be cheaper but it seems there isn't much difference between buying 15" and 16" wheels and tyres.

I'd like to pay approx £500 for 5 wheels and tyres, but there are so many tyres options to choose from that I have no idea what tyres or wheels to go for. I don't do huge millages but its mostly motorway and A roads with some local London streets, and I drive like an old fart so handeling is key. Can anyone make a recommendation before I start drawing lots?

You've probably read this enormous thread, but if not, I found my choices for winter tyres limited by my need/desire to have non-directional ones (so I can fit a matching spare and not be limited to 'space saver' speed), hence buying the Nokians.

I chose OE steel rims to avoid any compatibility problems.

Just in the process of ordering a set of OEM 16" steels for the Octy fitted with Avon Ice Touring tyres for the Winter.

Paul

is this any good for anyone?

genuine skoda winter pack so no insurance issues?

http://www.skodaparts.com/product/new-octavia-a5---new-superb-dunlop-winter-sport-3d-tyres-and-steel-wheels-38275

I have a set of used Pirelli Snowsports on OE 16" steels in my for sale thread.

Click the link at the bottom of my sig to find them in there somewhere.

Ideal for someone in West country who can collect.

They were on my car in Feb when it had it's MOT and were switched back to Summers

in March. PM me for more info.

is this any good for anyone?

genuine skoda winter pack so no insurance issues?

http://www.skodapart...el-wheels-38275

Think I paid about £500 for a set of 16" steelies with Avon Ice Touring ST's last year from Mytyres so for genuine VAG wheels that sounds like a good price to me, though it doesn't say what tyres are on them

I bought those last year - although at the time, Dunlop Winter Sport 3Ds were specified as part of the package. I also bought 4 more of the same tyres for our other car.

They have been excellent tyres - got a chance to see them in anger on the snow! But I'm sure many other winter tyres are equally good and perhaps this dealer has a greater supply of tyres now.

Well mine had just arrived at the office so will need to go in the boot for the transfer home later.

I can report that 4 16" steel wheels with Winter tyres fit fine in the boot of an Octy II hatch so they can go home in one trip.

Paul

I'm ready too, mine arrived yesterday nice set on steels with Fulda Kristal Montero 3

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Fulda/Kristall-Montero-3.htm

As I understand it, the requirement is to fit tyres with the mountain and snowflake symbol. Some all season tyres are marked with this symbol as well.

Aren't winter tires marked M+S (mud and snow)?

Aren't winter tires marked M+S (mud and snow)?

You may find this interesting reading;

http://www.snowtyres.com.au/severe-service-emblem

Regards,

TP

You may find this interesting reading;

http://www.snowtyres...-service-emblem

Regards,

TP

Well that's nonsense right away. Coz my Nokian winters are V rated....

Well that's nonsense right away. Coz my Nokian winters are V rated....

it's been written by Nokian

TP

My Yokohama W.drive winter tyres are W rated too!

Sent from my Xperia S using TapaTalk 2

my kumho winter tyres are 94V XL