Winter shoes

[tuonopepper]

Due diligence completed and 4 Goodyear Ultragrip Performance 2 tyres ordered from Camskill to see me through the cold months, not bothering with winter rims as the local tyre shop will swap all four tyres on the rims for me for £20 cash.

All reviews and tests of the Ultragrips seem to read well but I've never used them before so we'll see if they live up to expectation, good price for what should be an excellent cold weather tyre :-0)

[BoxerBoy]

Today I ordered a set of 16 inch steelies with Conti TS830 winter tyres from my tame Skoda dealer to see me through the next 2 or 3 winters.

[Gizmo]

Just spoke to Skoda insurance (Allianz in the UK) and they want extra premium for me to run 16" rims with 205/55 winter Contis !!!

Extra cash for me to reduce their risk... Their logic is that these are non-Skoda rims and despite being decent tyres etc, they are still not dealer fitted.

I really fail to get insurance companies.

Which is completely the opposite to what they told me (I said they were on genuine VAG 16" alloys)

Today I ordered a set of 16 inch steelies with Conti TS830 winter tyres from my tame Skoda dealer to see me through the next 2 or 3 winters.

Out of interest, how much are you paying for them?

[ChrisRs]

If your insurance company is charging you for fitting winter tyres then tell them you are going to report them to the Insurance Ombusdsman..If still no joy..Cancel your policy and go elswhere!!

[BoxerBoy]

Out of interest, how much are you paying for them?

Poster on wall said £680 - I think. But I'll need wheel trims too. Anyone remember Wheel Trims?

Having previously bought a set of used Audi wheels on flea bay, then got them re-coated, etc, etc, I decided on the the hassle free "official dealer" approach this time.

[Gizmo]

Poster on wall said £680 - I think. But I'll need wheel trims too. Anyone remember Wheel Trims?

Having previously bought a set of used Audi wheels on flea bay, then got them re-coated, etc, etc, I decided on the the hassle free "official dealer" approach this time.

That was the sort of figure I thought they would be thanks

Makes the brand new 16" Audi winter alloys and winter tyre package that a VW dealer is advertising on eBay for slightly less an even better deal.

[Superbalicious]

Makes the brand new 16" Audi winter alloys and winter tyre package that a VW dealer is advertising on eBay for slightly less an even better deal.

You can't say that and then not post a link...!

Care to share

[Gizmo]

Care to share

I posted a link a few days ago but it has since been removed for some reason?

Search for item no. 160646518031

[Superbalicious]

Ah, South Hereford Garages, they've been doing good value offers for years, I used them when I had my mk1 golf gti.

[BoxerBoy]

I posted a link a few days ago but it has since been removed for some reason?

Search for item no. 160646518031

Looks like nice price, but Bridgestone Blizzak did not make the podium in the Auto Express winter tyre test, while Conti TS830 were Number 1

[Gizmo]

Probably because they did not test them

That doesn't make them a bad (or good come to that) tyre though, I always treat these tests very sceptically as you can't make a true comparison when a product has not been tested. I tend to use the independent reviews to give me a more accurate comparison.

[Bobbe]

I'm gonna go with either Nokian Hakkapeliitta R or Goodyear UltraGrip Ice + (first time trying winter tires without studs, will be fun) on my stock 17" rims. Sets me back almost 900€ :( Oh well, atleast nothing beats good tires during the winter here.

[Handy Andy]

Just finished fitting my avon ice touring st's to the car. Purchased from mytyres on steel rims and delivered on Wedneday two days early! Also fitted a set of front and rear mud flaps and I think they enhance the look of the car.

I know i'm a few weeks early on the fitting but i've got a busy few weeks ahead, so I took a look outside today, and when I realised it was starting to dry up I decided to go for it. The whole job took about a hour and a half and I wasn't rushing it.

Has anyone else fitted theirs yet? or am I the first?

Btw I informed Tesco insurance of my plan to fit winter tyres and once they understood I was not trying to 'mod' but to improve the safety and follow manufacture recommendation they were fine and there will be no premium increase. ( mind you, no decrease either!! )

I hope the avon's perform as well as the goodyear ultragrip 7+'s I had on the octy last year.

[Gizmo]

Has anyone else fitted theirs yet? or am I the first?

This morning @ 0630 the temperature was down to +2 in places (in Kent) but that was a one off according to the forecast, so I imagine I will be swapping both of our cars over to winter wheels and tyres in the next couple of weeks or so??

(got to wait for one set to arrive first anyway lol)

[London Les]

I tootled along to Hever castle in Kent today and saw a CZ registered silver Superb combi with 16" steels, and Conti TS830 Wintercontacts, and standard Skoda wheel trims and I have to say it looked very smart. Didn't check to see which engine.

p.s. they were Rif trims normally supplied with the Yeti.

p.p.s. I note there is a set of winter tyres and VAG steel wheels on eBay today.

Edited 17 October, 2011 by London Les

[Superbjoser]

I'm gonna go with either Nokian Hakkapeliitta R or Goodyear UltraGrip Ice + (first time trying winter tires without studs, will be fun) on my stock 17" rims. Sets me back almost 900€ :( Oh well, atleast nothing beats good tires during the winter here.

Ouch!

Cut that figure in half and thats what I paid for 16" rims (Enzo 101) and that Good Year tires of yours last year. I switched them on again yesterday, and put original floor mats out, rubber mats in. Winter season is here. It's kind of a softer ride now, just before the snow. Has anyone considered xenon auxiliary lights?

/Superbjoser

[Gizmo]

Has anyone considered xenon auxiliary lights?

Eerm, no!

The Bi-xenon's fitted to the Elegance are more than good enough IMO - and I do quite a lot of driving in the dark.

[St]

Has anyone considered xenon auxiliary lights?

Eerm, no!

The Bi-xenon's fitted to the Elegance are more than good enough IMO - and I do quite a lot of driving in the dark.

[St]

Ooops clicked add reply ^^ instead of preview.

I agree that there is a need for something to fill in the very very far distance, especially when on those long forest straights. Suspect that the setup might be good for UK but definitely needed something in the Scandinavian dark forest with very few things having any reflectivity.

I've never seen a Superb with any auxiliaries added, either discharge or incandescent bulbs, not even a below number plate light rack.

Have you had a look at mounting a plate behind the number plate? So much going on behind there, parking sensors, crash sensors too? I'd be a bit worried about screwing one on until somebody had done it first.

[TQB]

Just a quick comment re winter tyres. Tyre companies typically sell different tyres in Scandinavia compared to balmier areas, so models recommended by Norwegians or Swedes are likely not available in the UK. An example Continental sells ContiWinterContact in the UK and ContiVikingContact in Scandinavia. The latter have softer rubber and are really not suiter for UK conditions. You can get the ContiWinterContact in Sweden as well. They are then descibed as "European rubber mix".

So unless you live in the Cairngorms, get the ones suitable for hte UK.

BTW,My wife was hit three times in hte rear last year by locals driving with summer tyres. Why is it such a chore to learn that summer tyres and snow doesn't mix? (and don't get me started on SUV drivers who think that 4x4 is an accptable substitute)

Sorry for the rant

TQB

[St]

I posted a link a few days ago but it has since been removed for some reason?

Search for item no. 160646518031

Ah Bridgestone Blizzaks, whilst they are fine on proper snow and ice I don't rate them for UK use at all. What I would class as Nordic friction tyres, not so good on the warmer and wetter roads we get.

[ecpc]

For what it's worth I fitted 16" Vredestein Wintrac Extreme tyres last winter,supplied by Tyremen in Hull, bought a set of 16" standard rims from my dealer, they fitted the tyres & changed them over for me. Did it the week before the snow came so it was well worth it. I drove on them all through the snow and had no problems at all, brilliant tyres. My insurance company is Aviva and there was not problem with them. Will put them back on this weekend as it looks like things are turning colder now. I just want to get a decent set of wheel trims, so it doesn't look like a 'Q' car ha ha!

[Superbjoser]

Ooops clicked add reply ^^ instead of preview.

I agree that there is a need for something to fill in the very very far distance, especially when on those long forest straights. Suspect that the setup might be good for UK but definitely needed something in the Scandinavian dark forest with very few things having any reflectivity.

I've never seen a Superb with any auxiliaries added, either discharge or incandescent bulbs, not even a below number plate light rack.

Have you had a look at mounting a plate behind the number plate? So much going on behind there, parking sensors, crash sensors too? I'd be a bit worried about screwing one on until somebody had done it first.

Well, it's not the elk, reindeer or whatever in the next county I worry for during my night drives. It's the one or two standing beside the road a couple of hundred meters away that worries me. Therefore I want the width from the auxiliaries, not the length. If you ever had auxiliaries you will miss them, xenon or not. The upper grill is under consideration since that seems not to be the main cooling intake, it's already halfway shut. Lower intake seems to be the one not to block so no auxiliary ramp there. Furthermore xenon's shouldn't be placed so low down due to self blinding. But in my case, I think it had to be done by a professional to get it right with the canbus, radio and all the sensors as well.

/Superbjoser

[Bobbe]

Ouch!

Cut that figure in half and thats what I paid for 16" rims (Enzo 101) and that Good Year tires of yours last year. I switched them on again yesterday, and put original floor mats out, rubber mats in. Winter season is here. It's kind of a softer ride now, just before the snow. Has anyone considered xenon auxiliary lights?

/Superbjoser

Yeah I thought about getting 16s instead since it cost about the same but since I'm getting new wheels next summer I thought I might aswell keep the standard rims for the winter. Although I chickened out at the last minute and ordered studded Hakkapeliitta 7 in the end

[Hillhound]

For what it's worth I fitted 16" Vredestein Wintrac Extreme tyres last winter,supplied by Tyremen in Hull, bought a set of 16" standard rims from my dealer, they fitted the tyres & changed them over for me. Did it the week before the snow came so it was well worth it. I drove on them all through the snow and had no problems at all, brilliant tyres. My insurance company is Aviva and there was not problem with them. Will put them back on this weekend as it looks like things are turning colder now. I just want to get a decent set of wheel trims, so it doesn't look like a 'Q' car ha ha!

Got the Wintrac Extremes on my wife's RAV 4. Brilliant tyres! Was able to tow my Dad's tractor with it up a very snowy lane last year when it broke down trying to clear the snow!!

Have used them Summer and Winter for 3 years. New set going on this week.

Just put a set of Dunlop Winter Sport D3s on the Superb Estate (fwd) as I can't get Wintrac's for it and the dealer gave me a good price on the Dunlops which he had from last year.