Temperatures are supposed to start dropping below zero next week in the Midlands and the North so decided to do the easiest first.

So on my Wife's HTP I removed the 195/55X15 alloys with Conti Premiums and fitted steelies with 165/70X14 Bridgestone Blizzaks

Here's a before and after.. They do look skinny

I've gone as narrow as approved on all three cars in my signature which should give best results if the white stuff arives.

Should be good as this one. Ok so no studs and a little down on power but you get the idea.

First impressions !!!!

Turn in not as crisp but handling still better than I thought it would be. The ride is dramatically improved, going to 70's from 55's really smoothes out the potholes and ridges. And the road noise is dramatically improved too, a quick 70mph drive up the baypass and hardly any road noise. The steel/winter combo is also quite a bit lighter than the alloy/summer combo, the difference suprised me.

So just the TSi to fit 185/55X15's and steels instead of the 195/55X15 alloys and on the Passat I have 205/55x16's on steelies instead of the 235/45X17's on alloys.

I know how good the Passat was last year as I changed in the middle of the snow, I suspect the light weight HTP with 165's will be very good. I'll report back when the snow comes.

Cheers

Lee

lol

Be good to know how they are in the cold/snow etc

I am tempted to get a set for mine, not that getting about in the snow does much for me as I can't work and parents now have a Yeti 4x4 so could get a lift

lol

Be good to know how they are in the cold/snow etc

I am tempted to get a set for mine, not that getting about in the snow does much for me as I can't work and parents now have a Yeti 4x4 so could get a lift

Winter tyres on a 2wd should out perform a 4x4 on summer tyres. You could give your parents a lift :-)

They will be far better all winter than your summer tyres...Vaslly improved stopping distances and more traction...In the wet, cold, ice and the occasional snow day

Winter tyres are NOT just for snow!!

Yeah I have changed over to winter alloys on the fabia and yaris and got the other fabia some Hankook optimo 4s which seem to be rated highly for snow as an all weather tyre plus stocked up on rock salt, de-icer and some snow shovels. Agree that winter tyres are brilliant when the cold weather arrives fitted mine last year for first time before all the bad weather arrived and only issue I then had was ground clearance as they got me places that others couldn't get. The skinny wheels should be good, surprising how much difference they make to ride and noise my Fabia has gone from the 205/45 16's to 195/55 15's for winter and that has made a noticeable difference.

Yep, as I said I had winters on the Passat last year. I drive 30 miles to work at 4.50am so I'm nearly always one of the first cars on the road. Last winter when nightime temps were far below zero and there was surface frost on the road I had to tiptoe the Passat away from and upto junctions, steering and power resulted in the ESP trying desperatly to keep the car on the road. Once the winters were on the car was totally different and I could just drive normally, even heavy braking failed to cause major issues.

I also noticed a reduction in pull and aquaplaning in standing water. The 235 Conti Sports don't like standing water or slush.

In the snow I managed to avoid a motorway pile up as I posted in another thread.

So I'm making sure all our cars have them this year.

Cheers

Lee

Edited 30 October, 201114 yr by logiclee