I have my winter tyres on now. I think the first thing you will notice is that the steering feels a lot more imprecise and the turn-in slower. If you can avoid fidgety steering though then it's fine. I also find that with the lighter 16" wheels the handling over rough roads is immeasurably better.

The handling over rough roads will be better because they are narrower and have more sidewall to absorb the bumps.

I can't say I noticed any difference in the steering between winter and summer tyres when I swapped this year, last year I noticed a huge difference because it was already deep in snow when I bought the tyres! But then again I am using my original 16" Alloys and swapping the rubber.

I still haven't managed to find a set of steels at a sensible price. It wasn't that long ago a steel wheel with a tyre was £5 at a scrappers as they couldn't get rid of them and didn't want to have to dispose of the rubber, now you can't get a steel wheel for a sensible price as everyone wants them for winters!

Funny, we were just discussing this yesterday, weren't we Andy? I'd no idea -- then again I haven't got a handbook with mine.

Yep - you have not been the only one who has mentioned it recently. I must admit, at first I thought it might be some kind of adjustment so looked it up in the handbook to find out it was just a warning. It was discussed quite a bit on here last year, so I suppose any newcomers to Octys and/or winter tyres would probably come to the same conclusion without looking at the handbook.

Do you visit the autobahn much? especially during winter?

I do The law changed last November making it a legal requirement in Germany to have full winters/all seasons or M&S on threw winter months and any time the ground temp drops below a certain level regardless of time of year ......... I wont be driving my Octy on German roads now again until next year as I dont have the correct tyres :'(. Still getting 20DegC at mo some days but you are still meant to have them on hence people want as good a performance tyre as possible making a market for them.

I have my winter tyres on now. I think the first thing you will notice is that the steering feels a lot more imprecise and the turn-in slower. If you can avoid fidgety steering though then it's fine. I also find that with the lighter 16" wheels the handling over rough roads is immeasurably better.

+1

Its shocking how heavy the 18"s are! The car feels totally different, would recommend taking some time to get used to it.