Hello guys,

just bought 14" steels for my Fabia, for winter tyres. But need help with size of tyres for them, what's best size for winter? Thanks for looking forward your reply.

Regards David

What have you got on at the moment? That's the starting point. And what size the steels are too of course - width?

Edited 23 November, 201114 yr by DRJ

185/60 14 is one off the sizes fitted as standard

Depends on what your car came with standard, for winter I'm running 165/70/14 Dunlop winter sports , my car is a PD100 so I don't need to worry about brake clearance issues

Depends on what your car came with standard, for winter I'm running 165/70/14 Dunlop winter sports , my car is a PD100 so I don't need to worry about brake clearance issues

Standard size was 185/60/14 now I running 205/40/17. How is the handling of car with 165/70/14?

I would have thought it would be a lot more vague in the corners, but a smoother ride.

Yeah it is, feel potholes and bad road surfaces a lot less and road noise is a lot less, but will be worth it when the snow comes :p

Standard size was 185/60/14 now I running 205/40/17. How is the handling of car with 165/70/14?

So your current 17" tyres are rather too large - 3.11% more than the originals to be precise - or +18mm in diameter. I wonder if you can notice the dulling of the acceleration potential?

If you don't want to use the standard 185/60/14 size (which a quick check seems to suggest may be the cheapest option) for the winter size the 165/70/14 is only 1.56% or 9mm larger - so not as bad.

The theory behind running a narrower tyre is that it cuts through the snow better - though it's nearly 30 years since I had a Citroen 2CV so can't remember how effective that might be in reality.

You could try 175/65/14 too - seem to be more options available than 165/70/14.

However as I've previously pointed out it depends on the width of your steel wheels as to what tyres you can fit. There is a limit...

Interestingly while I was at Blackcircles.com checking our prices for the above I fed in my tyre sizes for my standard alloys.

Only one tyre available - Goodyear Ultra Grip GW-3 - at £138.08 each! So I won't be changing!

I use 185/60 R14 winters on my OEM Skoda Alloys......see my post for other sizes

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/217351-oem-tyre-sizes-and-alternatives/

Also your tyre size of 205/40 R17 is wrong for that car and your speedo will be out..

i run 185 60 14s vredstein wintrac 3s

they were excellent in last years bad snow

i live in a very hilly area and people on my estate were amazed

as i was the only person getting out they were all asking

if my fabia 1.4 16v was 4 wheel drive

i run 185 60 14s vredstein wintrac 3s

they were excellent in last years bad snow

i live in a very hilly area and people on my estate were amazed

as i was the only person getting out they were all asking

if my fabia 1.4 16v was 4 wheel drive

:rofl: .......You should see the looks I've had from 4x4x drivers the past two winters, when I overtake them at ...40mph!!!....cause they're stuck at 20mph...on big bling "summers"........

i run 185 60 14s vredstein wintrac 3s

they were excellent in last years bad snow

i live in a very hilly area and people on my estate were amazed

as i was the only person getting out they were all asking

if my fabia 1.4 16v was 4 wheel drive

Yep, same here. Those Tyres where faultless for me last Year also. I managed to get some days days before the Snow came from Tyremen in Hull. http://www.tyremen.co.uk/

Thank you all for help. Yesterday I fit winters 185/60/14 2x Vredestein Snowtrac and 2x Matador Silika MP56

Thank you all for help. Yesterday I fit winters 185/60/14 2x Vredestein Snowtrac and 2x Matador Silika MP56

2-off WINTER TYRES + 2-off SUMMER TYRES - Hummmmm! Take care now, I hope our paths don't cross!

Thank you all for help. Yesterday I fit winters 185/60/14 2x Vredestein Snowtrac and 2x Matador Silika MP56

2-off WINTER TYRES + 2-off SUMMER TYRES - Hummmmm! Take care now, I hope our paths don't cross!

I don't understand why a matching set of four tyres weren't put on since you're buying 4 in one go - seems very strange - but at least they do appear all to be winter tyres...

Matador MP 56 Silika

Winter tyre with best gripping properties on snowy surface. All sizes of MP 56 Silika tread pattern contain a silica filler.

Tyre choice would also depend on rim size. Skoda recommend the following for the Fabia I;

5Jx14 ET35 = 165/70 R14 81T

6Jx14 ET38 or ET43 = 185/60 R14 82T

TP

I don't understand why a matching set of four tyres weren't put on since you're buying 4 in one go - seems very strange - but at least they do appear all to be winter tyres...

Matador MP 56 Silika

Winter tyre with best gripping properties on snowy surface. All sizes of MP 56 Silika tread pattern contain a silica filler.

DMG-FABIA-VRS sorry, my ignorance - just assummed that if buying "2 + 2" then that would equal 2 winters + 2 summers!

One thing though, I do hope that you have matched the tyre width to the rim width as pointed out by others.

DMG-FABIA-VRS sorry, my ignorance - just assummed that if buying "2 + 2" then that would equal 2 winters + 2 summers!

One thing though, I do hope that you have matched the tyre width to the rim width as pointed out by others.

Don't worry rum4mo! I knew they all winters, I will never put 2x winter and 2x summer on my car. Also all my rims are 6Jx14 ET38 and tyres 185/60 R14 82T. The country where I'm from winter looks like this.

Temperature drop to -25'C at night during the day -10/-12'C so that's decent winter.

Thanks

David