Right...

With 10k on the clock, the fronts (Dunlop SportMaxx) are down to about 4mm or so (1mm above the outer TWIs - correct?) but I'm off around Europe (Germany, mainly) till the end of the year so need some Winter tyres - I think! Rears are fine (no surprise) so whats the best solution?

Any suggestions on tyres? Obviously need to be vRS suitable!

Swap them round and enjoy

It depends on which Lander you're visiting, but if you need Winters for Germany, you will need a full set.

Will be driving through Luxembourg where they're compulsory between October and March, and be staying in Saarland. Might not be too bad at the moment, but will only have the odd day back home until December when it will be covered in snow, I think...

If its even frosty and you have a prang, you're immediately at fault unless you have "All Season" or "Winter" tyres fitted, apparently.

We put these on the fabia every winter...Absolutely no problems at all

http://www.mytyres.c...=110&sowigan=Wi

We put these on the fabia every winter...Absolutely no problems at all

http://www.mytyres.c...=110&sowigan=Wi

Looks very a very reasonable price for a 205/40/17 that's "V" rated...most winters seem just to be "H" rated.

http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=8592652.110.12671&typ=D-107350&ranzahl=4&Breite=205&Quer=40&Felge=17&Speed=T&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi

I pop these on the monte last year straight onto the rims. Same tread and rubber as the roadstone. For once it was a pleasure to drive in the snow!

Orignal Tyre is "W" rated, winter tyres are "V" rated - deviation from the original spec = insurance must be notified. Doesn't mean they will do anything with your premiums as tyre size and rim size stay the same and V rating is above car's top speed anyways, for those frequenting Autobahn's during winter of course.

I use the OE wheels (my winters are currently stacked up in my kitchen after last year!) and I use nankang SV2's http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nankang/SV2.htm in 205/45/17 flavour, as for insurance, I contacted my company, and they said as long as they are skoda approved, you dont need to tell us, they are covered, and seeing as it was my skoda garage and their techs who fitted the tyres for me, and said that the 45 profile is fine,I'm all good. 205/45/17 is a slightly higher profile (lifts the car a bit in the snow (5%) ) the speedo read dead on accurate instead of fast as with the 205/40's, and they are cheaper than the winguards or pirelli's which are about the only 2 available in 205/40/17....

good reviews too, mine is on that site http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nankang/SV2.htm they work well below 7 celcius.

oh, and they are V rated, 150 mph max.

What is the minimum width you could go for?

Mytyres have changed the size for the vRS again, was 195/55/15, then it was 205/55/16 and now it's 185/55/15.

Orignal Tyre is "W" rated, winter tyres are "V" rated - deviation from the original spec = insurance must be notified. Doesn't mean they will do anything with your premiums as tyre size and rim size stay the same and V rating is above car's top speed anyways, for those frequenting Autobahn's during winter of course.

No you dont..The size is what counts

Read Sharkriders post

out of those Gumby I'd go for 205/55/16 first (I think thats the skoda approved spare wheel size in the boot!) or 195/55/15 , I think you would loose too much dry weather grip with 185's........ 20 mill less tyre width on the road!

out of those Gumby I'd go for 205/55/16 first (I think thats the skoda approved spare wheel size in the boot!) or 195/55/15 , I think you would loose too much dry weather grip with 185's........ 20 mill less tyre width on the road!

This is what is confusing me...

someone in another thread said the 205/55/16 has too wide diameter

Rang skoda who said recommended was 195/55/15

Mytyres used to list the above, but now only list 185/55/15. Emailed them and they said it was manfacturers spec

Don't want to risk getting 205's swapped onto my alloys plus want to be able to swap whole wheel when I want/need to.

I had on 205/50/16 last winter & had taken them off just as the Snow arrived in April, (not much snow here last winter before then)

but they were good in the cold and wet and nice and safe on the nice days.

Had them on the front a few weeks ago when the temp dropped and then took them off till needed.

Almost the same Rolling radius as the 205/45/17 Sharkrider has, which gives that slightly bigger sidewall and no real problems.

http://www.kouki.co....size-calculator

Personally i can not see the need to go to 195 unless you really want to.

205 is certainly not too wide, and will not act like flotation tyres on snow, you get grip..

http://www.camskill.co.uk

195 & 205 is actually the tyres width and not exactly the tread width,

that may change among brands and treads,

its not far different, but i am just pointing that out.

george

These are my 4x4's 205 wide tyres which i use in the snow, they work perfectly. (on something lighter than a vRS.)

no worse than if i have on the 195's that i also have.

the 4 tyres are 195, 205, 215, & a 235, its not so much the width its the tread that matters,

get what you need them for or which use is most important.

Probably a 205 will suit for 4-5 months & work fine in snow if its a good tread and compound.

Run 195/55 R15 as my winter option (standard spare size and Skoda winter recommendation) on our Elegance TSI in place of the standard 205/45 R16. Found anything wider doesn't grip that well in compacted snow with the lighter weight petrol engines.

TP

Gumby,

Seeing as it is a 178bhp vRS

& you might never be on Compacted snow this winter, or can leave the car and walk if need be,

(or put Snow Socks on the tyres to get moving on Ice or Frozen compacted snow, then remove them)

i would consider all the other driving you do need to do & what tyres are best in those conditions.

Also what ones your insurance are happy with having fitted when you are out for all those days when there is no snow or cold.

You know best how you use your car.

http://www.btmauk.co...1_June_2011.pdf

http://www.tesco-tyr...lp/speed-rating

george

Try Tyremen in hull (Phil normally answers the phone or email queries). They have almost next day service (If they have them in stock) and can supply wheels as well as tyres. I got a set for my wifes 07 Fabia MkI VRS LE and my daughters Toyota Yaris Auto. Great service and great prices. By the way, I live in Northern Ireland and still got next day delivery. They were mounted and ready to bolt on.

No, I'm not connected to them in any way, I just appreciate great service when I get it.

Try Tyremen in hull (Phil normally answers the phone or email queries). They have almost next day service (If they have them in stock) and can supply wheels as well as tyres. I got a set for my wifes 07 Fabia MkI VRS LE and my daughters Toyota Yaris Auto. Great service and great prices. By the way, I live in Northern Ireland and still got next day delivery. They were mounted and ready to bolt on.

No, I'm not connected to them in any way, I just appreciate great service when I get it.

Cheers for the recommendation, I'll check them out!

Gumby,

Seeing as it is a 178bhp vRS

& you might never be on Compacted snow this winter, or can leave the car and walk if need be,

(or put Snow Socks on the tyres to get moving on Ice or Frozen compacted snow, then remove them)

i would consider all the other driving you do need to do & what tyres are best in those conditions.

Also what ones your insurance are happy with having fitted when you are out for all those days when there is no snow or cold.

You know best how you use your car.

http://www.btmauk.co...1_June_2011.pdf

http://www.tesco-tyr...lp/speed-rating

george

This is one of the main reason I'm considering winter tyres...vrs on summer tyres + dsg isn't going to go too well. i don't want to end up skidding into something/someone and damanging my car and insurance. Plus need to be mobile at all times when on call at work so walking in when needed isn't an options especially at 3am in the middle of winter.

Checked with insurance and they said they don't mind if i fit winter tyres and won't affect my policy at all. However, they would be noting that they are going to be fitted/I've informed them.

Edited 14 October, 201213 yr by Gumby

Speed rating does matter big time and it is not about the speed only either. W-rated tyres have different construction to H-rated rubber, they simly behave different under loads. As being a rather important part of the suspension it will have an overall effect on your car's handling. Just becsue the rating is below the top speed of the car doesn't mean it is all smiles. This is at least what insurers think about it so it is important when you are using a different tyre soec to the one it was shod with at the factory to first of all get it in writing from Skoda that such tyre is what they recommend and then send it all to your insurer for confirmation it is fine. One of the ways to have a piece of mind I suppose and save yourself a lot of grief. For the sake of getting a letter from SUK I'd rather prefer that to prolonged arguments with your insurers should anything happen. I know it is paranoid in some people's eyes and I personally think it is completely OTT and bonkers but ...

As for the tyre size for winter, disregarding the above, the thinner the better for winter conditions. This gives higher Normal force hence helping to “dig-in” into compacted snow surface. This only matters when snow/snow sludge is on the road. When you on black or any other ice it makes no difference what tyres you are on – you are passenger. The other thing is tyre compound and thread design. Tyre needs to stay “playable” in low temps and has to have thread block design promoting rejection of snow from the cuts, i.e. small thread blocks. Summer tyres in low temps get hard, thread fills with snow/sludge, thread blocks are not there to move to eject the snow and you driving on slicks – good luck!

The law in Germany now says you must use tyres suitable for the road conditions. This means if there is ice or snow you must use tyres with the M&S symbol - either winter tyres or all-year. From experience I was amazed at the difference these make in such conditions. Good fun driving my old Citroen C3 on snow-covered roads in the UK where SUVs were struggling...

For a tyre recommendation, it's a bit easier now tyres have ratings for fuel efficiency and grip. But I also look at ADAC and Testsieger. I notice the latter just recommended Nokia WR D3.

And for size, get the narrowest you are allowed. In Germany there is an official document specifies this (of course!) - http://www.skoda.de/download.php?id=579. You also want to consider whether you can fit snow chains in conjunction with the tyre size. Not that I ever use them, but I do carry a set of snow socks in the boot during winter for emergencies. For M+S tyres on the Fabia II RS Estate, it says only

185/55 R15 85H on 6Jx15H2ET43 rims or 205/45R16 83W on 6.5Jx16H2ET43 rims - but the latter is not snow chain compatable. So I would go with the former for winter.

I'm about to replace the tyres on my 1yr-old Fabia Greenline II and would like to get winter tyres. Is it a straightforward swap of like for like in size terms?

I can get 4 x Dunlop Winter Response 185/60/15 (my car came with Dunlop Sport 01 185/60/15) fitted for £275 this weekend.

Is there anything I've missed or can I go ahead and have these fitted?

(I'll be putting them on my original alloys)

HV

Hi Harry. For my Greenline II, I had the choice of 185/60R15 or 185/55R15, which were more expensive, but allowed snow chains to be fitted. (The deeper profile ones do not leave sufficient clearance). Either size will fit on your alloy rims. No other sizes are allowed here officially.

Have you thought about getting them fitted to a new set of steel rims? It could save money in the long run, as you wont need to pay for them to be refitted twice a year. Even in Scotland you'd be better with summer tyres in summer.

Hi Harry. For my Greenline II, I had the choice of 185/60R15 or 185/55R15, which were more expensive, but allowed snow chains to be fitted. (The deeper profile ones do not leave sufficient clearance). Either size will fit on your alloy rims. No other sizes are allowed here officially.

Have you thought about getting them fitted to a new set of steel rims? It could save money in the long run, as you wont need to pay for them to be refitted twice a year.

Hi,

thanks for the info. I don't plan to use snow chains; I've had snow socks for three years now and have yet to encounter conditions that needed them.

My summer tyres are near their limit now which is why I'm taking the opportunity to replace them with winters. In the meantime I'll shop around for a set of steel wheels for use next year.

Even in Scotland you'd be better with summer tyres in summer.

That usually lasts about a week!

regards,

HV