Winter tyres: quick check before purchase

[MattHunt]

Morning,

Since we need the car a bit more now I am looking at winter tyres again.

We have: Octavia II estate, 1.9 TDI. The manual says that on 205/55/X she has limited clearance for chains (and given the that the adverse camber on some of the local roads here catches out several people each year it snows they might be a Good Idea) and says that for chains the tyre should be 195/65/15 6j.

Mytyres will do Continental Wintercontact TS 830P 95/65/R15 (91T) plus steel wheel.

To people with more experience of this than me, is this a good option?

(The tyre seems to have good reviews and I am looking at Pewag Brenta C chains).

Thanks

Matt

[@Lee]

are you going anywhere that you'll need chains?

[Fatbloke]

I don't think you can go wrong with those and the 15" tyres are quite a bit cheaper than the 16"s too iirc

[Gizmo]

Buy a set of Nokian WR G2’s for £216 (delivered, but plus fitting) and some cheap eBay genuine 15” wheels and you will not want to fit chains.

[Mellow Yellow VRS]

We do winter wheel kits genuine from SKODA 205/55/16 is usually a universal fit for all octavias (even vrs to go over the brakes) we do a wheel kit for 541 including vat fitted and balanced or just the 16 inch tyres for 264.44 + vat for firestones which are around the middle of the range have got some good reviews and weve sold plenty of them and customers are happy with them!

[dieselV6]

Outside of winter time a set of WR G2s + new steel wheels +fitting will cost you under £450.

Now you have to pay the premium

Contis are not bad, and yes, 195/65/16 is the size you need. It is also better on ice when without chains, as narrower tyre cuts the ice better.

Remember to pump up winters to factory pressure listed on fuel cap +0.2bar / 7psi, ie winters should be run at higher pressure unless you constantly drive on loose snow (but then you'd need snow tyres, not ice/cold weather tyres).

[Huskoda]

Mytyres are selling 195/65 R15 91H Goodyear Ultragrip 8s on steels for only £81.60 each! Those are the tyres I use and I think they're great.

And yes, pump them up a bit more than normal.

[MattHunt]

Thanks all.

I'll look at the Goodyears since I am broke atm.

Yes we need chains (probably) since Tandridge Council really cannot grasp the fact that not all of us (like most of the constituency) live on the A25 which seems to be the only thing they grit... and the road to our house turns into a blasted ice rink. except when they are sliding towards you, it is 'interesting' to see the SUV's struggling up it whilst the farmers' clapped out Landies just nip up it!

[dieselV6]

and yes, 195/65/16 is the size you need.

Meant 195/65/R15 not 16 size, sorry.

[blackspaven]

Mytyres are selling 195/65 R15 91H Goodyear Ultragrip 8s on steels for only £81.60 each! Those are the tyres I use and I think they're great.

And yes, pump them up a bit more than normal.

With postage works out just over £380, which seems good value for all brand new, balanced wheels, especially if you see what people want for second hand steels on ebay! Came first in the autobild winter tyres test too.

Just spent £303 this morning for a set of Barum Bravuris 2's on 17"ers, so might have to wait a while.

Anyone reckon this deal will still be around in the summer and if it'll be even cheaper??

Edited 16 January, 2013 by blackspaven

[Huskoda]

They were just over £100/corner for that exact combo in July when I bought mine. I was watching the price for some time and have never seen them cheaper than now.

[blackspaven]

Quite surprised they're cheaper in the winter then; would have expected them to have been more than what you paid if that's the summer price cos of demand.

[dieselV6]

Possibly recession and companies going bust left right and centre might have had something to do with current pricing.

[blackspaven]

They were just over £100/corner for that exact combo in July when I bought mine. I was watching the price for some time and have never seen them cheaper than now.

Ah, was that delivered though, cos they whack postage onto every single wheel?

[Huskoda]

That was pre-delivery price, so we're comparing apples to apples here. I was very surprised as the price started to drop around October. I expected it to go up too. I guess its because they don't have many in stock in summer so its more expensive to source them and fulfil orders.

[countryboy]

Personally I think chains aren't really what you need unless the ice is quite thick and the chains can bite into it, otherwise you could well be skating again. Why not try a set of snow socks, much cheaper and providing you use them sparingly you should make them last a while.

Ian

[ruffday]

I would say just get some std size winter tyres fitted to your own wheels that way you dont have to tell the insurance as IMO winter tyres are not a modification if you fit steel wheels as well that is a mod.

Skoda recommend increasing the pressures but I have never found the need to as the std pressures work well for me and have never had uneven tyre wear or poor handling.

I doubt you will need chains in this country and you will find it too much hassle to put them on when in deep snow and then take them off again when on tarmac.

I have used winter tyres for the past few years and had no problem at all except when we had 2 foot of snow which was too deep to drive in anyway.

I drive for my job all over the north of england and do 1000 miles a week.

[milesunder]

I used Vredestein Quatrac 3 during the winter last year and had no problems at all with them. I am using them againthis year. Makes my 4x4 very versatile. Being all season means they can be used into the spring before looking to replace them. They wear well also.

[Huskoda]

No insurer I have had has ever cared about the winters being on steels. Well, Admiral did once but I got them to check with their supervisor and that was that.

[mat-vrs]

You might be surprised how far winter tyres alone will get you.

A few years ago I did a drive with a guy who had chains (standard tyres) on while I had winter tyres and I was able to get further than he could.

Ground clearance would probably be an issue before chains were needed.

[MattHunt]

Well, since the F-i-L has said that he will lend me the money rather than risk his only daughter on the M20, I've just bought a set of Conti TS 850s in 195/65/15 for the Octi.

I looked at Nokians but some reviews suggested they can lead to understeer in the wet as my wife is going to using the car more than me decided this was a bad idea.

And simultanously had an email from my wife saying she'd slid so decided to stop using the handbrake......they stopped just short of the ditch.....

Thanks for the help everyone,

Matt

[d1g1t4lc4m3r4]

Do you have to put winters all round or can you just put on drive wheels. What is a good all round winter / summer tyre. 195/65/15 ?

[dieselV6]

Best to use all 4 tyres, but if you have an ESP-equipped car, read my post here:

http://www.briskoda....60#entry3092358

My current favourite all year tyres ar Vredestein Quatrac Lite, quiet, efficient and all weather. Will put them on the Roomster as soon as factory tyres are worn out. On the other car I use separate sets of wheels for winter and summer.

Edited 18 January, 2013 by dieselV6

[MattHunt]

Do you have to put winters all round or can you just put on drive wheels. What is a good all round winter / summer tyre. 195/65/15 ?

Hi,

They need to be on all four otherwise one end sticks and one does not...........

Winters are suggested as narrow since when it snows the reduced area of the tyre in contact with the ground helps. I read a review today that suggested that all weather tyres are not that great, underperforming winter and summer tyres in most tests.

**beaten :( ***

Edited 18 January, 2013 by MattHunt

[iNath]

I have these: http://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-details/vredestein-snowtrac-3-195-65-r15-91-t

Bought a set of (used) steel wheels from eBay for £60, £16ish for nuts, and £25 fitting/valve/balancing.