Starting to look at winter tyres...in August!

[Huskoda]

Reasons why I swap the whole wheel:

 

1. Reduce damage to wheels.
2. Reduce damage to tyres.
3. One off cost.
4. Lets me do it whenever I want.
5. Gives me a backup set of wheels should one set be damaged (eg double puncture).
6. Lets me fit narrower, higher profile tyres.
7. The above plus ebayed wheels are the same price if not cheaper than large summer tyres alone.
8. Monkeys with airguns never ruin my wheel nuts as I give them loose wheels when I need new tyres.

[kipperbailey]

Thanks both George and Huskoda, i was unsure, but yes the price of the gigaros doesnt exactly please me if i had to buy a new set.. Huskoda what narrower higher profile tyres do you fit onto yours?? 

[sharkrider]

I bought a set of octy elegance wheels, complete with 205/45/16 winters (michelin) for £300 from a member on here ! there are loads of wheel/tyre deals out there, several in the for sale section now!

 

(having said that, we simply use the same wheels on the citigo and changethe tyres lol)

[Sittingbull]

So if I were looking to buy steel wheels for a mk2 Fabia Vrs, and then shod them in winter tyres, what size wheel would I be best getting and what size tyre to go with it? And any recommendations on where to get steel wheels that will definitely fit? I'm wary of gumtree or the bay as I don't want to fork out then find out the offset or something else is wrong and won't fit.

 

Thanks for any guidance.

[lol-lol]

So if I were looking to buy steel wheels for a mk2 Fabia Vrs, and then shod them in winter tyres, what size wheel would I be best getting and what size tyre to go with it? And any recommendations on where to get steel wheels that will definitely fit? I'm wary of gumtree or the bay as I don't want to fork out then find out the offset or something else is wrong and won't fit.

 

Thanks for any guidance.

 

Choice is to stick with the 205-40-17s, buy some 7 inch J steeelies or to drop down to the 195-55-15 which I think are 6 or 6.5" steelies, you can get cheap rims and a huge selection of winter tyres from Openeo....

 

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/  

 

Massive winter stock specialist for Europe, free delivery etc.

[Ant FR]

I'm bunging my Black Mk1 Fabia VRS wheels with brand new 195/55/16 Kumho winters on at the weekend.  Done my last ring laps the other week and although temsp are still double figures now the roads are wet the majority of time.

 

So will fit mine this weekend, 

 

I'm in Germany in 2 weeks and a couple of times in December so be good to see what they are like in some proper snow.

 

Fitting my brothers Cupra rims with winter tyres on to his VRS at weekend too.

[kipperbailey]

Have to load a pic up when they're all done mate

[Sittingbull]

Choice is to stick with the 205-40-17s, buy some 7 inch J steeelies or to drop down to the 195-55-15 which I think are 6 or 6.5" steelies, you can get cheap rims and a huge selection of winter tyres from Openeo....

 

http://www.oponeo.co.uk/  

 

Massive winter stock specialist for Europe, free delivery etc.

 

Thanks for the information, can you maybe clarify something else for me? Am I looking for 5 x 100 or 5 x 110 or 5 x 112? I'm anxious as I don't want to end up with wrong stuff that will be useless to me.

[Ootohere]

5 x 100

 

  57.1 Centre Bore

Edited 5 November, 2014 by goneoffSKi

[Sittingbull]

Thanks once again George

[TeebsVRS]

I've got 16" steels as my winter wheels running 205/45 Hankooks - only reason being I bought the tyres for my old Mk1 VRS and they were one of the few choices available to fit the standard Mk1 alloys. If I was buying steels from scratch I'd maybe go for 15s with a higher profile, or still 16s but with a narrower section.

 

Every weekend for the last few weeks I've been meaning to put them on actually, but it's still generally so mild in the South-East, and they're not quite as good as the summers in the mild and damp.

[DIZZY3]

Thinking of getting a set of winter tyres for my daughter, but are they really worth it , do they make much difference in slippy conditions.

[The Plumber]

Thinking of getting a set of winter tyres for my daughter, but are they really worth it , do they make much difference in slippy conditions.

 

Got converted to the advantages of winter tyres following a very near serious accident 2009. We now switch all the families cars to winters and they do make a big difference. Summer high performance tyres often fitted to many modern cars, turn as hard as concrete in temps below 7 deg and offer little grip, whereas the winter formula stay soft and have additional sipes to aid grip in all winters conditions.

.

 

 

TP

[Ant FR]

got my brothers winters on his VRS,  wheels £100 off here last week for 5, leon cupra 16in wheels, with Toyo snowprox 195-50/16's £240 

 

let the centre caps off and standard wheel skoda cap fitted middle and looks better, surprised how good they ended up looking for the cost, better than steels thats for sure

 

[Huskoda]

Thinking of getting a set of winter tyres for my daughter, but are they really worth it , do they make much difference in slippy conditions.

Yes, they are worth it. The difference is night and day. I wouldn't go through winter without a set since I got my first ones. Theres a reason they are mandatory in countries with harsher winters.

[JonP50]

Winter tyres make a huge difference, the grip is far superior to summers and they are more flexible giving better stopping distances over summer's. 

 

If you look at it logically and are keeping the car for a few years, you're just buying another set and rotating them so lasting longer. With British winters the other option is all season tyres, I put Vredestein Quatrac 3's on my Audi, summer wear was fine and winter the car felt safe and I didn't have to invest in new wheels, steel or alloys!

 

Jon

[DIZZY3]

Thanks for replies , will treat her to a set , can anyone recommend any decent not too expensive tyres.

[Huskoda]

Continental TS850s are where its at. Nokians (almost any) are also good. Also Goodyear Ultragrip 8/9s. Price depends on the size.

[The Plumber]

We are running Uniroyal MS Plus 66 on the on the Monte and the newer pattern MS Plus 77 on the Spaceback; seem particularly suited to UK winter conditions being both winter and rain tyres and they come from the same factories that make Conti's fabled TS850. Would also consider Nokian, they design their tyres in Finland and make them in Russia, cannot get much more wintery than that

 

 

TP

[sharkrider]

I have goodyears, swmbo has contis, both very good.