Yes 17s or bigger. You won't find steel 17s or bigger.  You'll find alloys, at 17 or 18, from about 300 quid a set. 

Hey guys,

I jump into this now, as I've just picked up my new wheels for the aoctavia today at the local VW/Audi dealership - they did It for free .

I recon tire dimensions are a matter of pro/con considerations, as one needs to reflect on big surface for friction versus narrow thread for higher pressure and/or getting through snow, smosh, etc. Then secondary comes rolling resistance etc.

Google Octavia Crystal 17" and find the German hit with the black RS on OEM winter wheels. These are 6" wide also, and seems strangely narrow! Talking to a friend working at local Pirelli and supplying for dealerships, he believed this was a deliberate dimension to avoid people mounting wider tires than the recommended 205/50-17. At least in Norway, 225/45 is the usual 17" winter tyre for Audi estates etc.

Myself I went with the 205/55-16 setup as I know it as quite comfortable without wobble feel of 195/65-15 (old corporate standard), and they will perform well on snowy days. Since Norway knows alloy industry, I picked up these rims designed here, comes with right hub and OEM stud fitment. Chose gun metal due lot of road salt (I hate that, eats away our cars!), worn studs rust in your paint and grey-on-grey looked somewhat okay on my urquattro.

Someone asked about. 6x16" rims, I'd go 6,5 or 7" in width as mine here.

Edited 1 October, 201411 yr by WAUOla

Got to take one wheel in for repair as it's got a damaged rim, just hope mother nature doesn't throw a complete U turn & decide to snow in the next two weeks. 

If you're in Guildford you may be OK for a few weeks yet according to this report - although given the complexity of the British weather system and how susceptible to change it is, that's obviously far from guaranteed.

The 6J width wheels are for countries where snow chains are allowed/required as they give extra clearance to the suspension when the chain is fitted.

For example in Germany (& also here in Switzerland) you must drive with a wheel/tyre combination which has been approved by the TUV.

 

For the Octavia 5E the only 17" combination which is TUV approved for snow chain use is 6J width & this is the only "winter wheel" width the Skoda garage will sell/offer to me here.

 

 

For me, I would have gone down to 16" wheels if they would fit on the vRS because the price of the tyres is much cheaper.

Someone asked about. 6x16" rims, I'd go 6,5 or 7" in width as mine here.

 

Nice wheels...!

I also went for the dark grey to help hide the salt, grit, mess from the winter roads so the dirtiness doesn't annoy me as often.

Since Norway knows alloy industry, I picked up these rims designed here, comes with right hub and OEM stud fitment. Chose gun metal due lot of road salt (I hate that, eats away our cars!), worn studs rust in your paint and grey-on-grey looked somewhat okay on my urquattro.

 

They look good. What's the brand and model?

 

Thank you from a fellow urquattro owner.

 

EDIT: think I found them: Polar Gun Bullet. Correct?

 

Any idea where to order them in the EU? 

Edited 2 October, 201411 yr by GatorLinearFade

Nice wheels...!

I also went for the dark grey to help hide the salt, grit, mess from the winter roads so the dirtiness doesn't annoy me as often.

You know it seems your Octavia is the hot, young lady, whereas mine is the sister being more fan of the school library..? Two with the same family looks, but still very different

Yes you're right, the 205/55-16 is the best performance for money dimension these days for any winter tyre.

They look good. What's the brand and model?

 

Thank you from a fellow urquattro owner.

 

EDIT: think I found them: Polar Gun Bullet. Correct?

 

Any idea where to order them in the EU? 

Hi,

You are right, these are the Polar wheels Bullet rim. Up until checking today, they were the one and only wheel they sold.

I like the looks being similar design idea, although softer, to the OEM Alaris in 18" I currently ride on.

I got mine of a friend running an aftermarket business for VW in Norway ([email protected]). Not sure Polar is sold abroad - http://www.polarwheels.com.

[so what is your urquattro by the way?]

Yes you're right, the 205/55-16 is the best performance for money dimension these days for any winter tyre.

 

Unfortunatelly looks a little bit too small for everyones taste.. :(

 

Unfortunatelly looks a little bit too small for everyones taste.. :(

 

 

I don't get this obsession we have with big rims. I think a small wheel (i.e. the whole thing including tyre) can look daft, but on the same vehicle we're comparing rim/tyre combinations with the same rolling circumference, i.e. they're the same overall size. I like to see a bit more sidewall, and I reckon a 205/55R16 looks better than my 225/45R17. I would like a 205/60R16 even better, bigger overall and even more sidewall. Perfect!

 

I know I'm in the minority.

bigger overall and even more sidewall. Perfect!

 

Especially with white sidewalls 

[so what is your urquattro by the way?]

 

apologies for the off topic to all :-)

 

81 WR in Saturn Bronze:

I sweated my nuts off in the sunshine walking in to town from work this lunchtime  Even if I had winters to use. it still feels way too early - at least in Devon for sure.

Found some cheaper steelies £ 31 each delivered for 205 55 16

 

http://www.tyreleader.co.uk/steel-wheels/skoda/octavia-iii/16tdi-262594

 

Tyre prices look good too :0)

Unfortunatelly looks a little bit too small for everyones taste.. :(

Listen, I'll have no sexy-time running the 16s.

But the fact is, when our winter season in Norway includes days featuring snow, and not just ice or dry-salted asphalt, that easily packs up making roads rather less smooth... The 205/55-16 dampening koefficient is beneficial above more low profile options.

Central Europe etc with a lot of bare asphalt, arguments would be different for sure.

Found some cheaper steelies £ 31 each delivered for 205 55 16

 

http://www.tyreleader.co.uk/steel-wheels/skoda/octavia-iii/16tdi-262594

 

Tyre prices look good too :0)

 

Remembering of course that 16's don't fit vRS models, but you will get away with SE, Elegance & L&K models.

I got my winters from here last year - worked out over £100 cheaper than buying them in the Uk and they turned up in 3 days!

 

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/reifenportal/

Getting a set of SE 16" Ilias wheels as part of L&K new car deal, need to order the rubber now (as 15" from my Fabia will never fit, shame as plenty of life left in them).

 

What tyres - brand, model, are everyone using out of interest?

Been reading the Which reports and the ratings on mytyres and there is even more choice than 4yrs ago for my 15" set.

The Swiss TCS (same as AA) produce a test report each year of the latest winter tyres.

Unfortunately its in French, German or Italian but you should be able to understand the overall ratings:

 

Webpage:

http://www.tcs.ch/fr/test-securite/tests/pneus/hiver.php

15" Report:

http://www.tcs.ch/fr/assets/tous-les-tests/pneus/pneus-hiver/apercu-tcs-test-pneus-hiver-2014-195-65-R15-91T.pdf

 

I've gone for the Conti 850's for my vRS (17") & the Dunlop SP Winter Responce 2 for my wifes car (15").

The reason I chose the Dunlop was based on the fuel economy rating B (most winter tyres are E or C) and the reduced road noise 63db (most others are 72db although this is probably because they are not really tested & thats the proposed new limit)

TS850's are excellent - I ran TS830's for 3 winters and TS850's last winter.

I'm going to run some 18" uniroyal ms plus 77 on the octy vRS

I ran some 15" uniroyal Ms plus 77 on my fabia vRS estate last year and they were very good

Cheers for the links, I'll look into those later this week.

Noise level is a serious issue - the 15" Goodyear ULTRA GRIP 7+ I have been using are great, but always end up with stereo wound up louder in the winter to over ride the road noise. This was not rated all those years ago!

Which rate the ts830 in 2012 when they did the 16" report, assume ts850 would be better.

Which rate the ts830 in 2012 when they did the 16" report, assume ts850 would be better.

 

In Switzerland, the TCS have rated the Conti 850 TS top since they were released & the 830s before that for several years.

I think due to this, the prices here for them are quite good because they are one of the most popular tyres.

 

For road noise, I believe legal limits are introduced in Europe in the near future.

This is the first year I've seen tyres which are actually tested (have a rating below 72dB which is the suggested limit).

I have the same concern as you, especially in my wifes Peugeot, the winter tyres are extremely noisy (compared with the summer Conti's) which I why I thought I would try the Dunlop's this time.

In Switzerland, the TCS have rated the Conti 850 TS top since they were released & the 830s before that for several years.

I think due to this, the prices here for them are quite good because they are one of the most popular tyres.

 

For road noise, I believe legal limits are introduced in Europe in the near future.

This is the first year I've seen tyres which are actually tested (have a rating below 72dB which is the suggested limit).

I have the same concern as you, especially in my wifes Peugeot, the winter tyres are extremely noisy (compared with the summer Conti's) which I why I thought I would try the Dunlop's this time.

Remember that the noise rating for tyres is based on a measurement taken outside of the car as the car drives past at a set speed a few metres away.  It is not necessarily a reliable comparison of the noise heard inside the car from different tyres.  The standard is concerned with noise generated in the environment - doesn't care about the car occupants!

Effective winters are always going to be noisier - softer compound, smaller tread blocks with sipes and deeper tread.