Just as an add on to my other thread about winter tyre options for my 17" Octavia...

An alternative option to buying 4 17" tyres could be to buy 4 steel 16" rims and then 4 tyres for these. Am not sure yet whether this is the most economical option but plan on looking into it.

Can anyone offer any advice on where I could source cheap 16" rims and whether they'd fit on my car which currently runs on 17s? Would running 16s affect the drive at all? And finally, do folk generally find that this approach makes sense financially?

Many thanks as always.

16 inch wheels and tyres are actually the recommended size by Skoda.

 

They are far more popular so lots more choice and cheaper too.

 

The sizes are listed inside the fuel filler cap.

 

205 / 55 R16.

+1.

However, if you ever decide to get a mk3 VRS then they only take (as a minimum) 17" wheels so that may be something to bear in mind.

I'd also agree that having dedicated winter wheels is the best way to go.

You may find it cheaper to get a set of secondhand alloys.  There are plenty that will fit.  You need 5x112 PCD, centre bore 57.1mm, ET 35-51 (OEM 18" Neptunes are ET51, but you can get away with a lower offset with narrower wheels) .  There's plenty of choice from the VAG stable;

 

Skoda; Octavia II, Superb, Yeti

SEAT; Leon (mkII or newer), Altea, Toledo (mkII)

VW;  Golf (mk5 or 6), Jetta, Touran, EOS, Tiguan, Passat

Audi; A3 (not mk1), TT (not mk1), A4, A6, A8.

 

Wheels from the Golf mk7 and new shape Audi A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 may fit but have a bigger centre bore so would need spigot rings.  For the Audi wheels (and Passat and mk1 Superb) watch out for the width and offset.  If in doubt compare your existing wheel/tyre combo with your intended new wheel/tyre combo on willtheyfit.com

 

The tyre size you need is 205/55/16.  You may well find a secondhand set of wheels with winters already fitted.  Try looking on eBay, gumtree and the classifieds here.

Edited 4 January, 201412 yr by JulieD

Wheel and tyre size info. available here:

 

http://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/octavia-mk2/wheels_tyres/wheels_tyres._axle_align/wheel/tyre_combinations/permissible_wheel-tyre_combinations/

 

mytyres sell fairly cheap steel wheel and winter tyre sets which are worth considering (I bought some and have no complaints).

Edited 4 January, 201412 yr by Ultrasonic

Another thing that I noticed when I switched from my 18" wheels on my Vrs to my Audi alloys fitted with 205/55/16 winter wheels is the ride comfort, it makes such an amazing difference on the pot holed roads !

Thanks for all the useful replies. Presumably, when you buy steel rims, you need to buy some sort of hub cover too?

No, you don't have to - that's down to personal taste.  There are lots of Octavias, Superbs and Yetis running around up here on plain black steel wheels with winter tyres.

Thanks.

 

Do folk then change the wheels themselves twice a year, or get the garage to do it?

I brought my steel wheels from these people,I got fed up of looking for steels on internet ,could have gone with alloys but I don't like none stranded OEM wheels on cars.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160879389853?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Thanks again.

 

I think I'm going to go for these on my 2006 Octavia 1.9TDI L&K: http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/skw.pl?bestellnummer=9915--D-117064&cart_id=67591853.110.2035&dsco=110&sowigan=Wi&csuchen=1&Gmarke=Nokian&Gdub=&Ggroesse=205/55%20R16%2091H&Gfelge=16%20inch&Gf_last=16%20inch&achse=A&syt_d=&Hersteller=Skoda&PKWtyp=OCTAVIA%201.9%20TDI&felge=16%20inch|

 

I hope they're the right ones!

 

Am I likely to need new bolts too?

 

Thanks

Edited 4 January, 201412 yr by siwithington

Have to say that I'm struggling to assess the advantage/disadvantage of steel rims v keeping the alloys on and changing the tyres. Buying 4 new steel rims, plus tyres will cost me practically the same as 4 17" tyres fully fitted. So I guess that the only advantages are not having to pay for the tyres to be changes over twice a year (£40 a shot?) and maybe some 'damage' to the alloys? Do alloys really get that wrecked in our winters?

Do folk then change the wheels themselves twice a year, or get the garage to do it?

It's not exactly rocket science to change four wheels so why pay someone else to do it?

It also gives you the freedom to chop and change at will if the weather turns.

I would be tempted to get a set of steel wheels. You will then always have a spare set of wheels - unlike tyres, you only have to buy wheels once!

And you would be able to swap wheels back again quite quickly, without paying for tyre fitting and balancing each time, if the weather suddenly changed.

I got 4 x 16" steels off a VW Transporter (T4 I think).

They fit the VRS perfectly. Got them off eBay for £130 delivered.

Ended up going for a mytyres deal of 16" rims and Nokian A3s for £484 all in. Seems okay. I think.

No, you don't have to - that's down to personal taste.  There are lots of Octavias, Superbs and Yetis running around up here on plain black steel wheels with winter tyres.

Keep a lookout in Aldis. They often have sets of wheeltrims in 16". Failing that check out Eurocarparts. They have them. Perfectly acceptable for winter wheels

Wheel trims are definitely optional, and a personal view as to whether they improve the look of the car or not. I decided to go for these and am happy with how they look:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x15-VW-TOURON-CADDY-POLO-GOLG-WHEEL-TRIMS-COVERS-HUB-CAPS-BLACK-SILVER-/131080907958?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Wheels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item1e8507ecb6'>http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x15-VW-TOURON-CADDY-POLO-GOLG-WHEEL-TRIMS-COVERS-HUB-CAPS-BLACK-SILVER-/131080907958?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Wheels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item1e8507ecb6