Winter Alloys

[Lee123]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I just want to be clear before going ahead and purchasing them....

 

I am due to drive across Europe this Christmas (yeah I know, i'm nuts) and need a set of alloys and winter tyres, yet no amount of trawling the internet and the forums has given me a definitive answer.

What exactly am I looking for?  From what I have gathered 16" rims are the best for price and actual usefulness, but what other aspects am I looking for?  Or am I okay just buying any set of 16" VAG alloys that have 5 studs in them or what?

Bit confused with it tbh, I see the ET rating and width etc, but it means nothing to me!

Help, as always, is very much appreciated

[@Lee]

Enter your cars details into this site http://www.mytyres.co.uk/Steel_wheels.html

 

I'd go for steels with Good Year Ultragrip 8's. We have a steel rim and those tyres on our Yeti. A very good winter tyre IMHO.

 

HTH

[Gizmo]

Just one thread that covers it

 

Basically you can fit 205/55/16” tyres and wheels that are between 7” wide ET42 - ET50 without issue... the higher the ET the more the wheel will stick inside the wheel arch, the Superb uses ET46 as std IIRC.

 

I ran ET45 and ET42 (7” wide) wheels and 205/55/16” for 4 winters without issue.

 

Either look in the classifieds on here or try eBay as there will be loads popping up soon.

 

If you buy s/h winter tyres then the recommended depth they are to be changed at is 4mm (as the ‘sipes’ that grip the snow disappear below 4mm) most eBay winter tyres will be around 4mm or less, whilst this is not a problem on ice and water their snow performance will not be as good.

 

Also stick to the branded tyres that you have heard of, the exception to this is tyres that are made in the Nordic countries (Nokian being a prime example... their winter tyres are excellent)

[Lee123]

Awesome, thanks guys.

Gizmo, how come there will be loads popping up shortly?

[Gizmo]

People tend to move winter wheel and tyres either straight after winter (where they are not required... so will be cheaper) or just before winter arrives (usually for better money).

[andrehj]

You need 6.5Jx16 ET 45-50 if you want to be able to use snowchains without problems, although also some 7J rims allow them.

[JakeBlade]

If you're buying previously enjoyed wheels, then most (but not all) VAG and Mercedes wheels will have the correct PCD of 5/112 - not just any 5-nut wheels will fit.

You will also need to reduce the centre bore to 57.1 (eg if you are buying Merc wheels, or some VAG wheels with a bigger bore, or after-market wheels which tend to be oversized bore) - you would do this by fitting spigot rings that are sized to reduce the bore of your wheels down to 57.1 mm.

If you don't match the PCD then the wheels simply won't fit.

If you don't match the bore (or reduce down with spigot rings), then the wheels will go on, but your car will shake like a space shuttle re-entering the atmosphere.

[dbg400]

You need 6.5Jx16 ET 45-50 if you want to be able to use snowchains without problems, although also some 7J rims allow them.

 

And there just happen to be some just like that in the For sale forum  - just saying