Anyone fitted winter wheels and tyres to their Fabia?

 

Want to share prices/brands etc.?

 

I couldn't see anything on the Skoda website, they are missing a trick there!  Having a browse online now.  Car is on 215/40R17 summer tyres - I guess I'll go all the way down to a 15"?

Good-Year Ultragrip.

 

That is all.

Have a look into Skoda Specialist Cars Aberdeen and see what they will sell you 4 of the Steel Wheels and Winter Tyres for.

They are usually sitting on display. If not in Aberdeen they are inside the door in Dundee.

Ask for a Black Friday Deal.

One thing that will help you pick the right size of wheel:- has the car got 256mm front discs with FS111 callipers or 288mm front discs with ATE callipers that have a vertical spring clip?

 

If they are 288mm then you don't want to go down below 15" wheels, with the 256mm you can go down to 14".

 

I fitted my wife's Polo with 185/60 X 15 winter tyres and 6J wheels, though with that width of wheel I could have used 195/5? X 15 winter tyres.

 

Edit:- the posting above sounds like making things very easy for you!

Edited 24 November, 20169 yr by rum4mo

Ultra grips 15 inch rims on my SEL estate .

Unless you live somewhere really snowy, just get goodyear 4seasons or Michelin cross climate as your one set of tyres for all year.

Aberdeen is not really snowy usually, but the winter from hell, or like 2010's is on its way.

The city full of prestige AWD's with the wrong tyres and chaos as the snow falls more often than not.

We have a Fabia 2 diesel estate, with a set of alloys and Michelin Energy tyres for the summer, and Michelin Alpin  tyres on steel wheels for the winter.  Just changed them over last week, and there is a marked improvement in grip pulling away up a steep hill on a bend near where we live.  If that is also the difference in braking, then I'm glad I made the change!

I fitted mine with Fulda Kristall Montero 3 195/65 R15. Probably the best winter tyres I've ever had, unbelievable grip on thick layers of snow and ice. And they are also quite cheap here. I came down from 215/45 R16 with alloys.

Last winter on my Mk2 Fabia vRS i used 215/40 R 17 Maxxis AP2 All Seasons (M&S marked) up and down the A90 / A96 and to the Lecht & Glenshee when there was snow on the roads & car parks.

They were excellent, as good as any Full Snow tyres i have used over the years. Good in the Wet, and fine across the A93 & passed the Lecht on dry suuny spirited driving days.

I did get a bulge on one with a Pot Hole and Maxxis replaced with a New Pair of tyres and did not ask for a pair back.

 

Just away to put them back on the car today for this winter.

 

If you can get a set of 17" Alloys cheap then you could run the 215/40 R 17 until May, or even all year if you wanted.

Or go 205/45 R 17

(There are posts from me & sharkrider on them in the Tyre Section, he had them on a Fiat Abarth / 500) 

 

Picture 2nd from the right shows the bulge on the right hand side. 

I will get that tyre off and paint up the rim with Plastikote after a bit of a sanding / clean up..

Edited 25 November, 20169 yr by Offski

Ive got Firestones on the standard 15" alloy and Nokian Hakkapeliitta for the Seat. The later are the better.

Buy as narrow tires as possible. Wide are a PITA in snow and sludge.

Location location location and salted and gritted roads as they are mostly in Scotland unless on un-ploughed roads, and a Fabia is not going anyplace on them in Scotland.

the roads close.

 

Narrow tyre do work obviously, but if you only have a dozen or less snowy days and you are mostly on black top 205 or 215 works just fine.

Unfortunately "up North" in Scotland looking after main roads in winter is taken as a "must do", down in the Central belt in Scotland, all roads are treated as if they are flat and at sea level, all other roads are left to suck it and see, and as that is where I live, ie at 100 meters above sea level or so but near main cities, we tend to get left to get on with it, which is where the narrow winter tyre improve mobility.

 

Edit:- due to local conditions, where I live has been referred to "Ice Station Zebra" in the past!  As Offski says "location location location" !

Edited 25 November, 20169 yr by rum4mo

Last winter on my Mk2 Fabia vRS i used 215/40 R 17 Maxxis AP2 All Seasons (M&S marked) up and down the A90 / A96 and to the Lecht & Glenshee when there was snow on the roads & car parks.

They were excellent, as good as any Full Snow tyres i have used over the years. Good in the Wet, and fine across the A93 & passed the Lecht on dry suuny spirited driving days.

I did get a bulge on one with a Pot Hole and Maxxis replaced with a New Pair of tyres and did not ask for a pair back.

Just away to put them back on the car today for this winter.

If you can get a set of 17" Alloys cheap then you could run the 215/40 R 17 until May, or even all year if you wanted.

Or go 205/45 R 17

(There are posts from me & sharkrider on them in the Tyre Section, he had them on a Fiat Abarth / 500)

Picture 2nd from the right shows the bulge on the right hand side.

I will get that tyre off and paint up the rim with Plastikote after a bit of a sanding / clean up..

I've been running Maxxis too and have been very happy with them but I've just taken a punt and replaced the tyres on my 17" wheels with 215/45 17 CrossClimate which are larger still than the 215/40 17s previously fitted. The CrossClimates aren't available in the right size, but I'm hoping there's sufficient clearance (there's a lot on a Mk 2 Reaction) and if not I'll get them refitted to our other car or a Fabia Mk 3 next spring.

Fingers crossed - but they were good value at £92 each fitted and the wheels were nagging me to use them again.

Edited 11 December, 20169 yr by RapidReaction