Winter Tyres

[JackoVRS]

Does anyone know where I can buy steel wheels/Winter tyres for my Octavia Vrs? 

I have been searching through the tyre selling section and had no luck and also browsing online ... 

Any advice is welcome

[Ootohere]

Place a Wanted ad in Briskoda.

There are ones come up on Ebay.

There are Dealerships that have Steel Wheels & Winter Tyres on offer in the Dealerships, sometimes displayed inside the door.

Gumtree.

 

[JackoVRS]

Thanks Offski for the advice 

[AGFalco]

Also look at:-

www.mytyres.co.uk

www.oponeo.co.uk

 

Thanks AG Falco

[Trilogy]

Haven't used them myself but there is

 

https://www.mrwinterwheels.co.uk/

[JackoVRS]

Thanks guys, 

I have another question ; are 18” steelies actually a thing ? And can I use smaller ones on the car that will fit and work ? Thanks again 

[Trilogy]

AFAIK steelies usually only go up to 16", after that it's normal to see alloys.

It is quite common to use a smaller wheel for winters, if you so choose (as long as they clear the brakes)

Of course you will need to use an appropriate tyre to keep the overall diameter roughly the same. There are calculators for this purpose on the interweb if you decide to go down this route.

[BigEjit]

Instead of steel rims, I’ve gone for a set of Dezent TD 18” alloys at around £400. They seem to be a popular choice in Germany for VW cars where winter tyres are mandatory. Cheap to replace if bent and the black ones are satin black, easily repainted out of a standard rattle can if scuffed. Also a few Briskodians seem to have picked them which helped my decision. A set of taper bolts (£20) are required as well as spigot rings (£5) for centring the wheel on the hubs. Tyres are about the same again for top rated winter rubber.

[juan27]

I went for used 18" Zenith alloys off an older MK2 VRS refurbished in anthracite.

 

 

 

I believe the 17" versions may fit too. I had some of those for my Mk2 but sold them before last winter.

 

eBay, Gumtree, Partshark?

Edited 2 October, 2018 by juan27

[JohnnyType2]

smaller wheel 16-17 steel wheel with a much bigger side wall is the norm

[GreenOcty1]

1 hour ago, Trilogy said:

Haven't used them myself but there is

 

https://www.mrwinterwheels.co.uk/

I've bought three sets of steel rims & tyres from these people, very good service each time. Phone them if your motor isn't listed they'll be able to help.

As for the rubber,

Any cheapo brand will be at least 100% better than a blue chip summer tyre when you're not leaving black lines behind you in the white stuff and it's time to replace them when they're half worn as the snow/ice performance drops off rapidly once the sipes don't have much movement left in them. (they still work ok as summer tyres down to the legal minimum)

I live up in the hills, first morning grass frost this winter was on sept 15th!

[Trilogy]

I would not recommend the 'Hunky-Dory' or 'Well-Hung' type Chinese tyres.

 

However, if you wish to avoid the expensive premium brands two mid-range tyres that seem to perform as well, if not better, in recent tests are the Hankook I*cept RS2 and the Kleber Krisalp HS3.

 

It is worth bearing in mind that the consensus is that their performance in wet weather rather than in snow  is more important in most areas of the UK in winter.

[SurreyJohn]

Unless you live in North of country, or up a hill why go full winters, when there are an increasing range of all season tyres.

 

The main reason for steel rims with winter tyres is more tolerant of snow chains  or damage from sliding into curbs.

 

But how many people in UK do you know that carry snow chains, bet you know more that have hit a kerb (Kerbed) the wheel even in dry weather.

 

 

[JohnnyType2]

Long range forecasts are predicting a long cold one this year, im up about 1000ft and cant get up my drive even with the lightest flurry. I refurb the original geminis and winters will definitely be on my agenda. I'll probably go the budget range and see how that works. I got fed up parking at the bottom of the road.

 

Edited 3 October, 2018 by JohnnyType2

[JackoVRS]

So if I decided to get the 16” Steels for my car (currently 18”) will be a hassle to get sorted as I am not good with wheel size and what tyre size to use etc.. 

i have also looked at using the Hankook RS2 as they get great reviews 

Thanks again folks for the advice 

Edited 3 October, 2018 by JackoVRS

[peter3197]

10 minutes ago, JackoVRS said:

So if I decided to get the 16” Steels for my car (currently 18”) will be a hassle to get sorted as I am not good with wheel size and what tyre size to use etc.. 

i have also looked at using the Hankook RS2 as they get great reviews 

Thanks again folks for the advice 

If you go on My Tyres all the options will come up for your current wheel and tyre size.

[SC03OTT]

13 minutes ago, JackoVRS said:

So if I decided to get the 16” Steels for my car (currently 18”) will be a hassle to get sorted as I am not good with wheel size and what tyre size to use etc.. 

i have also looked at using the Hankook RS2 as they get great reviews 

Thanks again folks for the advice 

 

If your vRS is a petrol, 16” wheels won’t fit due to the larger brakes. The diesel should have smaller brakes but that’ll depend when it was made. Double check. 

[BigEjit]

Loads of discussion here

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/296835-winters-on/

[Ootohere]

The Spare Steel Wheel for a vRS Petrol is 16" and fits over the front brakes. 

[SC03OTT]

3 minutes ago, Offski said:

The Spare Steel Wheel for a vRS Petrol is 16" and fits over the front brakes. 

 

Was that an option? Mine is an 18” space saver.  

[Ootohere]

Is it a 'space saver' or a wheel tyre that saves space?    Different things.

[Gabbo]

I'm not sure a normal 16" Wheel would fit on the vRS.

I have 17" Dezent TD wheels on mine & the clearance to the front brake calipers is only a few mm's & the tyre fitter had to use low profile weights to avoid contact.

 

I wanted steel wheels to begin with but after investigation found its almost impossible to find a steel Wheel above 16".

So decided to go with the Dezent TD Wheel because it is already an OEM Wheel on the Golf so comes with a TUV certificate of homologation which is needed when you go for the Swiss version of the "MOT". Not sure this is needed in the UK??

[Gabbo]

13 hours ago, BigEjit said:

Instead of steel rims, I’ve gone for a set of Dezent TD 18” alloys at around £400. They seem to be a popular choice in Germany for VW cars where winter tyres are mandatory. Cheap to replace if bent and the black ones are satin black, easily repainted out of a standard rattle can if scuffed. Also a few Briskodians seem to have picked them which helped my decision. A set of taper bolts (£20) are required as well as spigot rings (£5) for centring the wheel on the hubs. Tyres are about the same again for top rated winter rubber.

 

I also have the Dezent TD wheels but in 17" form.

Do you use the spiggot rings because the ET you bought was different that the standard for the O3 ? (worried now because i just fit mine directly onto the Wheel hub....)

[juan27]

3 hours ago, Offski said:

The Spare Steel Wheel for a vRS Petrol is 16" and fits over the front brakes. 

 

Are you sure?  I thought the received wisdom is that the Mk3 (TSi at least) needs 17s, and not all of them fit  (see the earlier thread linked to above)

 

Certainly my 245 has an 18" spacesaver. My Mk2 VRS had a 16" spare, perhaps that's where the idea came from?
 

Edited 3 October, 2018 by juan27

[Ootohere]

The OP has not even said what vRS they have.

 

Proof of the pudding, try on a 16" steel wheel, see if it fits, see if there is clearance.

Another idea, check the Manufacturers recommended Tyre / Wheel size for fitting Snow Chains to.