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Winter Tire Thread

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Hello. I hesitated alot when chosing winter wheels for my 2019 golf R. I have 19 inch summers so I had to downsize to 17 inch wheels.

& the ride comfort will be wayyyy better!!.....remember to have that smug look when you overtake those so called 4x4....(y):ROFLMAO:
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Just for this thread:-
My car on its winter set up of Michelin Alpin A5, 225/45R17 tyres, on 7x17 inch Team Dynamics Pro Race 3, five spoke alloys. This picture was actually taken back in 2016. I now have different centre caps, bolts & bolt covers to make it look more OEM, but you get the idea!!

Car-front-winter-2016.jpg
 

Philman120

New member
Location
Quebec, Canada
Car(s)
2019 golf R
Just for this thread:-
My car on its winter set up of Michelin Alpin A5, 225/45R17 tyres, on 7x17 inch Team Dynamics Pro Race 3, five spoke alloys. This picture was actually taken back in 2016. I now have different centre caps, bolts & bolt covers to make it look more OEM, but you get the idea!!

View attachment 193618
Nice OEM look mate and I like the wagon !
 

counterfugue

New member
Location
NYC/Vt
Car(s)
2017 VW Golf TSI Wol
After nearly eating it trying to joust the Vt. mountain roads, I'm looking to load up winter tires on a car that will also be my NYC highway commuter. Leaning heavily toward the Conti Viking. (And trying to keep costs down -- Conts = $90 + rims ~$100)

Also seriously considering downsizing my stock 16s to a 195/65/15. But finding rims has been tricky (TR is all sold out). The closest I seem to come is the Ultra Slalom 403S, but Tirebuyer's site keeps telling me that they may not fit (even though I punched it into a calculator).

I know the offset is different (OE 46 --> 33) and the bore is different (OE 57 --> 75) but with a spacer I thought it would be ok.

I feel pretty good that the tire fits the wheel.

Will this set-up fit my TSI?

** Bonus round: if the 15" is not worth the trouble, will I get substantially less snow performance from a 16?

1608448757195.png
 

norsairius

Go Kart Newbie
Location
United States Midwest
Car(s)
2019 GTI SE DSG
After nearly eating it trying to joust the Vt. mountain roads, I'm looking to load up winter tires on a car that will also be my NYC highway commuter. Leaning heavily toward the Conti Viking. (And trying to keep costs down -- Conts = $90 + rims ~$100)

Also seriously considering downsizing my stock 16s to a 195/65/15. But finding rims has been tricky (TR is all sold out). The closest I seem to come is the Ultra Slalom 403S, but Tirebuyer's site keeps telling me that they may not fit (even though I punched it into a calculator).

I know the offset is different (OE 46 --> 33) and the bore is different (OE 57 --> 75) but with a spacer I thought it would be ok.

I feel pretty good that the tire fits the wheel.

Will this set-up fit my TSI?

** Bonus round: if the 15" is not worth the trouble, will I get substantially less snow performance from a 16?

View attachment 196806
You should be fine with 16s. I drove through all sorts of wintry conditions (heavy snow storms; loose, powdery snow; packed snow/ice; slush; etc.) when living in Milwaukee with an MK6 GTI on 16" wheels and General Altimax Arctic winter tires. I never got stuck and and always had reliable, usable grip on roads of varying conditions in the winter. I'm otherwise not sure about your other fitment questions. Others more knowledgeable there will need to chime in.

I otherwise highly recommend Tire Rack if you haven't checked them out. I've purchased two winter sets (one for my MK6 years ago and another more recently for my MK 7.5 GTI) from them and they've been great!
 

counterfugue

New member
Location
NYC/Vt
Car(s)
2017 VW Golf TSI Wol
You should be fine with 16s. I drove through all sorts of wintry conditions (heavy snow storms; loose, powdery snow; packed snow/ice; slush; etc.) when living in Milwaukee with an MK6 GTI on 16" wheels and General Altimax Arctic winter tires. I never got stuck and and always had reliable, usable grip on roads of varying conditions in the winter. I'm otherwise not sure about your other fitment questions. Others more knowledgeable there will need to chime in.

I otherwise highly recommend Tire Rack if you haven't checked them out. I've purchased two winter sets (one for my MK6 years ago and another more recently for my MK 7.5 GTI) from them and they've been great!

Thanks -- I've actually never had Winter tires before -- have always managed the NY winters on whatever was on the wheels.
But the mountains of Vermont have proven to be something of a different beast... I will need to be able to climb a 2000' rise in 3 miles.

My hope w the 15's can carve well enough (and be cheaper) but Tirerack (also DiscountTire, etc.) has no available rim package.
I guess I'm late to that party
 

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
I know the offset is different (OE 46 --> 33) and the bore is different (OE 57 --> 75) but with a spacer I thought it would be ok.
They'll fit just fine!
You don't need a spacer, just some hub rings for the wheels (due to the different bore).

Stock GTI wheels are 18x7.5, ET49 (for example)
Those wheels would sit just 4mm further out....not a big deal.
 

counterfugue

New member
Location
NYC/Vt
Car(s)
2017 VW Golf TSI Wol
I talked on the phone with the Tirebuyer installer... he is concerned that the 15s with a wider offset might rub the fender.
 

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
I talked on the phone with the Tirebuyer installer... he is concerned that the 15s with a wider offset might rub the fender.

I didn't know what size wheels you had stock, but re-reading what you wrote...you have 16's which are 6.5" wide too.
So the 15's would be 13mm out further than your stock wheels, which most people use spacers to get flush anyways.

And like I said, you'll only be 4mm out further than a stock GTI setup. (and GTI guys add 15mm & 20mm spacers to get flush with the fenders!)
It'll be just fine.
 

Lob-Star

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
PNW
One more season down!
1652288153733.png


Purchased in Sept 2020 then driven ~2300 miles East-ward during the peak of the winter early 2021. Taken off and rotated back on in November 2021 until recently taken off for the summer. Totaling around 4k miles on them. The only issue is the road noise as temps rise. And the highway hum.

2017 Golf R DSG, stock DCC
225/45R-17 Blizzak WS90
Motegi MR140 17x7

I'm back to 17s year'round now!
 

FSTSNAL

Go Kart Champion
Location
Sacramento
Car(s)
2019 DVP Spektrum R
Hoping someone will chime in here. I am in Sacramento where it gets into the 20s with rain no snow but I go to Tahoe maybe 1-2 times a winter. Was looking at Michelin pilot pa4 but heard they are discontinued. Looks like neuroses has some so may order a set from them but what is out there that is like them for someone just looking for better wet traction and to not have hockey pucks for tires in the winter? Looking at the pilot alpin 6 seems to be more for snow and ice than the pa4. If it is what I am looking for let me know though.
 

SGaissert

New member
Location
Trenton NJ
Car(s)
2019 GTI Autobahn
Unfortunately we do not have any 17" steelies, but there is a closeout right now on the Andros N2. Matching the Andros with the Blizzak WS80 would do very well.
Here’s a 2022 updated to FredyGumps question in Sept. 2016 regarding my 2019 GTI Autobahn. The stock Bridgestone Potenza’s have me slip sliding away with the slightest dusting of snow. I’m sure a lot of it has to do with the rubber designed for cold temperatures. Full disclosure, I got used to a Subaru for 15 years, so I kinda forgot how to drive in the snow when it occurs here in New Jersey. Also, the NJ potholes last winter killed the sidewall on 2 tires (luckily I had road hazard warranty on them).

So, I too am considering getting either steelies (but not sure if there is a size that would fit around the brake pads) or some older OEM copy GTI wheels (2005 to 2017) that are 225/45/17 or perhaps better yet, some 205/50/17’s and then of course, winter tires. Got any 2022 advice?
 
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ZERO815

Autocross Champion
Location
Köln Germany
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
026C64C4-2B2E-4C08-9148-28E510828B87.jpeg

6.5x17“ Tiguan steelies w/ offset 38 clear the PP brakes. Use 205/50R17 winters on them.
 
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