GTI Winter Wheels

[southwales1977]

I'm dabbling with the notion of getting some winter wheels for the GTI. Am I right in thinking 16's would fit over the standard non-PP callipers?

What would be the best tyre size?

 

[pjr]

I'm dabbling with the notion of getting some winter wheels for the GTI. Am I right in thinking 16's would fit over the standard non-PP callipers?

What would be the best tyre size?

16" will fit a non-PP GTI, although there isn't a huge amount of clearance.

To maintain the right speedo reading if you go with 16", you need 205/55 tyres.

The wheels I'm using are the winter set from my previous Audi A3.

Pictures in the post linked below:-

http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showpost.php?p=69677&postcount=288

 

[southwales1977]

Thanks for that. You mention in your post the steering is more vague. Is it greatly different? Presumably it's the narrower tyres?

 

[pjr]

I think its more the taller profile of the winter tyres, and possibly also the softer compound.

The steering in the GTI is quite direct, and with the summer tyres being 225/40 there's not a lot of 'give' in the sidewalls.

The winters being 205/55 are a bit taller in the sidewall, and the tread blocks also move around a little more on a winter tyre.

I would say there is more of a difference in the GTI between 18" summer & 16" winter, than there was in my A3 which had 17" summer tyres, but it still handles well and despite being narrower I haven't noticed any less traction.

If I hadn't already had the 16" winter wheels, I would probably have gone for 17" in either 225/45 or 205/50, but it was a bit of a bonus that the wheels fitted straight on and it helps spread the cost of them over more years!

 

[southwales1977]

Thanks for the advice man.

 

[GTI_Gregory]

New Winter Wheels

Hello all. Just got a new set of 16" winter wheels on my GTI, in time for our first snow here in Massachusetts. Car did great! Thought you might like to see the Winter Look.

 

[Sailorbaz]

I went for a set of Edition35's for our GTD, 18' on Kumho's Winter Tyres, Michelins weren't available until End Nov... I fitted them in Oct before coming offshore.

I 'had' photos but lost them when upgrading to IOS8 (2 years worth - they'll be somewhere backed up on the laptop, just finding them is the killer)

 

[the bruce]

I'm dabbling with the notion of getting some winter wheels for the GTI. Am I right in thinking 16's would fit over the standard non-PP callipers?

What would be the best tyre size?

Right, most 16" wheels / all OE Mk.V/VI/VI/Audi A3 8P 16" wheels do
fit. 205/55 R16 is pretty common and cheap.

I'll use my old 17" Denver wheels from my Mk.V GTI with new 225/45
winters though.