Winter wheels/tyres

[garmcqui]

With my new GTD arriving next week, and the cold weather looking like it's here to stay, added to the fact everyone's saying this winter's gonna be a bad one, I've started to think about winter tyres.

I had them on my BMW (an absolute necessity for RWD imo), but do many people use them on their Golfs in the UK?

And if I do go ahead, is it better to buy new rims (prob 16 or 17") for the winter tyres too, or just buy some 18" winter tyres and fit to the existing rims (as I did on the BMW)?

For both options, what tyre sizes are recommended?

Cheers,

 

[jivemonkey2000]

No insight from me I'm afraid, but I also am due my Golf in the next few weeks and wondering which route to go down in terms of the winter tyres. Very interested to know whether a new set of 16s and associated tyres OR set of 17s on my existing alloys would be best? Horses for courses? Is the only benefit convenience?

Imagine a full set of 16s with tyres in going to be in the region of £1k?

 

[garmcqui]

Well the options I've looked at so far are:

4x 16" Alloy wheels with 205/55/16 Continental WinterContact TS850H - £727 from www.mrwinterwheels.co.uk

4x 17" Alloy wheels with 225/45/17 Continental WinterContact TS850H - £934 from www.mrwinterwheels.co.uk

4x 225/40/18 Goodyear Ultragrip 2 Performance Tyres - £551.76 (+fitting) from www.Camskill.co.uk

 

[GolfMNE]

If you drive in snow, better get 16". Otherwise, stick with 18" as they look nicer.

 

[jivemonkey2000]

If you drive in snow, better get 16". Otherwise, stick with 18" as they look nicer.

Do you mean 17s?

Just been checking and the TS850s aren't available in 17", 16" the way to go for these awesome tyres?

 

[DW58]

I got the ContiWinterContact TS850s from MrWinterTyres on 16" Borbet CC Alloys - a fantastic deal at under £700, however I see prices have already gone up since I bought two weeks ago.

 

[GolfMNE]

Yes, 17" for you (18" was referred to garmcqui). Did you consider Michelin Alpin A4? I have them on my Golf and they are great so far. They should be available in 17".

 

[jivemonkey2000]

Yes, 17" for you (18" was referred to garmcqui). Did you consider Michelin Alpin A4? I have them on my Golf and they are great so far. They should be available in 17".

My bad, just realised that 18s were stated in the 3rd option! Will check out A4s, thanks for info. Is it worth getting alternate alloys for your winter tyres?

 

[GolfMNE]

As I sad, if you drive in snow you want smaller alloy for better grip. If you don't, there is no need for smaller alternate alloys.
Main reason I sticked with factory 16" on my Golf is I didn't want to switch to smaller alloys every winter (I drive in snow).

 

[jivemonkey2000]

Main reason I sticked with factory 16" on my Golf is I didn't want to switch to smaller alloys every winter (I drive in snow).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the GT come with 17s?

 

[DW58]

If you are going to buy winter tyres/wheels for your Golf, don't leave it too long as it's a seller's market. Supplies dwindle fast as the bad weather approaches and prices tend to go up.

I bought mine only a couple of weeks ago and prices seem to have gone up already.

 

[GolfMNE]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the GT come with 17s?

It does in UK, but not in my country.

 

[garmcqui]

Also worth considering that if only switching the tyres it doesn't matter to insurance, but if you switch the alloys too, wouldn't it have to be declared? I'd have thought technically it's a modification...

Contis seem like the winter tyres to have, but I've heard excellent things about the Nexen and Goodyear ones too.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

I was in my dealers yesterday and their service department had on display a set of MK7 golf alloys with winter tyres.

Not sure if they are 16" or 17", but they were genuine VW alloys, 5 or 6 arm plain "Star" design... But the only thing I did note was they were Perilli Mud and Snow tyres.

On offer at £950. I tried to squeeze the price and found out that VW UK had sent them without the dealer requesting a set... I guess that means each dealer has a set, but it cost the dealer £900 and that's what I was offered them for.

Quality, genuine VW item. But I just couldn't justify the £900.... But then again, Mrs Swollocks has a Tiguan!

 

[DW58]

Interesting Mr Swollocks - my dealer too has this deal (which they too described as an unsolicited receipt from Volkswagen UK), but I managed to squeeze him on the alloys only which he was prepared to let have for £400 for the set - they are Volkswagen Aspen 16" alloys, a five spoke design. I wasn't impressed with the tyres they had however.