Winter wheels/tyres

[DW58]

I've just done a fifty-miles round trip - my first proper drive on the new winter tyres - in absolutely filthy conditions with lots of surface water etc., very impressed indeed. Handling is excellent with no noticeable increase in surface noise etc., delighted.

 

[mk7norway]

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,

Hey man.
I live in Norway and we have winter and snow/ice on the roads from november to april !! The smaller size on the tiers, the better grip they provide on the snow. I drive on 195-65-15" with the Nokian Hakkapalitta 8 - spike tiers. The best winter tiers you can buy!! If you have to go with 16" tiers you can use: 205-55-16" Best of luck!!
Now we have about 2 meters of snow!!

Happy New Year!

 

[AMPJ8]

These are 17" wheels as supplied on the Mk6 R - where they are 18". 17" is the smallest for the performance pack. Supplied by my VW dealer with Conti Winter Contacts for CHF1600 = £1000. This is at Swiss price levels!

Looks nice. I am quoting one Black with the Garage and for Winter they were proposing a set of those "Gammaparts" which for me are a bit of horrible.
Fortunately there is the option with Pirellis and the Dijon VW rims which fit a lot better. Price around the same as yours, not cheap but for my current Mk6 I got a set of Alu wheels because I would not kill its looks not even in Winter. So for the so to be new one same treatment.

 

[PontyB]

Very interesting article on Honest John website last week (link below) with details of tyres made by Toyo that have been built specifically to cater to both summer and winter conditions meaning no need to change tyres/wheels at all.

Be interested to see if anyone has any experience of these.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/2014-01/new-all-seasons-tyre-from-toyo/

 

[PontyB]

Should add the Toyo tyre mentioned is currently NOT available in a size to fit the GT, maybe that will change by next winter.

 

[DW58]

I've never heard of Toyo tyres. Perhaps it's the sceptic in me, but the prices seem very cheap for such big claims - I'll stick to my current set-up.