Winter wheels/tyres

[garmcqui]

What are people's opinions on the Nokian WR A3 winter tyres?

Have found them relatively cheap £122 delivered each, £488 all in. Auto express say they are the best winter tyre available, even in front of the Conti 850's.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nokian/WR-A3.htm << good reviews here too

 

[DW58]

They get good reviews and let's face it if anyone knows about winter tyres/winter driving it's the Finns.

 

[GTI-7-Performance]

At the risk of repeating a post from another thread. Below are the winter wheels on my GTi.

We already had 15cms of snow on Saturday with more forecast on Monday. I reckon to have winter wheels on 5 months a year (Nov to the end of March) so wanted something more than black steel rims.

It is recommended to have 7J (7") width or less due to wider tyres planing over snow rather than cutting through it.

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!

 

[DW58]

I have the same winter tyres, but you have MUCH nicer wheels - possibly my favourite alloy of all. Also risking repeating myself, I parked next to a Tornado Red GTD yesterday with the same wheels and winter tyres, not a common wheel here except of course on the Mk6 R.

 

[orcades]

I've set of 18" winter tyres - just wondered if anybody knows of anywhere that sells the standard 18" Austin rims? Appreciate it's an expensive option - but I already have the 18" tyres. I did think about just changing the tyres on the present rims - but I don't really want to be swapping tyres around on the present rims just in case they get damaged.

I've seen Austin rims advertised on the following website, but they're quite expensive.

https://www.kunzmann.de/shop/en/whe...5-spoke-rims-vw-austin-18-inch-golf-7-gti.htm

Regards

 

[Mark V1]

Thats likely the best price you will find for OEM Austins. Being such a new design I am not sure you wil find replicas yet. The alternative is to find a used set of OEM wheels that are at least complimentary to the car - perhaps Mk.V/mk.6 type or replica alloys of the ame design, or a comoletely different design that you like such as the member from Switzerland has fitted above.

 

[DW58]

Hello and welcome to a fellow Scott, I'm only 35 miles east of you.

Assuming you've tried Hawco Inverness, what about Specialist Cars in Aberdeen, Cameron Motors Perth, Barnetts in Dundee?

Other than that I guess you've got a bit of a search on your hands - does it have to be Austens, there are some much nicer alloys out there.

 

[orcades]

Hi Again,

Thanks for the replies. The tyres are actually on a set of Monza 2 wheels for mk6 Golf GTI. So I may just sell the wheels and put the money towards a set of new wheels for a Mk7 GTI.

DW58, I've not tried Hawco Inverness - didn't really think they'd even bother to quote a price. Doesn't have to be Austin, just insurance I was thinking about. The other garages I may try though.

The Mk7 Golf GTI should be arriving any day soon - it's in transit.

 

[garmcqui]

why can't you just fit the Mk6 GTI Monza wheels you've got to the Mk7? As far as I know, fitment is the same....

 

[orcades]

garmcqui, yes I was thinking along the lines of fitting the Mk6 Monza 2 GTI wheels to the Mk7 when it arrives - well for this winter anyway, however I wasn't sure if the fitment was the same. I managed to get the Mk6 wheels off ebay - however the Mk7 is a bit new for the Austin wheels to be appearing on ebay.

 

[garmcqui]

I believe fitment on Mk5/6/7 golfs is the same...

http://www.wheel-fitment.com/car/Volkswagen/Golf%207%20(2012%20-%20)/

http://www.wheel-fitment.com/car/Volkswagen/Golf 6 (2008 - 2012)/

 

[orcades]

Thanks garmcqui, think using the old Monza 2 wheels will do in the short term - or this winter at least. Thanks again for the information - puts my mind at rest about fitting the Mk6 wheels on a Mk7.

 

[DW58]

Orcades, it might be worth trying a deal with Hawco, I negotiated the price down on a set of Volkswagen Aspen alloys with their Elgin branch.

If it was me however, I'd probably go for something different, but as far away from BBS/Wolfrace as I could get.

 

[orcades]

Hello DW58, Hawco could be worth a try, I've used Hawco Inverness to service my GTI Mk6. They're okay, but I've had better dealer experiences.

I mainly want the Austin wheels to keep the insurance as no modifications. Plus my Mk 6 Monza 2 wheels are winter wheels - so they've some white worm - not the best for a new car.

 

[DW58]

I deal with Hawco Elgin, no complaints there but I have heard the odd tale about Inverness. I thought the "modifications" stories about winter wheels were a thing of the past.