# Winter Tyres



## Edinburra (Aug 19, 2016)

Anybody running on Winter tyres? If so what make and size? Also what make of Alloys?


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## Jonny_C (Jul 24, 2013)

OEM 5-spoke 18's (from Mk2) + 245/40R18 Dunlop SP Wintersport 3D


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## KevC (Jul 12, 2016)

Haven't needed winter tyres in 25 years of driving so I'm saving my money.


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## Piker Mark (Nov 16, 2011)

KevC said:


> Haven't needed winter tyres in 25 years of driving so I'm saving my money.


Ditto that, a complete waste of money. When I was working out in Germany (Heppenheim), I had them on my RS4 and you needed them as the winters are quite harsh in that part of the world; much more grip on wet, cold roads too, not just when there's snow on the ground. But it just doesn't get cold enough in most of the UK to justify them and it snows for what, four days every four or five years? Having said that, we're due some this week, well for about two hours until the rain washes it all away


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## Matrix (Apr 11, 2016)

I would interested in winter wheels more than anything in case I Kerbed my rims in the snow. If I could get a good offer then I would go for it.


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## Soundside (Aug 1, 2016)

I'm running these with Continental Winter Contact 6 235/35/19.

No protection against kerbing there of course :roll:


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## noname (Aug 20, 2015)

I'm thinking about them...also this year!ahaha
obviously they are better on cold roads or rain, below 7 degrees..but on the snow, they can help a bit but without chains it's almost the same
depends from the use of the car and the weather in your city..mine are always cold in the winter but it's rare below 4-5 degrees and even if I snowboard twice a week, I've always drove with summer tyres in 15 of driving licence and only installed once the chains! so I think I'll pass also this year!


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## Jonny_C (Jul 24, 2013)

Piker Mark said:


> KevC said:
> 
> 
> > Haven't needed winter tyres in 25 years of driving so I'm saving my money.
> ...


Not "snow' tyres. Winter tyres. There's a difference.

Any number of independent tests from any number of sources have proved (proved!) that below 7 degrees C winter tyres grip and stop better due to chemical changes in the rubber. Fact. Especially in the wet.

How many of us drive to work early in the morning and back late at night when these are the prevalent conditions in a UK winter (wet, less than 7 degrees). Me, for a start. I have personal, verifiable experience in this country on both my Mk2 and the TTS, where the winter tyres perform so signifcantly better that there are safety implications.

You are entitled to your opinion on whether you fit them or not, but the chemistry / physics is inarguable.

You are simply choosing to have less than ideal tyres for the conditions.


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## forthay (Feb 23, 2014)

I drop from 20" alloys with P Zero's down to 18" with WinterContact 850s which I reused from my MarkII.

I wouldn't do without them. Grip and stopping is noticeablely better in the cold and wet in my opinion.

Its more money to spend up front but it should even out if you use them over a number of years.


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## carrock (Mar 17, 2011)

Anyone with a TTS running 17 inch wheels for winter?

I have a set of MK 2 wheels that I am currently running as winter wheels on my MK 3 S Line and wonder if they will fit the MK 3 TTS I am looking to buy

I know 17s wouldn't fit the mk2 TTS due to the larger calipers but unsure on the MK3


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## Omychron (Sep 9, 2016)

Jonny_C said:


> Piker Mark said:
> 
> 
> > KevC said:
> ...


Not running winter tires myself, but this cannot be stressed enough. 
Baffling how many people are convinced winter tires and snow tires are the same!
Winter tires are relatively similar to summer tires, apart from the compound. This means they remain softer at low temperatures, and thus grip better. Run them in summer, however, and they won't last you very long, as they will wear faster. 
Snow tires, in addition to the cold weather compound, have very different thread (and possibly spikes!) aimed at keeping you safe in snow.

I, too, believe they're not worth the money. But make sure you're informed before making that decision.


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## iainfrmeastkilbride (Feb 19, 2016)

They are worth it. For us in Scotland. Beemer wont turn sharp corner and get up the cul de sac with summers on. Been running winter wheels and tyres for 4 years and sails up the street. Once out,normally main roads ok but below 7 degrees so better grip and breaking. Mercs,jags and audi A4s all struggling.Do what you feel safe with...Its your baby. Weather can change here drastically....Snowing as I post this


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## TerryCTR (Nov 12, 2009)

iainfrmeastkilbride said:


> They are worth it. For us in Scotland. Beemer wont turn sharp corner and get up the cul de sac with summers on. Been running winter wheels and tyres for 4 years and sails up the street. Once out,normally main roads ok but below 7 degrees so better grip and breaking. Mercs,jags and audi A4s all struggling.Do what you feel safe with...Its your baby. Weather can change here drastically....Snowing as I post this


Good ol Scottish weather! It's means to be on all night pretty much and through the day so I'm planning to sit on my ass and work from home!


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## Edinburra (Aug 19, 2016)

iainfrmeastkilbride said:


> They are worth it. For us in Scotland. Beemer wont turn sharp corner and get up the cul de sac with summers on. Been running winter wheels and tyres for 4 years and sails up the street. Once out,normally main roads ok but below 7 degrees so better grip and breaking. Mercs,jags and audi A4s all struggling.Do what you feel safe with...Its your baby. Weather can change here drastically....Snowing as I post this


I have to agree with what you say, having had a couple of Beemers as well but it was not so much their performance going forward but their stopping power that impressed me about Winter Tyres. So often the road temps in Scotland are well below 7C that it makes sense to run Winter Tyres. It cannot be emphasised enough that it's not the number of wheels driven that matter it's the number of wheels that grip that make the difference. 
Does anyone have a preference with regard to tyre make?


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## Arbalest (Feb 27, 2015)

Apologies for going slightly off topic (it is about winter, but not tyres!).
The last 3 posters on this thread all live in Scotland where the weather is obviously worse in winter, so can I ask how do they cope with the frozen window drop problem?


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## forthay (Feb 23, 2014)

Arbalest said:


> Apologies for going slightly off topic (it is about winter, but not tyres!).
> The last 3 posters on this thread all live in Scotland where the weather is obviously worse in winter, so can I ask how do they cope with the frozen window drop problem?


In another thread I was advised to try applying gummi pflege round the rubber seals. I bought it off fleebay but never used it because some thought it would mark the windows once it was applied to the lower rubber seal (where the window drops down into).

So here is what I do and again I cannot claim credit because I got it from another thread.

I spray a small amount deicer around the window seal. Leave for a couple of minutes and then take my nectar card and run it along the inside of the lower rubber seal where it meets the window breaking any residue ice. When it comes to trying to open the door try pulling the handle gently. If the window doesn't drop there is likely still ice somewhere between a seal and window.

I guess I should still apply gummi pflege to the other rubber seals that surround the window omitting the lower rubber seal to avoid the smearing.


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## Matrix (Apr 11, 2016)

I said if an offer came up I would consider a set of winter wheels. Now that opportunity has arisen I wonder why Audi choose a 17" rim for the mk3?


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## tttony (Dec 21, 2014)

Generally speaking, for winter tyres it is better to have narrower tyres with higher side walls. 17" wheels allow the use of 225/50 tyres.


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## Mark Pred (Feb 1, 2017)

Jonny_C said:


> Piker Mark said:
> 
> 
> > KevC said:
> ...


I think you need to go to Specsavers and read my post again :roll: errr... 'winter' tyres ... I quote (myself) "... much more grip on wet, cold roads too, not just when there's snow on the ground." 
So ... doing 120km a day to work and back, on German roads, through slush, snow and freezing rain, all winter long in an RS4 on winter tyres... nah. of course I wouldn't have a scooby that winter tyres afford more grip at lower temps...that's all verifiable by the way


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## TerryCTR (Nov 12, 2009)

Mark completely off topic but why the new account


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