Winter tyre question

[mike.]

Here you go Snoopy..

[Snoopy]

Wow quick responce  Thank you.

[Hartside]

Great info Mike, mine came with the Bridgestone RE 50's fitted, which seem to generate a fair bit of raod noise. So from that table it's a non-XL tyre as std. Ess_Three mentioned in the second post that his came as std with the XL's fitted. What did the rest of you guys on here with winter tyres fit, XL or non XL tyres? Would XL rated tyres affect the ride? So confusing! 

[mike.]

The number at the end of the tyre spec is the load value 225/40 R 18 92Y

A value of 92 means Extra Load, a value of 88 would be standard.

The extra load requirement is not due to the weight of the vehicle, it is to do with the loads put on the tyre during acceleration, braking and cornering.
So the GTI needs XL tyres to stop the tyre moving on the rim under these circumstances.

All the tyres on that list are XL. 

[Snoopy]

Great info Mike, mine came with the Bridgestone RE 50's fitted, which seem to generate a fair bit of raod noise.

Im guessing the same as mine. Bridgestone Potenza RE050 225/45R17 91W

[Hartside]

Yes, exactly the same as yours Snoopy.

The number at the end of the tyre spec is the load value 225/40 R 18 92Y

Thanks, missed that, I expected to see an XL mark on the tyre (doh!)

[Hartside]

Checking out prices of winter tyres, on our tyre sites the price is going up every couple of days. Mytyres now showing 17" Vredestien Wintrac Extremes at £157.50 fitted vs about £125 a month or so back. Nolian WR G2's at £133 fitted vs about £117 and Falken HS439 Winters at £113 vs £103 a few weeks back

Interesting to see the German sites now cheaper, even factoring in delivery and fitting locally (assuming around £50 for 4?)   

[Daz Auto]

The tables at the beginning of this thread are useful.

Well I hit another big pothole, driving home in the dark yesterday That would probably have done damage to to the 17" alloys with low profile tyres, that are going to come on the new car. At the beginning of the week there were 3 cars in the ditch on my way to work due to black ice on the road.

That has made my mind up - second set of alloys + winter tyres for my new toy. I have found a secondhand set of 16" Passat alloys for £180. They take the fatter 205/55 R16 tyres so should be a little better for pot holes. The seller assures me they fit a mk6 golf ok.

Does anyone else have 16" alloys on their GTI/GTD for the winter?

[SteveP]

^^^ 16"'s with 205/55/16's are the official size and fit fine.

I tried the 16"'s I used on the otherhalfs A3's on my GTI and appart from looking daft they worked a treat 

[Snoopy]

I know i have posted loads of photos of golfs with winter wheels on before.

I myself would rather the car looked in some peoples eyes 'daft' (I think of practical and sensible) than sitting at the side of the road with a flat damaged tyre, bent wheel, bent suspension. 

Heres one i have to hand with steels on.