Winter Wheels and Tyres

[Jimble]

Welcome mate! Looks like the 16s will fit, have a look at page 8 from this very thread.
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=207445.70

 

[p3asa]

Can anyone confirm they've fitted 16" steels without problem?

Thanks

I'm sure VW recommend 16" wheels for the winter. There was a link somewhere but as usual when I'm looking for it I can't find it!!

[mike.]

This is the recommended list from Elsawin for the GTI/GTD

[p3eps]

I'm sure VW recommend 16" wheels for the winter. There was a link somewhere but as usual when I'm looking for it I can't find it!!

Do VW not recommend the 'merribel' winter wheel - which is a 17" alloy that's really skinny?

I finally got a chance to test mine out in the snow on Monday - although it was short lived as it mostly disappeared that night.  It was only about 2" deep - but after clearing the car I tried giving it full beans out of my carpark from a standing start.  Very little in the way of wheelspin, and instant grip.  Cornering seemed good, and firm braking barely caused a slide.  I only managed to test for a few miles on my way to work - but they definitely seem like a huge improvement on standard tyres.

My trip to The Lecht last week was a different story however.  It was about 7am, and there was little in the way of snow on the road.  As I got closer to the mountain, the surroundings started getting whiter but the roads remained black.  Suddenly whilst cornering on a B-road - the back stepped out a bit.  The roads suddenly got VERY icy!  I slowed down a lot - and occasionally felt some 'twitches' where I could feel the tyres losing traction.  There were a few nervous moments when the car struggled to turn at first - despite me being very gentle with the steering wheel.
The last mile or so of the journey were done in blind drifts - and the road to the Lecht is a 20° incline - so is very steep.  I ascended and descended the hills without any problems and the car felt very planted in the snow.  I got in and out of the carpark without any problems too.

So far so good!

[MAW73]

Us southern softies have been lucky so far. Kiss of death but I think its going to be one of the mildest Christmas's on record down here 

[p3eps]

Us southern softies have been lucky so far. Kiss of death but I think its going to be one of the mildest Christmas's on record down here 

Driving home from work 20 minutes ago and my MFD crept up to 9°C 

[IsleOfManGTi]

Thank you to everyone for their advice.

I'm now the owner of 4 x 16" steel wheels courtesy of ebay http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/wheelsnthings/?_trksid=p4340.l2559 and they look fine.

Have ordered a set of Hankook I*cept Evo W310 tyres from Black Circles and waiting for them to arrive.

And might treat myself to a set of these wheel trims as they look the part http://www.amazon.co.uk/INCH-REPLACEMENT-WHEEL-TRIMS-COVERS/dp/B003JIASW0. I was going to leave the wheels as naked black, but i'd still need to get centre caps and my VW dealer seems a bit useless on the computer system and can't guarantee I'll end up with the right part. If anyone knows of the black centre cap part number for 16" steel wheels, I'd prefer that to wheel trims if I'm honest.

So nearly sorted, for what looks like a very mild winter and probably no snow at all

[Exonian]

Thank you to everyone for their advice.

I'm now the owner of 4 x 16" steel wheels courtesy of ebay http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/wheelsnthings/?_trksid=p4340.l2559 and they look fine.

Have ordered a set of Hankook I*cept Evo W310 tyres from Black Circles and waiting for them to arrive.

And might treat myself to a set of these wheel trims as they look the part http://www.amazon.co.uk/INCH-REPLACEMENT-WHEEL-TRIMS-COVERS/dp/B003JIASW0. I was going to leave the wheels as naked black, but i'd still need to get centre caps and my VW dealer seems a bit useless on the computer system and can't guarantee I'll end up with the right part. If anyone knows of the black centre cap part number for 16" steel wheels, I'd prefer that to wheel trims if I'm honest.

So nearly sorted, for what looks like a very mild winter and probably no snow at all

By Christ those wheel trims are awful.
There's a hired Caddy van at my work at the moment, if I get chance to get at it before it goes back to the hire company I'll see if I can get the part numbers off the centre caps for you. I was eyeing them up yesterday thinking how good they'd look on a set of winter steels.

[Hartside]

Thank you to everyone for their advice.

I'm now the owner of 4 x 16" steel wheels courtesy of ebay http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/wheelsnthings/?_trksid=p4340.l2559 and they look fine.

Have ordered a set of Hankook I*cept Evo W310 tyres from Black Circles and waiting for them to arrive.

And might treat myself to a set of these wheel trims as they look the part http://www.amazon.co.uk/INCH-REPLACEMENT-WHEEL-TRIMS-COVERS/dp/B003JIASW0. I was going to leave the wheels as naked black, but i'd still need to get centre caps and my VW dealer seems a bit useless on the computer system and can't guarantee I'll end up with the right part. If anyone knows of the black centre cap part number for 16" steel wheels, I'd prefer that to wheel trims if I'm honest.

So nearly sorted, for what looks like a very mild winter and probably no snow at all

Do you need to get some different wheel nuts? I'm sure the wheel nut seat on the OEM alloy is different to that on a steelie

[p3asa]

I was really p!ssed off that I couldn't afford winter wheels and or tyres this year.
However I think I would have been even more p!ssed off if I'd bought them and then found the temps had been in double figures for most of the winter!! 12 degrees on Xmas day FFS!!

UK weather lets us down in so many ways