Winter Tyres Help

[zom247]

I've just bought a Honda Civic Type S GT. I've never had winter tyres on a car before but I'm now thinking about them with the current weather and the fact I've splashed out a bit more on a car than I normally have. I have 17" alloys at the moment and have been doing a bit of reading and quite a few people seem to recommend getting some cheap 16" steel wheels and tyres. Is this a good idea? Got no snow here but I'll be going up to Yorkshire at Christmas so would like to be prepared!

 

[Doonhamer]

Its a good idea as winter tyres will be helpful in these cold months but be aware you will likely pay through the nose for them and stock probably low so finding some might be hard and costly. Prices and demand spiked as soon as the snow fell.

 

[jon-]

Look in the manufacturers handbook, they will have a recommended size for winter wheels which will be a 15 or 16" steelie and a narrower tyre.

It's a good way of doing it as it saves your nice alloys from all the salt

 

[Lum]

Incidentally I have a set of BK Racing 16"x7J alloys that came off a Honda. They were missold as multifit 4x100 and 4x114.3 (actually 4x100 and 4x108) and thus are no use to me. You can have them for a ton if you like. They're a bit scuffed and curbed but nothing serious and fine for winter wheels.

Also, lots of rumours going around at the moment about insurers refusing to pay out claims as winter tyres are considered to be a modification. I called Direct Line to confirm and they said I do have to note it on my policy (and call back in March when I take them off) but there was no charge.

 

[Dandle]

If you swap the wheels and or change the tyre size/rating you should declare it to your insurance company as most will charge you extra and class the change as a mod. Personally I would fit the same size winter tyres as summers to the standard rims, as long as the size and rating is the same there can be no quible from them if something happens.

 

[chimponarope]

Just done it on my Octavia VRS, as last year I couldn't even get the car back to the house and my wife's pregnant (due in Feb) so there's the chance there could be snow about, I REALLY didn't fancy delivering myself! They really do make a massive difference if you tackle a lot of hills and get snow frequently, we seem to get it every year here and I got sick of not being sure I'd get home.

Notified Admiral and they put a note on the file, no charge.

 

[zom247]

Just done it on my Octavia VRS, as last year I couldn't even get the car back to the house and my wife's pregnant (due in Feb) so there's the chance there could be snow about, I REALLY didn't fancy delivering myself! They really do make a massive difference if you tackle a lot of hills and get snow frequently, we seem to get it every year here and I got sick of not being sure I'd get home.

Notified Admiral and they put a note on the file, no charge.

We've had a little bit of snow here but nothing too bad and certainly nothing like the North. However, I'm going home to Yorkshire at Christmas so they could come in handy there. Just don't know whether to get some 16" steel wheels with winter tyres or just get some put on my 17" alloys.

 

[Lum]

Tyres for 16s are cheaper and more plentiful, but you need to buy the wheels.
OTOH, you save money on swapping them over twice a year, but you get to crawl around in the snow with a jack and wheelbrace.

Swings&Roundabouts.

 

[Naf]

We've had a little bit of snow here but nothing too bad and certainly nothing like the North. However, I'm going home to Yorkshire at Christmas so they could come in handy there. Just don't know whether to get some 16" steel wheels with winter tyres or just get some put on my 17" alloys.

I just swap mine over on my normal alloys, bit of a faff on so I'm on the lookout for a cheap set of standard leon alloys for next winter. Unless the cost of buying additional wheels and informing your insurance company about the change isn't much, I'd just get a set and swap tyres over for now and then keep an eye out for some standard wheels during the summer.

I can't sing their praises enough though, even my budget set are umpteen times better than brand new Eagle F1's I had the winter before getting these.

 

[chimponarope]

We've had a little bit of snow here but nothing too bad and certainly nothing like the North. However, I'm going home to Yorkshire at Christmas so they could come in handy there. Just don't know whether to get some 16" steel wheels with winter tyres or just get some put on my 17" alloys.

I just got the wheels, a bit more cost short term but when I worked out how much it'd be in the long term it worked out much cheaper and I didn't have to faff about taking 4 tyres to a fitter etc and spending £40+ each year on fitting.

 

[zom247]

I just got the wheels, a bit more cost short term but when I worked out how much it'd be in the long term it worked out much cheaper and I didn't have to faff about taking 4 tyres to a fitter etc and spending £40+ each year on fitting.

Where did you get your wheels from and are they for a civic?

 

[[TW]Fox]

We've had a little bit of snow here but nothing too bad and certainly nothing like the North. However, I'm going home to Yorkshire at Christmas so they could come in handy there.

Is snow forecast at Christmas then? If so get down to the bookies and make yourself enough money to pay for the tyres

9c here today

 

[monkey_boy]

Is snow forecast at Christmas then? If so get down to the bookies and make yourself enough money to pay for the tyres

9c here today

Long range forecast here says it's going to be a white Christmas. I was going to check the odds but couldn't at work and then forgot

 

[mjt]

16"s make more sense as the tyres will be much cheaper.
Doesn't need to be steelies though, you can just pick up a set of cheap alloys.

If you want to do it, get ContiWinterContact TS830s/810s