Winter wheels and tyres

[Antjos1]

Hi all
I know it's only August to be thinking about winter wheels and tyres but I have seen some on a website called Rimstyle.
A set of alutec 19in wheels in polished black with winter tyres just less than a grand.
The wheels look really good anyone had dealings with them.
Cheers

 

[AlS3BE]

I’ve been looking as well and the dealer told me to wait till September/October as that when they have all the deals. Parts guy said last year a genuine set was around £7-800 for genuine Audi set and some for A1 was a lot cheaper than that.

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Hi all
I know it's only August to be thinking about winter wheels and tyres but I have seen some on a website called Rimstyle.
A set of alutec 19in wheels in polished black with winter tyres just less than a grand.
The wheels look really good anyone had dealings with them.
Cheers

I presume you have an S3? If so, look for 18" rims and 215 40 18 tyres ....tyres/rims are less expensive and a narrower width is better for traction in snow. Also wait till the end of October to purchase tyres, for a better deal

 

[Antjos1]

I presume you have an S3? If so, look for 18" rims and 215 40 18 tyres ....tyres/rims are less expensive and a narrower width is better for traction in snow. Also wait till the end of October to purchase tyres, for a better deal

Yes s3 mate fisrt audi for me and very happy.
Had bmw f30 before this car and always had winters on .
I thought the wheels would be dearer as winter approaches not cheaper.

 

[Svenedin]

I got mine from Germany (https://www.original-räder.de and also has an Ebay shop). It is a legal requirement to have Winter tyres fitted in Germany between 1st November and 15th April so there is a lot of choice but not many sets for sale in the Summer months. Wait a month or two and there will be many decent offers.

You'll have to consider what you are going to do with your set of wheels when you are not using them. I have a garage where I can store them but it still takes me quite a while to swap over the wheels twice a year and it is quite hard work. Audi do offer a "tyre hotel service" but I don't know the cost or whether it includes switching over the wheels as well.

I drive in Germany every Winter so I am obliged to use Winter tyres but there are differing opinions on whether they are truly worthwhile in the UK. This year I switched back to Summer tyres too early (see picture, there's a Vulcan bomber in that picture if you can find it, RAF Waddington) and the car handled very well in terrible conditions on Summer tyres (this was the unexpected cold snap in Spring, Beast from the East 2).

Winter Set:

 

[fioooo]

Is possible to fit 17" on S3?

What ET for 18" wheels?

OZ MSW type 71 looks like OEM rims

 

[Rideen]

I got mine from Germany (https://www.original-räder.de and also has an Ebay shop). It is a legal requirement to have Winter tyres fitted in Germany between 1st November and 15th April so there is a lot of choice but not many sets for sale in the Summer months.

Off-topic: Actually there is no set date about this in Germany (I kinda live here ). Germans use the rule October to Easter mostly and you only need to have winter tyres equipped if it is snowing or freezing outside.
The police will not fine you even if they catch you driving on summer tyres in the middle of january during snow, but if you have any type of accident you will pay a hefty fine and you're most likely to be held responsible for the accident even in some cases where it wasn't your fault.

On-topic: Get narrower tyres / smaller wheels for winter - I personally use 16" (205/55/R16) which look hideous. 18 inch 215 width would be perfect for an S3 I'd imagine.

 

[Svenedin]

Off-topic: Actually there is no set date about this in Germany (I kinda live here ). Germans use the rule October to Easter mostly and you only need to have winter tyres equipped if it is snowing or freezing outside.
The police will not fine you even if they catch you driving on summer tyres in the middle of january during snow, but if you have any type of accident you will pay a hefty fine and you're most likely to be held responsible for the accident even in some cases where it wasn't your fault.

On-topic: Get narrower tyres / smaller wheels for winter - I personally use 16" (205/55/R16) which look hideous. 18 inch 215 width would be perfect for an S3 I'd imagine.

Fair enough. It's the fine and probable liability in an accident that makes me use Winter tyres in Germany!

 

[AlS3BE]

What is the smallest wheel that will fit on the s3?
I have a set of 18s from my A6 but think width and offset are way off the s3

 

[Trevolly]

Anyone heard anything about the Michelin CrossClimate+ tyres? (Feedback /reviews)

 

[AStalUK]

Anyone heard anything about the Michelin CrossClimate+ tyres? (Feedback /reviews)

I had a set fitted to my A3 in November and like them a lot. Driving during the Winter months the tyres were notiably softer and felt tighter on corners than the OEM tyres, when there was heavy rain you could feel less drag when you were passing through standing water.

My main reason for getting these was for those times when we get snow, my trip to/from work is full of hills and has always been problematic if I leave it to late in setting off. With the CrossClimates I didn’t have any worries, where other cars where slipping or struggerling for grip I was able to carry on.

And during the summer months they’ve felt just like the OEM tyres, under sharp braking they seem to stop just as quickly. Road noise seems about the same.

 

[Carefree69]

Drive according to the conditions. Ive never used winter tyres in 25 + years of winter driving and I’ve never even come close to skidding/crashing etc.

Your money I guess but winter tyres for me are like chocolate fire guards, especially in the U.K. anyway. If we lived in a country that had proper winters then I might consider them, but we don’t so I won’t.