Winter tyres- general discussion

[GeoffW]

OK, so after following the discussions and thinking about what my weekly commute from Cornwall up to Bristol was like on occasions last winter I've decided to get a set of winter wheels and tyres for my '02  9-5 Aero for the forthcoming winter. I have a couple of questions:

Firstly, the tyres - according to the book, I should be getting 205/55 R16 tyes but there's no info in handbook on speed / load rating. Recommendations?

Now the wheel - what is the correct wheel designation and what other cars would be likely to provide them (i.e. what to look for at your friendly breakers / indi)?

[Max Headroom]

Just for aesthetic reasons Im going to try and locate a set of similar wheels for mine and add some winter rubber to those 

[sgould]

The Saab winter tyre recommendation is a bit confusing.  I think they specify "real" winter tyres.  That is the Nordic spec that take studs.  These are often Q rated which is a max of 99 mph.

What you need is Central European "Winter Tyres" which are really "Cold Weather Tyres" I would suggest that almost any size from the Saab Winter tyre up to the Summer tyre already fitted would be OK.  Cold weather tyres are not able to take studs and are confusingly sold in the UK as winter tyres or even snow tyres.

On my Hirsched 9-5 Aero I use full size 225/40 10 winter tyres - the same size as the summer tyres, and they have been fine.  Tey are also W rated so I have no speed limit problems on German autobahns when it's not snowing.

[mikeloadsasaabs]

OK, so after following the discussions and thinking about what my weekly commute from Cornwall up to Bristol was like on occasions last winter I've decided to get a set of winter wheels and tyres for my '02  9-5 Aero for the forthcoming winter. I have a couple of questions:

Firstly, the tyres - according to the book, I should be getting 205/55 R16 tyes but there's no info in handbook on speed / load rating. Recommendations?

Now the wheel - what is the correct wheel designation and what other cars would be likely to provide them (i.e. what to look for at your friendly breakers / indi)?

I use 205/55 x 16 tyres on my 2004MY Aero estate here in Austria, which is a manufacturer-recommended size (important here, as the registration docoment includes the approved sizes). But you need to make sure you get the 94-rated extra load versions. I use a speed rating of H, on the basis that 130mph is way above any speed I'd sensibly use in the winter - doesn't stop me cruising the autobahn at 100mph ). And in addition the V-rated ones are more expensive, so it's a no-brainer.

As for wheels, I use a set of 16" alloys from the original 9-5SE (the ones with 16 spokes) as they are unloved and cheap to buy second hand on the bay of plenty.

[Max Headroom]

16 spokes - hmmmm... hard to keep clean in winter - I guess thats why theyre cheap

[Audax]

I've got 215/55 R16 on my 9-5 which is the same size as summer tyres, I went for Nokian WRG2 with a load rating of 97 XL and a speed rating of H on the basis that this is still higher than the top speed of my car.

[ScarbSaab]

I use 205/55 x 16 tyres on my 2004MY Aero estate here in Austria, which is a manufacturer-recommended size (important here, as the registration docoment includes the approved sizes). But you need to make sure you get the 94-rated extra load versions. I use a speed rating of H, on the basis that 130mph is way above any speed I'd sensibly use in the winter - doesn't stop me cruising the autobahn at 100mph ). And in addition the V-rated ones are more expensive, so it's a no-brainer.

As for wheels, I use a set of 16" alloys from the original 9-5SE (the ones with 16 spokes) as they are unloved and cheap to buy second hand on the bay of plenty.

Thank you Mike, this was very timely info as I've been looking at 17" and they're going to ridiculous prices. I've finally persuaded myself to try 16" on the Aero but was wondering about tyre sizes - I ran it through a calculator and 205/55/16 is 2mm less than the diameter (when new) of 225/45/17 fitted to the car. It's reassuring to know someone is already running the size I'm thinking of on the same model year and version!

I don't know what the insurance position is using tyres rated below the maximum speed of the car, but I was prepared to argue similar to you that with a 70mph limit (over here) and in winter it shouldn't even get close to the tyres' rating.

[Audax]

It'd be perfectly legal, if you have a certificate of conformity for the car then it should list suitable tyres for winter usage and failing that it should be in the handbook, call your insurance co. and ask them, if they try and charge you more then you have plenty of time to argue with them and get it sorted out . As far as I am aware there is no requirement for a sticker saying "max speed X mph" in the UK but in Germany there is this requirement when you have winter tyres fitted with a lower speed rating than the max speed of the car (that and the rating is still going to be in excess of the speed limit in the UK). Search for "ABI winter tyres" and you should find what the association of British insurers had to say on the matter last winter when some people were being charged more for winter tyres as they were classing them (incorrectly) as a "modification".

[mikeloadsasaabs]

Thank you Mike, this was very timely info as I've been looking at 17" and they're going to ridiculous prices. I've finally persuaded myself to try 16" on the Aero but was wondering about tyre sizes - I ran it through a calculator and 205/55/16 is 2mm less than the diameter (when new) of 225/45/17 fitted to the car. It's reassuring to know someone is already running the size I'm thinking of on the same model year and version!

I don't know what the insurance position is using tyres rated below the maximum speed of the car, but I was prepared to argue similar to you that with a 70mph limit (over here) and in winter it shouldn't even get close to the tyres' rating.

IIRC the Saab recommendation for winter tyres for the Aero (in the 205/55x16) are a LOWER speed rating than H - I think it's T - so no issues there.

You've spotted the other benefit of the 205s - the rolling radius is as close as you'll get to being the same as the summer 17s. And makes vary, so to all intents & purposes they can be considered the same.

[jmblack]

Currently running 2 95 Estates - first is a 56 plate 2.3t Auto, second a 59 TiD manual.

On the auto have run Nokian WRG2 225/45 17 V XL all year round - fantastic in winter and no probs in summer (a bit noisy though) getting about 22k by time they need replaced at around 3mm estimated late Oct. Trick is to get them falling below 4mm in the spring and not in the autumn! Fantastic tyres. Wouldn't fancy going below V rating in summer - it's not just about max speeds but about ability to deliver power on hot dry road.

On the diesel, carried over from previous car, running summer tyres from April to early November on 17" wheels, then swap to winter tyres (again Nokian) on spare wheels (bought from ebay - 93 wheels with different offset but no probs) with 205/55/16 T rating. Reason we swap is that travel on hot French motorways in summer heavily laden so keen to use full summer tyres for that. Also do a lot of miles so less of a problem in cost differential in running two sets.

So depending on use, either use summer friendly cold weather tyres (would not look past Nokians) or swap. Winter performance unbelievably better - much more secure.

[mikeloadsasaabs]

16 spokes - hmmmm... hard to keep clean in winter - I guess thats why theyre cheap

Well, I never wash mine so it's not a problem! 

[wrighar]

Currently running 2 95 Estates - first is a 56 plate 2.3t Auto, second a 59 TiD manual.

On the auto have run Nokian WRG2 225/45 17 V XL all year round - fantastic in winter and no probs in summer (a bit noisy though) getting about 22k by time they need replaced at around 3mm estimated late Oct. Trick is to get them falling below 4mm in the spring and not in the autumn! Fantastic tyres. Wouldn't fancy going below V rating in summer - it's not just about max speeds but about ability to deliver power on hot dry road.

On the diesel, carried over from previous car, running summer tyres from April to early November on 17" wheels, then swap to winter tyres (again Nokian) on spare wheels (bought from ebay - 93 wheels with different offset but no probs) with 205/55/16 T rating. Reason we swap is that travel on hot French motorways in summer heavily laden so keen to use full summer tyres for that. Also do a lot of miles so less of a problem in cost differential in running two sets.

So depending on use, either use summer friendly cold weather tyres (would not look past Nokians) or swap. Winter performance unbelievably better - much more secure.

Similar to me

9-5
running 93ss wheels in the summer (diff offset bit ok) 235/45*17 97XL
running 95 wheels in the winter Nokian WRG2 225/45*17 XL H's

93ss
running 93ss wheels in the summer 235/45*17
running 95 wheels in the winter Nokian W 205/55*16 (not sure they will fit the 93ss Aero TTid properly yet (caliper clearance...)

[sgould]

You might have a problem with that size.  The TTiD has the 19DTR engine.

On the chart in the WIS for Winter Tyres, the 19DTR engine only has 225/45 17 XL listed.

On her 1.8t with the 195 hp Hirsch upgrade I went for the winter tyre size recommended for the 210 hp 2.0T Aero.  This is 215/55 16.  The 205/55 are not recommended for the more powerful cars.

[Max Headroom]

This is getting complicated 

[wrighar]

You might have a problem with that size.  The TTiD has the 19DTR engine.

On the chart in the WIS for Winter Tyres, the 19DTR engine only has 225/45 17 XL listed.

On her 1.8t with the 195 hp Hirsch upgrade I went for the winter tyre size recommended for the 210 hp 2.0T Aero.  This is 215/55 16.  The 205/55 are not recommended for the more powerful cars.

the 2008 handbook lists 215/55*16 93 Q winter tyres on 6.5j *16 steelies for 1.9 TTid

That is the smallest size though, with 225/45*17 and 235/45*17 being the other TTid winter sizes