Winter Tyres 204 4Motion DSG

[Aidy P]

My new van is being built in a couple of weeks and will be supplied with low rolling resistance tyres.
This will be fine for most of the year but I'm thinking of driving to the Alps for skiing (if there is any snow?!) so will need winter tyres. VW haven't been able to provide me yet with what spec tyres will go on the 204 4Motion DSG.

Will probably opt for a set of steels. Any advice on appropriate tyres appreciated please.

Also do people get a set of five steels and tyres or keep the alloy as a spare & use a puncture kit?

I've used Vredestein before as a brand and would use them again if they make the correct tyre.

Thanks

 

[Hotel California]

I have Michelin Aglis on steel rims not used them in snow yet , bought just four as my other wheels are steel if get a puncture mount the spare on the rear and keep the winters on front ...
On a 4motion diffrent thing offcoarse .
Don't see that much problem in driving short distance ( say to repair shop) with diffrent tyres ....but diffrent size wheels on the same axle on a 4 motion...?

 

[bvddobb]

Also do people get a set of five steels and tyres or keep the alloy as a spare & use a puncture kit?

I've used Vredestein before as a brand and would use them again if they make the correct tyre.

Thanks

We have the Vredestein Comtrac M+S Winters on our 4Motion. They make a very good winter tyre, and the M+S profile is even somewhat aggressive, giving good traction off road in the winter mud. We have been on a few campsites and unpaved roads in the north of France recently where we really needed the 4Motion/aggressive profile or we would have been stuck...

We use 5 steels for the winter tyres, and have them all changed incl. the spare in spring. Profile change and store them for a very fair price, so no hassle.

 

[Aidy P]

We have the Vredestein Comtrac M+S Winters on our 4Motion. They make a very good winter tyre, and the M+S profile is even somewhat aggressive, giving good traction off road in the winter mud. We have been on a few campsites and unpaved roads in the north of France recently where we really needed the 4Motion/aggressive profile or we would have been stuck...

We use 5 steels for the winter tyres, and have them all changed incl. the spare in spring. Profile change and store them for a very fair price, so no hassle.

Bvddobb do you think these tyres will work on the T6 4 motion? Are the load ratings the same as the T5? I'm not sure how to work this out. There is some info on load weights in the specs https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/range/camper-vans-t6/california-ocean/specification but I'm not sure how to relate this to tyre selection?

 

[bvddobb]

I don't know the max total or axle weight of the T6 4Motion Cali. I don't know about the UK, but here the car registration tells you the max axle weight front and rear. If you can't find it in your registration, there will be a factory fitted sticker somewhere. With us, that sticker is in the motor compartment, on the right side, against the back of the dash board. You divide your highest max axle weight (usually for the rear axle) by two, and that gives the minimum load index needed for your tyres.

We had our max weight raised to 3250 kg with the air suspension, and our max axle weight is for our rear axle: 1750 kg. So the minimum load index for our tyres is 103 (875 kg).

Our Vredestein Comtracs have a load index of 109 (1030 kg). Where a higher than necessary load index is good for off road driving (stiffer side walls give more stability and in the sand you can deflate your tyres while they keep a good stance), we think they are somewhat uncomfortable on regular roads. We feel transversal bumps or ridges too much. A Cali, also a 4Motion Cali used in off road, is a compromise on all sides, and we travel more on than off road. So we wouldn't go for such a high load index again. Our new summer All Terrains next spring will probably be 104's or so.