looking for a winter wheel/tire setup 2006 A3
12-09-2009, 07:59 PM
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looking for a winter wheel/tire setup 2006 A3
what is the ideal size and model setup for the weather in Pacific NW?
We live on a hill and get about 2 weeks of snow/year along with freezing rain.
we are running 2 mos. old Falken sport tires now.
We live on a hill and get about 2 weeks of snow/year along with freezing rain.
we are running 2 mos. old Falken sport tires now.
12-22-2009, 02:11 PM
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Everybody "lives on hill" (or has to negotiate them to get anywhere) in Seattle!
I'm also in the Pacific NW, using Dunlop Wintersport 3D winter tires, 225/45-17 on 17" OEM wheels on my 2006 A3 2.0T (FWD). I am extremely satisfied with these tires (and other, older Wintersports). They are remarkably good on dry and wet roads with no noticeable noise increase or squirmy handling, give fabulous life (just put Wintersport M3's on my wife's Mazda6 wagon for their 6th winter!), and are quite good in snow and ice. I've gone over Cascade passes with them several times when chains were "required". I never experienced even the slightest slip (but could have put on chains if needed).
I know that narrower tires are usually recommended for snow, but we don't really have much deep snow up in this corner, and I wanted to get lighter wheels (also 17") for summer tires anyway. The Dunlops were excellent even in last winter's ugly conditions in Seattle. If you choose go narrower, check tirerack.com for 205-width tires on 16" wheels that fit the A3.
There are better tires for deep snow and serious ice, such as Bridgestone Blizzaks, but the older WS-50 model I had on a Passat displayed all the typical "snow tire" degradations, unlike the Wintersports.
I'm also in the Pacific NW, using Dunlop Wintersport 3D winter tires, 225/45-17 on 17" OEM wheels on my 2006 A3 2.0T (FWD). I am extremely satisfied with these tires (and other, older Wintersports). They are remarkably good on dry and wet roads with no noticeable noise increase or squirmy handling, give fabulous life (just put Wintersport M3's on my wife's Mazda6 wagon for their 6th winter!), and are quite good in snow and ice. I've gone over Cascade passes with them several times when chains were "required". I never experienced even the slightest slip (but could have put on chains if needed).
I know that narrower tires are usually recommended for snow, but we don't really have much deep snow up in this corner, and I wanted to get lighter wheels (also 17") for summer tires anyway. The Dunlops were excellent even in last winter's ugly conditions in Seattle. If you choose go narrower, check tirerack.com for 205-width tires on 16" wheels that fit the A3.
There are better tires for deep snow and serious ice, such as Bridgestone Blizzaks, but the older WS-50 model I had on a Passat displayed all the typical "snow tire" degradations, unlike the Wintersports.
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