dhir4n

Getting some winter rims & tires for snow season...

Tires: 245/40R18
Nokian Hakkapalitta R3
Yokohama Ice Guard iG52C
Michelin X-Ice Xi3

Which should I go with?

Debating the following rims: would appreciate your opinion:


FC04

OR:


INNOVATION

mhblaw

Go with the Nokian Hakka R3's. Have 245 x 40 x 19's R2's on my '18 RS5. No comment on the wheels, too personal.

dhir4n

Thanks! How are the 19s? Was debating whether to downsize or stay at 19" for winter...I'm in Canada (Toronto) so we get a decent amount of snow! I was pretty set on the Nokians, i've read good things about them

mhblaw

I had a set of 18's for my '13 RS5 and tried them on the new one. Very little clearance between rim and caliper so went with 19's for the winter tires.

PquinS5

All three are good options. I'm getting the michelin ice3 installed with grey replica rims today for my s5 daytona grey. There goes 2gs

stuffinder

I've had '06/'07/'08/'10 A6 Avants with the following snow tire combos 225/55/16 Hakka Rsi, 245/45/17 Hakka R2, 245/45/17 Hakka 9 studs, 245/45/17 Hakka R3 & 255/35/19 Continental DWS06 (not really snows)
The studded Hakka 9's are unbelievable in snow and ice, somewhat noisy but much better than earlier studded tires. Obviously not ideal for dry/wet conditions but if you have to deal with serious snow and ice ****=baly the best tire out there. Only bought them as my teenage daughter needed to be out on the road here in the snow belt & had a slow speed slide off the road in icy with R2's w/half tread. The car is a tank in the snow now.
I found a set of '06 A6 optional 16" winter wheels for cheap and put them on my wifes car with Rsi earlier. Very good in snow, decent on ice but a little squirmy in the corners due to narrower tread.
The new R3's in 245/45/17 are fabulous. They combine Nokians' fabulous snow/ice capability w/much improved dry/wet handling. Definitely the best snow tire I've ever used. All of Nokians tires inc. their summer & all-season tires have superior hydro planing resistance!

The Conti 255/35/18 DWS06 were on the '10 I bought a month ago. They hydroplaned somewhat in the wet and they were most uncomfortable in 2-3 in slush/snow!

Nikon1

Jimminez@Nemesis

I've done Nokian tires for the last five sets of winter tires, and will choose them over any other if possible. Latest purchase, they did not have a size I wanted available so had to go with Michelin PA4. We'll see how that goes.

Nokians do have a premium price but versus many manufacturers, the compounds they use go through their entire tread depth as well as the sipes. Many manufactures will use the tackier compound on the first half and sipes will also only go half way, so once you're down through half the tread you are more on a A/S rather than full winter.

dhir4n

Decided to go with the FC04s & the Nokian Hakkapellita R3s (18")

Drives great no complaints! I'm happy how this came out

Heres a few pics:

Jimminez@Nemesis

Looks great! Now you're in tank mode when the big snow storms come.