A6 Allroad - Winter Tyres/Wheels

[Neil Young]

I have recently purchased a 2003 A6 Allroad 2.5TDI and am having a problem trying to find a cost effective winter tyre/wheel option, as snow chains are not permissible on the standard wheels according to the handbook.

The Audi route is purchase 6.5 x 16 alloy wheels which becomes very expensive and fit winter tyres. My question is could I use the 6.5 x 16 steel wheels that are available for the A6 and fit suitable winter tyres that maintain the original circumference of the standard 17 inch rims - does anyone have any experience of this.

Many thanks in advance.

Neil

[whitehillman]

I joined this forum to ask the same question... So, has nobody tried fitting other wheels to an Allroad..?

I've just bought a manual 2.5 tdi as I need more ground clearance than my Legacy GT has for clearing snow drifts. The Legacy is brilliant on 165-15 snow tyres but the Allroad is almost useless in comparison on the standard size tyres. To get the same diameter/circumference on the Audi there's no narrow tyres that will fit, the only reasonable compromise maybe 195/70x16 or 215/65x16 depending on tread patterns and makes available.

However, does the offset on Allroad wheels mean that other VAG wheels do not fit, or the caliper size restrict smaller wheels...? The Allroad handbook does state the use of 6.5x16 wheels for winter tyres but don't say which wheels or which tyres...

Anyone know which VW van I need to get the wheels off..?! ..or are the original 17" wheels the only real option..?

Thanks in anticipation to anyone who knows a solution...

Andrew.

[Neil Young]

Hi Andrew,

I have a 2.5tdi allroad and bought 6.5j x 16 alloy wheels and fitted 215/65/16 winter tyres current ones are Pirelli Sottozero, they are great as were the previous set which were Continental, these did 20,000 miles before they got below 4mm rendering them pretty poor in the snow, will wear them out during the summer.

The wheels and Continental tyres were purchased in Switzerland from an Audi dealer, they were considerably cheaper than Audi Uk (exchange rate was good at the time), AUDI Switzerland take the wheel pattern details and get them made in Italy. The normal summer tyres are not very good in snow also you can't use snow chains with them hence the 6.5 x 16 wheels.

If you have more questions fire away.

Hope this helps

regards

Neil

[whitehillman]

Thank you Neil.

My budget probably doesn't run as far as an Audi dealer, or even Switzerland, so I'll maybe have to try find if any other VAG wheel has the correct offset. The 215 width is (....far!) wider than I'd have liked but at least there seems a choice of makes and patterns.

Andrew

[Neil Young]

Hi Andrew,

The 215's are fine I do some 8,000 miles a year in and around the alps they are fine in heavy snow, rutted snow/ice and in heavy rain the grip from both manufacturers has been fantastic, pulling away on steep slopes is a doddle as well but you do have to remember once down to 4mm their grip diminishes rapidly, they come into their own once the ambient temperature falls below 10 degrees all the info on winter tyres is published on both Continental and Pirelli web sites.

As for wheels it may be worth checking out a German supplier who I used for winter tyres and wheels for a Volvo - www.autothek.com or their parent company www.premiumreifen.com they are very efficient and helpful and deliver to the UK every week.

Regards

Neil

[whitehillman]

That's a great website- thanks for that Neil. Great selection of tyres and useful equipment we don't seem to get in the UK... I'll need to swap the standard 225's soon as I got dragged into a snow+mud filled ditch last night, something the Subaru wouldn't have done. Also minus-7 degC again this morning here so another reason to get the right tyres.

Andrew