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yet another winter tyre question....speed ratings +insurance

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I need to buy some 195 65 r15 winter tyres for our Audi a6 avant quattro, which as a 2.8 is apparently capable of 142mph...so it needs V rated tyres, Its summer wheels are wider, but you can't fit chains to those wheels, it can only have chains fitted to the narrower ones.

Its also needs at least 95 xl load rated tyres as its a bit heavy (i.e very!)

all i can find is t or h rated tyres for the winter version in 195 65 15, can't find v rated ones even ones out of stock, apparently my insurance may be invalid (according to various articles i have read) if i use them. in fact the only 95 xl tyres i can find in stock that i can get sent here are t rated (118mph)

In germany they fit a sticker in the speedo area which makes it ok?

so what to do, run v rated summer tyres and slide about which considering how much time we spend in the alps is plain silly or have the proper thing and have invalid insurance????

I have never been faster than about 80 in it anyway as it drinks fuel any faster (overtakes things a bit quickly however!)

I don't really want to enquire with the insurance company as i have found in the past that marks your card so to speak.... Puzzled
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
carroz, I don't know, but I'll be interested in the answer. It never occurred to me that it insurance might be affected if your tyres were not rated for the top speed of which the car is theoretically capable. Bit daft, if so, for people who don't drive anywhere where you're allowed to drive at more than 80 mph anyway!
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I'm surprised that your handbook doesn't give at least the option of 205/55/16 or 215/55/16 on a car like yours. It would feel very undertyred for driving anywhere other than on snow on the 195/65/15
.
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 cran
cran
Guest
Is ok, just put a sticker on the dash/speedo with the max speed rating of the tyres.
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 cran
cran
Guest
your standard tyres do seem a bit narrow...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
Check out some tyre websites, should be able to search by car model..or i think mytyres.co.uk uses reg number
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
gsb, and cran, the summer tyres it has are 205/55 x 16 on 7 x 16 wheels (very swish wheels it has as well) but you can't use chains with them and thats the largest that will go on it, for winter the book recommends 195/65 x 15 on 6 x 15 wheels which is what we have and you can use chains. They have to be at least 95 xl load rating, the rear tyres fully loaded have a cold pressure of 46psi!

papasmurf, looked at a number of websites and nothing v rated, the best i can get is camskill have some toyos that are 95xl load, but only t speed rated, if i can put a sticker on.......that will fix it.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Why don't you have a look at the stock tyre for the A6 Allroad. A all season tyre, in new condition, is nearly as good as a winter tyre on a AWD.

I echo cran comment. 195x65R15 tyre means 195mm wide with the wall height 65% of the 195mm width on a 15" diameter alloy rim. The wife Golf GTI has 225x40R18 (A3 size car) tyres and my Subaru Outback (A4 size car) has 215x55R17 tyres. There are 225mm and 215mm wide respectively.

The more sporty models could have wider low profile tyres but if you say 195x65R15 tyre is too wide already to fit snowchains then this does not make sense.

When checking with AUdi.co.uk the current and newly released A6 are now both fitted with 225x55R17 tyres whereas A6 Allroad has 225x50R17 tyres. You can calculate the overall diameter of your tyre to be 635mm or 25" whereas the new A6 has been increased to 679mm or 26.7". When a manufacturer like Audi can increase significantly the output of the same engine it tends to increase the overall diameter of the tyre to get better mileage out.

You could alter the width and wall height of the tyre as long as the overall diameter remain substantially unchanged. The high profile of your current tyre may be hard to get a V-rate substitute.


Last edited by After all it is free Go on u know u want to! on Mon 8-08-11 20:25; edited 2 times in total
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What year is it?

The only 2.8 A6 I can find to match that winter tyre is a 99 non quattro.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
DB, Thank you, its a a6 (c5) 1998 2.8 v6 avant quattro. (note 1998...quite old but the newer shape when they went more upmarket but without the flared wider wheel arches of the later ones) the dealer here looks at you in amazement when you mention winter tyres.

As you can see its getting on a bit, however it was ex md of the company my wife works for company car, and hasn't done many miles at all and it was very very mint when we purchased it. he used it for taking his dogs out to go for a walk!

The book, states 205/55 x 16 as the largest, which is what is on the summer wheels now (but the fuel flap suggests a larger tyre 215/55 x 16)?? it also states 195/65 x 15 M+S as winter tyres, with all round tyre pressures of 50lbs!

saikee, chains will go on the 195 /65 x 15 section tyres on 6 inch rims, I have a set of old a6 rims 6 x 15, but chains will not fit any of the wider tyres on 7 inch rims which is what we have the summer tyres on


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Mon 8-08-11 20:50; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I suspect you would have to go for a H rated tyre (up to 130mph)

Something like ....

Nokian WR G2
195/65 R15 95H XL BSW

I'll ask at the local Audi dealer here in Austria.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
It looks like the C5 and 4B audi A6 models are the same thing (probably just different refs for UK & Central Europe).

Using this selector for a 2.8 quattro then smallest winter tyre size is 205/55 R16.

http://www.reifenshop.at/de/TyreVehicle/ListTyreByVehicle/CarWinter/Audi/A6/Audi-A6-Avant-2-8-V6-Quattro-A6-4B-142kw-1998-2004-225-234kmh-2771ccm/1151/205-55-R16

I wouldn't go for the no-name cheap models (makes as much sense as buying cheap condoms Wink ) and so would steer you towards

Vredestein 205/55 R16 94V
Wintrac Xtreme XL FSL

or

Semperit 205/55 R16 94H
Speed-Grip 2 XL
(only 130 mph rating)


Edit the slightly wider 215 gives you a 97 weight rating .....
Vredestein 215/55 R16 97H
Wintrac Xtreme XL FSL

http://www.reifenshop.at/de/TyreVehicle/ListTyreByVehicle/CarWinter/Audi/A6/Audi-A6-Avant-2-8-V6-Quattro-A6-4B-142kw-1998-2004-225-234kmh-2771ccm/1151/205-55-R16

These meet your speed and weight rating ......
Hankook 215/55 R16 97V
Winter I*cept evo W310 XL M+S

Michelin 215/55 R16 97V
Alpin A4 EL
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
DB, sorry for late reply, being watching the news........Sad Thank you for all the research, only issue with the wider stuff is no chains will fit, but you have the right model car. If you could ask your local dealer if possible that would be excellent as mine is not very good, very flash, but no substance.

edit: have been playing around with the car selection on the website link and found that the b4 2.5 diesel avant quattro uses the 195/65 x 15 as a tyre, and thats a heavier car than mine. They only made mine the 2.8 for 2 years.


Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Mon 8-08-11 21:45; edited 1 time in total
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 cran
cran
Guest
I have V rated tyres for the summer and T rated for the winter

It is better to have narrower tyres in the winter, apart from being cheaper you will get better grip.

I can't remember the exact sizes for my car (Seat Leon TDi 150), but it's something like 225/45/17 V rated for summer and 195/65/15 T rated for winter

chains will fit the winter tyres
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
How much gap is there between the suspension upright / brake pipes and inside of tyre on your 205/55/16. Even an old Focus I once had said you could not fit chains at all. I bought some narrow link chains and used them with no problem . Only problem is the're not cheap. I'm sure there are others but these might work the Konig K7 7mm chain http://www.skidrive.co.uk/snow-chains/index.php or the Iceman Z6 6mm, doesn't look as easy/quick to fit seems similar to the old ladder type chain. http://europe.scc-chain.com/ available from http://www.snowchains.com/


Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Mon 8-08-11 22:01; edited 1 time in total
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
gsb, Not much room at all, i will have a closer look tomorrow, i am sure its got a factory sports pack, hence special wheels and its is very low, you have to be careful getting on and off ferries that you dont ground it in the middle as its long and low.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
May be an idea to ring up the insurance broker tomorrow and see if they can find out what the policy is, without stating i have done anything? and have a look at clearance as well. Thank you to everyone for all the suggestions. I will come back with what mr broker states
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
carroz,

If you have it in black and white that 195 65 r15's are what you need and snow chains won't fit on anything bigger then the highest speed rated reinforced tyre I can find is the Nokian WR G2 195/65 R15 95H XL BSW (up to 130 mph). Dropping down one speed rating is acceptable.

If you are prepared to go down to a T speed rating then the tyres with the most stars or "Highly Recommended" tyres on these links are the ones to go for ....

http://www.oeamtc.at/?id=2500,,,11158&fid=reifentests/winter2008/195_65_R15/

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2009-ADAC-Winter-Tyre-Test.htm

With those skinny tyres, four wheel drive and so much weight it should perform really well in winter conditions.

An indication of tyres available can be found on this link ....
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?suchen=Ordern&cart_id=39472037.102.21987&ranzahl=4&Breite=195&Quer=65&Felge=15&Speed=T&kategorie=6&rf=1&Transport=P&dsco=102&sowigan=Wi&Ang_pro_Seite=20&weiter=0
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Well called the broker, they did a bit of enquiring and as long as the tyres are legal ie depth wise and the size is listed for the car i.e its on the fuel flap / documents as a tyre size fitted to the car then the tyre is fine. As long as i am not going over the speed rating for the tyres then thats fine as well

Thank you DB, for all your looking up, I have found one of the tyres on the recommended list from the links CONTINENTAL WINTER CONTACT TS 830, 195/65R15 Speed : 95T XL that will work, so an order is in progress

Looked at the car this morning and the clearance between the front wheel arch and tyre is not much at all on its current wheel and tyres, chains will be very tight, so smaller wheel and tyres will be better.

Thanks all for your help and advice Very Happy
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
carroz, If you need some chains for that size tyre I have some that I want to get rid of.
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carroz,

Good choice, the Gooodyear Ultragrip is very slighty better in the dry and wears a lot better but for a low milage user the Conti is the better winter tyre (significantly better on snow and slighty better on ice). The narrower the tyres the better they are in winter conditions, that set up will get you to places other cars (esp heavy SUV's with massive tyres) don't reach. snowHead
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
DB wrote:
Good choice, the Gooodyear Ultragrip is very slighty better in the dry and wears a lot better but for a low milage user the Conti is the better winter tyre (significantly better on snow and slighty better on ice).

Personally I wouldn't agree with this. Sure tests are telling exactly this what you wrote, but personally I had better feeling with Ultragrip 7+ then with Conti Wintercontact on snow. And for wet road, it was better even in tests. I was just talking with friend who is in this tire business (I went to see him yesterday to talk about my new winter wheels and tires) they were suppose to change Ultragrip 8 by a whole lot this year, when it comes to snow handling. So let's wait for Adac test first, and then for winter Very Happy
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
carroz, just picked up your OP, I run Vredstein Wintrac Extremes on my Audi they have been brillian in the last 2 winters and I believe they are W rated. If you are anywhere near Yorkshire I can give you details of a specialist car tyre place, and contact that will give you advice and do you a good deal, PM me if any good.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
primoz,

I've had both Goodyear ultragrip and Conti Wintercontacts but in different sizes (different cars). The Goodyears were better but I presumed that was because they were a smaller dimension on a lighter car. The Ultragrip tread does look a lot better designed to thrown off water and snow. Either way they are both top tyres and far better than tyres that are 20€ per tyre cheaper. Both tyres come right at the top of the tests from many sources.

http://www.testberichte.de/p/goodyear-tests/ultragrip-7-195-65-r15-91h-testbericht.html

The conti's are esp favoured by many sources ....

i.e

Reifentest.com
ADAC
AUTO BILD
auto motor und sport
AUTOStraßenverkehr
TCS - Technik, Umwelt und Wirtschaft
ÖAMTC


http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=39472037.102.21987&typ=R-158597&ranzahl=4&Breite=195&Quer=65&Felge=15&Speed=T&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&rf=1&Transport=P&dsco=102&sowigan=Wi
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