I'm amazed that so many are going for winter tyres 
General I have another set of wheels
- Thread starter RUI
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General I have another set of wheels
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Those Abarth wheels are lovely. You can't be serious about those 14" wheels...this is a joke right?
Hi Sutts. I would have been of the same opinion as you. But I have come to realise that a set of steelies with skinny tyres gives you more mpg and can be a little more fun with a bit of extra sliding. In relation to winter tyres on a set of steelies - if Dublin has another rough spell like it had last winter I will probably have to resort to buying a set as well. RUI stated that he will probably have them on without the Hub caps so that says it all.
Best buy yourself some steelies now if I were you, they went up significantly in price last year when the weather was bad.
Personally I prefer to keep the factory standardish look and run the wheel covers, especially as my steelies aren't new and have a bit of rust on them.
I'm almost tempted to buy some of these
But they're quite heavy so would wipe out a lot of the improvement in MPG and I really should have better things to spend £500+ on
Plus I think our cars would look slightly silly with matching wheels even if one set was gold and the other anthracite or silver 
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Venom's, I believe they were called. Look particularly great fitted to a K-reg Mondeo, or similar.
Thanks. I'm still not sure why people are doing it! Are people changing to cheaper wheels in winter for more economy, safety or purely to preserve their alloys from the weather?
If it's about preserving the better wheels, well I don't understand going to that degree (or any degree, they are just wheels to me)..but each to their own.
Thanks. I'm still not sure why people are doing it! Are people changing to cheaper wheels in winter for more economy, safety or purely to preserve their alloys from the weather?
If it's about preserving the better wheels, well I don't understand going to that degree (or any degree, they are just wheels to me)..but each to their own.
I am putting them on so I can put winter tyres on the car...No one makes winter tyres as far as I know that will fit on the 17 inch rims.
It has nothing to do with economy. I am guessing from what you have said that you don't know about different types of tyres, the ones that are on the abarth wheels are really summer tyres and do not work well in very cold, wet, icy and snowy conditions but the set of winter tyres will work loads better. When the temperature is under 7c the winter tyres will give more grip.
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Thanks. I'm still not sure why people are doing it! Are people changing to cheaper wheels in winter for more economy, safety or purely to preserve their alloys from the weather?
If it's about preserving the better wheels, well I don't understand going to that degree (or any degree, they are just wheels to me)..but each to their own.
If I remember correctly you have the Twin Air plus with the painted 16 inch 5o-spoke wheels. When they get scrapped (hopefully they wouldn't) it will be interesting to see how you re-act.
A set of steelies can be handy when you have to 'hand in' the wheels for a re-furb job - I keep delaying sending mine in. But I do know when you go to sell - marked wheels affect your price. Still the steelies have a use if you're in an area when it's going to snow.
I was very partial to my 5 o-spokes and my current 16inch multispokes. And give the price that I have to pay for reduced mpg (OK I get better braking & cornering & better traction) I'm quite protective of the little buggers.
If I remember correctly you have the Twin Air plus with the painted 16 inch 5o-spoke wheels. When they get scrapped (hopefully they wouldn't) it will be interesting to see how you re-act.
A set of steelies can be handy when you have to 'hand in' the wheels for a re-furb job - I keep delaying sending mine in. But I do know when you go to sell - marked wheels affect your price. Still the steelies have a use if you're in an area when it's going to snow.
I was very partial to my 5 o-spokes and my current 16inch multispokes. And give the price that I have to pay for reduced mpg (OK I get better braking & cornering & better traction) I'm quite protective of the little buggers.
I probably would be mildly annoyed that I had damaged a wheel, but I wouldn't go to the extreme of changing them, just in case I did. I do understand that people do it..just as I understand that people put a £1.50 cover over a £600 iPhone...but it seems pointless to me!
Don't even get me started on those bloody screen protectors for phones...I currently have the standard 15" sport wheels which i really like. With some of the bumpy roads round here and the 1.4's firmer suspension i'm glad to be on 15's rather than 16 or 17's.
I've never changed to winter tyres before but am considering it this year. My last car had pirelli p6000 15" tyres and they were ok most the time. A bit slippery in the snow but i was still getting up hills where Land Rovers were stuck A few of them gave me a dirty look as i went past though.
I've never changed to winter tyres before but am considering it this year. My last car had pirelli p6000 15" tyres and they were ok most the time. A bit slippery in the snow but i was still getting up hills where Land Rovers were stuck
A few of them gave me a dirty look as i went past though.
Thanks. I'm still not sure why people are doing it! Are people changing to cheaper wheels in winter for more economy, safety or purely to preserve their alloys from the weather?
If it's about preserving the better wheels, well I don't understand going to that degree (or any degree, they are just wheels to me)..but each to their own.
You obviously don't get it
In reality it's all three. Put it this way, I put winter tyres on two winters ago now and nearly everyone was laughing at me, now it's only most people If we have another couple of winters like that I'd be surprised if having winter tyres didn't become the norm.Funny reading the posts on the front page of this thread. "We NEVER get any snow" etc etc etc and what happened the next two winters?
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/166084-winter-tyres-people-going.html
Pirelli do make some, but they're £130 per tyre rather than £60 per tyre for 14" tyres so the choice is rather obvious
Those are the ones! There was a time when every second car with aftermarket wheels had them on......
Call me a snob, but if a manufacturer hasn't had at least a few wins in the WRC or Formula 1, then I'm not going to pay to have their wheels on my car in place of the OEM wheels. Hence why I'd only ever put OZ's, Speedline's or BBS's on my car
pop owners should rebel given the comments made
I don't need to rebel, I just look at my mpg figures, chill out & smile contentedly...
.Another bonus is that the stock 500 steel wheel trims are a doddle to keep clean
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pop owners should rebel given the comments made
Comment, it's only one silly person who said it
Comment, it's only one silly person who said it
...and he stands by it (when the wheels are judged against the other two sets shown).
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I'm toying with winter tyres on our mk4 1.4 golf as I'd rather crash in that than the 500 (because it's new). but on the downside it's heavier and the wheels are bigger. Does anyone know how much the pop wheels are generally going for?
SCABBED ALLOYS are far worse than steel wheels with wheel trims. (in my opinion) :nerner:
SCABBED ALLOYS are far worse than steel wheels with wheel trims. (in my opinion) :nerner:
Well you're more likely to crash the 500 if you keep summer wheels on it.
Sods law means that all of you put winter wheels on and we have no snow, if that happens I'm blaming you RobinPJ and RUI :nono: I like my snow driving and I'll be rather upset if there's no snow!
Sods law means that all of you put winter wheels on and we have no snow, if that happens I'm blaming you RobinPJ and RUI :nono: I like my snow driving and I'll be rather upset if there's no snow!
