Re: Steel wheels for snow tires?

[Eliot Lim <eliot@lanmola.engr.washington.edu>]

> Any suggestions on studded snows, and
> is it worth buying the snows with steel wheels? 

someone mentioned that steel wheels are more resistant to salt corrosion
than alloys.. also they are cheaper.  

> The wheels offered by
> mail-order are a lot more expensive than those for other Audis (over $110
> each)

huh?  where have you been looking?  i bought a 5000T/200 15X6 steel wheel
(for a full sized spare) for far less than that.

> -- better to save my money and just have the snows mounted on the
> alloys when winter comes?

i hate the handling characteristics and noise of snow tires.. (the pirelli
210 is a pleasant surprise though, but it is expensive and very soft and
fast wearing).. anyway on the audi, i do a lot of swapping between regular
and snows during the winter, so an extra set of wheels are very useful
for me.  it doesn't snow that much here, but it does get quite icy.
 
> Also, if I buy wheels for winter, should I go for narrower ones?  One
> school of thought has it that narrower tires are better for ice.

i think that narrower tires can penetrate the snow better...


eliot