[font="Verdana"]Advice, please as I am not sure what’s the best plan.

I have an IS300 SportCross on the standard wheels, which the spec sheet describes as 7.0JJx17” at the front and 7.5JJx17” at the back, with tyre sizes 215/45ZR17 and 225/45ZR17 respectively. I’ve got decent Goodyears on at the moment which still have a fair bit of life left in them.

Last winter, I wasn’t very surprised to find that the IS was pretty much useless on the hilly untreated roads round where my Dad lives, so this year I am very seriously thinking of some winter tyres.

So, the question: is it possible to get hold of a cheap set of steel wheels to put winter tyres on, swapping over as the weather changes and keeping the alloys in the shed for next summer? What size wheel am I after and has anyone got any suggestions for who sells them?

Or, should I just bite the bullet and get a set of winter tyres on the alloys and leave them there until next spring when I get them swopped back?

Thanks for advice.

Ian[/font]

Get a set of 16 inch IS200 alloys and shed them in winter tyres- that should work. As you found out, summer tyres are useless in the snow.

A bit of weight over the rear will also help too.

my plan is to do the exact same, 16's with tyres pop up fairly often on the bay, i'll be grabbing a set at the end of this month I think

why not buy snow socks seemingly they work very well...

if your going to buy winter tyres then your best to put it on nordic style tyres. eurofrost rated tyres are still to hard and wont grip that well in the ice or snow.... i live in sweden so winter tyres are a must here. i run 225/40/18 continial cvc5 and this is the softest tyre rubber you can get.