Putting together a winter tire package, looking for opinions

[04blackout]

I'm trying to put a winter tire/wheel package together for my 04 A4 quattro, and I think I have landed on the Blizzak WS-60 in 205/60 R16 on some basic steel wheels.

My primary concern is ultimate performance in heavy snow and ice, and I'm not necessarily concerned at all about dry performance. If they look funny being so skinny, I don't really care; I have to drive for work sometimes and I want to get there and my car is going to be filthy anyway. And if I'm buying a tire specifically for winter, I want them to primarily be a beast (which is why I'm not going with the LM-25).

Tire Rack only shows 245 for 17", and I don't want such wide tires. And again, since I don't really care how it looks, I don't feel the need for such low profile.

As an alternative, the Pirelli Winter Carving in my chosen size are on closeout, but are studdable, and preferring not to stud my tires, I wonder how they would perform without studs.

So if anyone has any feedback about the Blizzak WS-60 in 205/60 R16 for our fine cars, that would be great!

[EBG 18T]

So if anyone has any feedback about the Blizzak WS-60 in 205/60 R16 for our fine cars, that would be great!

that will probably be one of the best winter setups avaliable. i have run the old ws-50 (predisesor to the ws-60) in deep snow, ice and bad winter conditions with nothing but praise for them. They are definitly geared for winter condtions and do not expect very good dry weather performance out of them. The new ws-60 is better on dry than the old ws-50. But still they are snow tires.

[04blackout]

Thanks so much for the real-world feedback. Confirms what I'm thinking about these tires and what I read on the Tire Rack feedback.

Presumably I'd be OK dropping from 93 load rating on my all-season tires to the 92 with these Blizzaks:

Front GAWR: 2425/2 = 1213
GVWR: 4619/4 = 1155
92 = 1389

[Doc@tirerack]

Pirelli's compounds are really that great for ice, so they allow for studs. WS 60 is MUCH better !

[04blackout]

Doc, thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking of trying to find some used Audi wheels in lieu of going with steel wheels. Would I have a problem with fitment with the 16x6 10-spoke wheel from the B5 A4 with the aformentioned tires?

[Doc@tirerack]

Don;t have a cross reference for OE wheels, so couldn't say for sure on the wheel, but the tire will fit any wheel between 5.50" and 7.50" wide.

[04blackout]

According to the reference site linked below, below are my current wheels and the used wheels from a friend of a friend that I'm looking at:

Current:
17x7.5, 5x112, 45mm offset, 57.1 centerbore, 235/45 R17 tires

Replacements (16x7, I misspoke in my previous post):
16x7, 5x112, 45mm offset, 57.1 centerbore, 205/60 R16 tires

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q_h...audi_5x112.htm

I feel like the 0.5" of wheel width shouldn't be all that significant, but I always get worried messing with wheel size on an AWD system.