Wheels and Tyres

Danish_David

Danish_David

VIP Member
Messages
75
Location
Kendal
Vehicle
T6.1 Ocean 150
Hi All, I’ve bought a T6.1 Ocean 150bhp 2024 with delivery next week. I didn’t like the wheels so I’ve bought some Sportline 18”x8J wheels. I need to order some tyres and TPMS valves (as it’s got direct TPMS fitted rather than ABS indirect). I’m looking at Continental All Season Contact 2 and the ubiquitous Michelin Cross Climate 3. I’ve also looked to get these pre coded TPMS valve stems from uk parts direct.
Questions:
1. Could someone post the tyre /wheel/B Pillar plate from a 2024 Ocean please
2. What have people found the above two tyres to be like in real world situations on a Cali
3. Anybody got any TPMS valve experience or recommendations
Thank you for taking the time to look and hopefully reply. Regards

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Search and you’ll find a bazillion posts on Cross Climates. Everyone uses them and they don’t know why apart from, well, everyone else uses them!

I’ve no experience of TPMS sensors. Just buy OEM kit and you’ll be fine.
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We have CC2’s on our van and they were fantastic in Iceland in April this year. We had plenty of snow and ice and they felt surefooted and on grass never let us down once. :thumb
 
The latest Cross Climate 3 didn't do that well in this recent review, compared to others quite poor in the wet which is more use in the UK. Latest Goodyear Vector All Seasons 4 came first as the best allrounder.
 
The latest Cross Climate 3 didn't do that well in this recent review, compared to others quite poor in the wet which is more use in the UK. Latest Goodyear Vector All Seasons 4 came first as the best allrounder.
And cheaper too! I was going to switch to CC3 in a few thousand miles - I tend to do as the forum tells me on such things. Now, I’m not so sure. Has anyone on the forum fitted the Goodyear tyres?
 
Search and you’ll find a bazillion posts on Cross Climates. Everyone uses them and they don’t know why apart from, well, everyone else uses them!

I’ve no experience of TPMS sensors. Just buy OEM kit and you’ll be fine.
View attachment 152853
Thanks for the info. Appreciated. Good idea re VW genuine sensors. Will call vw parts and see if they are listed. Is the plate pic from your 2023 ocean?
 
We have CC2’s on our van and they were fantastic in Iceland in April this year. We had plenty of snow and ice and they felt surefooted and on grass never let us down once. :thumb
Good feedback. Thanks.
 
The latest Cross Climate 3 didn't do that well in this recent review, compared to others quite poor in the wet which is more use in the UK. Latest Goodyear Vector All Seasons 4 came first as the best allrounder.
Very interesting indeed. Thank you.
 
Must admit I was interested in the Vector 3’s, will definitely consider the 4’s now over the Crossclimate 3’s! Great review!!!
 
You have two sets of wheels so surely a separate set of winters is the optimal setup?
That may end up being a good solution sipepod. Slight hassle of storing a set of wheels but definitely worth considering. I'm just going thru the tyre reviews posted above which are really interesting and surprising.
 
All a bit of a nonsense IMO tyre chat for these vans. I mean what are we actually doing in them if it’s not either sitting on a motorway/autobahn for hours on end, pottering around B roads at 40mph or nose to tail in traffic.

Winter tyres in this country are simply not necessary. Of course they’re better but really?

As long as you fit correctly rated rubber and they’re not Wing Chong Ping Ditch Finders, everything will be rosy.

I put a set of Hankook Ventus on back in July and set off on a trans Euro 4k loop. Up and down several Alps and foot to the floor on the autobahn, all in varying weather conditions.
Couldn’t fault them. The van never left the road once. Most importantly, for me, very little road noise. £600 fitted for 4.
 
All a bit of a nonsense IMO tyre chat for these vans. I mean what are we actually doing in them if it’s not either sitting on a motorway/autobahn for hours on end, pottering around B roads at 40mph or nose to tail in traffic.

Winter tyres in this country are simply not necessary. Of course they’re better but really?

As long as you fit correctly rated rubber and they’re not Wing Chong Ping Ditch Finders, everything will be rosy.

I put a set of Hankook Ventus on back in July and set off on a trans Euro 4k loop. Up and down several Alps and foot to the floor on the autobahn, all in varying weather conditions.
Couldn’t fault them. The van never left the road once. Most importantly, for me, very little road noise. £600 fitted for 4.
A lot of sense in what you say there unless touring in winter in countries where 3 peak tyres are mandatory. Thats prob why most people fit them (was for us anyway)
 
Germany calling...
Not mandatory here with the caveat that the vehicle needs to be matched to the conditions, so it's sensible to go winter tyres and teh insurance company will look at it and factor it into an accident claim.

Fair few alpine roads have tyre checking and chain fixing laybys and the police wont let people pass without winters, 4wd or in some cases, chains. We stick the chains in the car between Dec and end of March.

So run what you like but at this time of year there are often cars (even 4wd / quattro) in the hedge purely because of morning ice and summer tyres....
 
A lot of sense in what you say there unless touring in winter in countries where 3 peak tyres are mandatory. Thats prob why most people fit them (was for us anyway)
Agree but the OP is only asking about his new tyre brackets etc.
 
I am that OP LOL. My questions were this , just by way of a reminder
Could someone post the tyre /wheel/B Pillar plate from a 2024 Ocean please (DONE)
2. What have people found the above two tyres to be like in real world situations on a Cali (NOT DONE)
3. Anybody got any TPMS valve experience or recommendations (NOT DONE)
Just saying................................................
I will go for all season and it will have 3 peaks, so I'm OK in Cham when some rather grumpy gendarmeri pulls me over to check my 3 peaks
I don't think the difference in the top brand all seasons will matter to much. I could pick Michelin, Continental, Goodyear etc but availability and price also affects the decision. BUT it is valid to state that Michelin CC 3 are not that great in typical UK conditions. Great in the snow but we don't get a lot unless in northern Scotland, so unless a person is visiting the Alps often, then I don't understand why everyone buys them.
I've run winter/summer combos on everything from transit vans to porsche carreras and my wview is that winter tyres are FAB in europe but all season is a load less grief in the UK.
TPMS - VW part dept says my van doesn't have them. Thye are on my van from the factory? Yet to be resolved.
I asked Google gemini to put my new wheels on the van (amazing really) and here are the pics. Personally I really like the black wheels and i think they change the van massively for the better. There must be people who like the existing silver wheels of course.

Screenshot 2026-10-18 at 10.37.12.png

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I am that OP LOL. My questions were this , just by way of a reminder
Could someone post the tyre /wheel/B Pillar plate from a 2024 Ocean please (DONE)
2. What have people found the above two tyres to be like in real world situations on a Cali (NOT DONE)
3. Anybody got any TPMS valve experience or recommendations (NOT DONE)
Just saying................................................
I will go for all season and it will have 3 peaks, so I'm OK in Cham when some rather grumpy gendarmeri pulls me over to check my 3 peaks
I don't think the difference in the top brand all seasons will matter to much. I could pick Michelin, Continental, Goodyear etc but availability and price also affects the decision. BUT it is valid to state that Michelin CC 3 are not that great in typical UK conditions. Great in the snow but we don't get a lot unless in northern Scotland, so unless a person is visiting the Alps often, then I don't understand why everyone buys them.
I've run winter/summer combos on everything from transit vans to porsche carreras and my wview is that winter tyres are FAB in europe but all season is a load less grief in the UK.
TPMS - VW part dept says my van doesn't have them. Thye are on my van from the factory? Yet to be resolved.
I asked Google gemini to put my new wheels on the van (amazing really) and here are the pics. Personally I really like the black wheels and i think they change the van massively for the better. There must be people who like the existing silver wheels of course.

View attachment 152919

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This is the parts listing for TPMS for a 2024 California


(I would triple check before committing)

You can buy a repair set which is a kit for 4 wheels with everything.

You just need to ensure you buy the exact part numbers, there is a wide range of sensor types fitting method, housing profiles, pressure ranges, protocols and frequencies across VAG group over the years and can change even across model years when nothing else on the van does. I have seen and heard lots of people that end up with the wrong sensors because the after market and ebay sellers don't quote the correct vehicle compatibility, even sensors that look identical can have different protocols and don't work. (Hence must be correct part numbers)
 
This is the parts listing for TPMS for a 2024 California


(I would triple check before committing)

You can buy a repair set which is a kit for 4 wheels with everything.

You just need to ensure you buy the exact part numbers, there is a wide range of sensor types fitting method, housing profiles, pressure ranges, protocols and frequencies across VAG group over the years and can change even across model years when nothing else on the van does. I have seen and heard lots of people that end up with the wrong sensors because the after market and ebay sellers don't quote the correct vehicle compatibility, even sensors that look identical can have different protocols and don't work. (Hence must be correct part numbers)
 
TPMS. my T6.1 4m had them fitted to both sets of wheels (summer / winter) but only has the ABS pressure monitoring system in the van. It can be checked via the ICE settings. If there is a readout showing the pressure in each wheel, TPMS is fitted. If not, it's ABS.

I think it is in the vehicle status menu somewhere. Braithwaites could help with that I guess.

Liking those new wheels btw. Very nice.

Edit:
 
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Vbk that’s a fab link thanks. Good advice too. I have the added complication that the sportline wheels are an accessory rather than an option, so it might make it even trickier to match the profile of the wheel. Will post progress in case useful to others
 
OK Summary. Braithwaite’s Garage were confused as my build sheet shows TPMS but they look like and feel like ( you can wobble the stem and TPMS rattle on the rim) normal non TPMS.
Definitive test - Braithwaite’s broke the bead on the tyres to look what’s inside. NON TPMS normal valves !
So, job simplified I have ordered 4 Continental All Season 2 tyres £150 each from Black Circle delivered to Braithwaite’s who have kindly offered to fit them next week.
Thank you for all the help and advice. Will post a picture of the van with new wheels and will put the originals up for sale.
 
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