Getting a cheap set of wheels for winter tyres...

[Mottie]

I thought you were a professional, Mr Mottie

Even the best of us can make a mistake.

 

[charliegolf]

Sometimes it's because the lower profile tyres on the bigger rims are also wider, and there's not enough clearance between the chains and the wheelarch or running gear components.

This
Natch Volvo have painfully expensive 'recommended' chains.

 

[Bodgedbuild]

This is a good site for comparing rolling diameters of wheel/tyre combinations, it even tells speedo difference
https://tiresize.com/comparison/

The other thing worth remembering if your car is a high powered one is that the brakes make require a minimum rim diameter to be able to fit smaller wheels.

 

[mointainwalker]

In France you have to carry them in the Allps in winter. And they check!

Not so, Charlie. This November marks the introduction of a law requiring chains (carried ) or snow-tyres (fitted) in 48 dépts from Nov 01 to Mar 31. In the past , when the weather was bad ( Saturdays only when the tourists arrived ), the gendarmes would only allow cars with chains up the hill into the resorts. I often wondered what the thousands of unequipped did, because local outlets only stocked a couple of hundred sets.

You're obviously a multi-tasker ! Pools on one forum and snow-chains here

I use 195/65 x 15 in winter, preferring to go for a slightly skinnier tyre, and 215/55 x 16 other times.

Best place to get wheels would be a scrapper. Don't forget wheels are not necessarily unique to a car and you should investigate which other ( possibly more common/cheaper ) makes use the desired size/hole arrangement.

I don't know what chains you have, but by their very fitting method, chains generally cover a WIDE range of sizes.

Many people fit winter-tyres on steel-wheels, but I guess you'll be consulting the wife on that possibility.