kentzer Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 I need to buy some new tyres for my '53 plate GT TDi Golf (130), and am a bit unsure as to what to get. I've got the Conti Eco Contact on that came with it, but I'm not happy with them, so am looking to swap to something else. I don't want to change the wheels, so am limited to the standard alloys (15's?). I had Yoko's on my Passat Sport, and they were great - far better than the Conti Sport Contacts that were on when I bought it. Question is, is there anything out there that's going to give 18k on the front, be fairly sticky, and actually look good? Are the Yoko's the best bet? It'll be rears this month, and fronts after pay day! Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I need to buy some new tyres for my '53 plate GT TDi Golf (130), and am a bit unsure as to what to get. I've got the Conti Eco Contact on that came with it, but I'm not happy with them, so am looking to swap to something else. I don't want to change the wheels, so am limited to the standard alloys (15's?). I had Yoko's on my Passat Sport, and they were great - far better than the Conti Sport Contacts that were on when I bought it. Question is, is there anything out there that's going to give 18k on the front, be fairly sticky, and actually look good? Are the Yoko's the best bet? It'll be rears this month, and fronts after pay day! Cheers Ben [/ QUOTE ] 18k miles on the front!!!! Maybe if you very light footed, but you want a high wear factor and a sticky tyre..... two things you don't find in the same tyre. What size tyres do you have - 195-65-15? or 205-60-15? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Perhaps it's asking a bit much :-) I just want something a bit stickier than the Eco's, but with a half decent bit of life in them - bit of a compromise, I guess. The Yoko's got to 16k with loads of tread left on the fronts on my passat sport when I sold it, so I was hoping it wasn't completely impossible. I've got 195's at the moment, but I like the idea of 205's. Does the tyre size change the speedo read? I know when I changed the tyres on my Land Rover to go up a size I had to get a new speedo head. Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 You would need to change the wheels to put a different tyre size on - and that's something you said you didn't want. I've just had Eagle F1 GSD3's put on the front of mine and they seem pretty good, but I'm leting them bed in before I give them a good workout. I also rate the Continental Sport Contact 2's very highly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Check out the TTforum, Newbeetle forum and places like that - you will actually find people selling 16" and 17" alloys with tyres for what you are likely to be buying the tyres for - just in case you wanted a change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 That sounds like a good plan. I'll keep my eye open. I take it the TT and Beetle have the same stud pattern on the tyres? Thank you Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 I am assuming you have a MK4 GT TDi as you said 130, so if thats the case then they have the same stud pattern - 5x100 and same offset. YOu can pick up 6 spoke TT alloys for around £200 usually they will have usable tyres. set here: http://www.newbeetle.org.uk/scripts/justbuggin/Forum9/HTML/001407.html Some here: http://www.tt-forum.co.uk/ttforumbbs/viewtopic.php?t=51145 (more expensive Competition alloys) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Cool - thank you It is a mk4, so I can buy with confidence I've seen a set on eBay for £280 plus delivery of £35 - and that's the first place I looked after 5 minutes! I'll keep looking - there's apparently 3-4k left on the fronts on mine... What size are the tyres on the TT wheels? I had a play with a tyre size calculator, and 205/55/16 seem to be about the closest in terms of overall diameter to the Golf. If I go to the 17's, then I'm looking at silly money for half decent tyres when it comes to swapping next time (about 9 months time ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 I assume I can get some replacement centres for them so that I don't have "audi" on the wheels? Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Yep you can. my beetle here: http://www.woofdoggy.com/vw_beetle_1_6.htm has Audi Wheels. They are 17" - 4 new tyres were just under £400, but you will only likely ever replace fronts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 195-65-15 and 205-60-15 are the same (0.7% difference) rolling radius and so you can interchange these two on the same car, but so long as you keep all 4 tyres one way or the other! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Excellent advice - thanks guys I've seen a few on ebay now that I've extended the search to A3's as well as TT's. There's some quite promising looking ones, but they're all a bit high on the buy it now for this month. Maybe once I've been paid Think I'll be going for the 16's - 205/55-16's seem to be about the same size as well, and even better - when they wear out in 6 months time, they're about the same price as the 15's. Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 What about Vredestein SPORTRAC 2 195/65 R15 91V £43 per tyre, and Vredestein came top in the AutoExpress tyre test out of 20 leading brands including Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustynuts Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Just a thought. Didn't the GT TDI come with 16 inch wheels as standard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 [ QUOTE ] What about Vredestein SPORTRAC 2 195/65 R15 91V £43 per tyre, and Vredestein came top in the AutoExpress tyre test out of 20 leading brands including Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli, etc. [/ QUOTE ] Now they sounds like a good option. Not had Vred's before, but I'm sure someone has... As far as GT TDi's standard on 16's - mine's on 15's, so perhaps the dealer's done the dirty on me. Perhaps it's the 150's that are on 16's - mine's the 130. Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustynuts Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Bora Sport 130 is on 16's and has been for some years. The GT TDI is the Golf equivalent of the Sport, so should be the same wheel size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Aye, just noticed that its a 53 late so def should be on 16" alloys! Was the car new? If so check spec and then get the dealer to change them. If not, harrang the dealer as the price you paid would've been for a standard spec car with 16" alloys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 I only bought it about 3 months ago - I mentioned that I thought the wheels looked a bit silly - the 15's don't fill the arches particularly nicely - but was told that they were the standard wheels, and that was how it was sold. I've found these on eBay, which I like the look of, so may change anyway. I'm assuming they're going to fit... Edited to say: Just spoken to the dealer and the 53 plate Golf GT TDi 130 has 15" avus 2 alloys. The 150 has 16". Just going to try to order the TT Wheels They want £230 plus £35 postage. Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I only bought it about 3 months ago - I mentioned that I thought the wheels looked a bit silly - the 15's don't fill the arches particularly nicely - but was told that they were the standard wheels, and that was how it was sold. I've found these on eBay, which I like the look of, so may change anyway. I'm assuming they're going to fit... Edited to say: Just spoken to the dealer and the 53 plate Golf GT TDi 130 has 15" avus 2 alloys. The 150 has 16". Just going to try to order the TT Wheels They want £230 plus £35 postage. Cheers Ben [/ QUOTE ] Price in TT wheels is good but from what I remember TT's have a different off-set than the MKIV golf. Ask about the offset (ET) of these to make sure its right (or close enough). teh PCD is the same, so they will go on but you don't want them rubbing when your turn!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Blimey - this is turning into a right can of worms. Found a really useful site here which suggests that what you're saying is absolutely correct (I didn't doubt you for a minute ) The pcd and centre bore are the same on TT and Golf mk iv, but the offset is 30 on a TT, and acceptable between 32 and 38 on a golf. I'm assuming that the offset on the standard 6 spoke alloys for a TT is 30 as well here. Perhaps I'd better look for some Golf GTi wheels... Has anyone out there fitted TT wheels to a golf sucessfully? Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 According to this: VW and Audi the TT and Golf offset variance is exactly the same. Oh and this Young chap runs a set of TT 6 spokes on his Golf TDi - I know this because he got them off me. Look very nice on the golf, he does have some pictures up if you do a search. Save you looking - its in this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32North Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 The TT off-set is most definitely different than the MKIV Golf. 28-30mm for the TT and 32-38mm for the MKIV golf, but really doesn't count when you look at all the alloys on ale for both these cars as you get many that have a much wider range on offer, ie 28-45mm as per Rochford Tyres!! But in saying that its only 2mm so I doubt you'll have any issue unless you were running 18" alloys and lowering the car by quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Well my TT alloys had ET 35 stamped in them and they were OEM ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentzer Posted October 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 I'll confirm with the seller of the wheels I've spotted to see what the ET is for them. Good to know that they can be found I intend to keep the suspension as per standard, and they're only 16 inch with the same overall diameter... Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 I have ran loads of different wheels on loads of different VWs - and as long as you keep within those guidelines you wont have any issues. To be honest The TT, A3, Beetle, Golf, leon are all the same some just have slightly prettier dresses and swapping wheels from one to another wont cause any issues at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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