Jump to content

17s or 18s


selwynf
 Share

Recommended Posts

[ QUOTE ]

....I think you are right - Most people, especially the gentlemen of the press, will favour the 18s

[/ QUOTE ]

Not from what i have read. they like the look but they always get coments on the difference in ride and road noise. Seems from most revies i have read they prefer the 17s but the look of the 18s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 186
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

[ QUOTE ]

Thought it was derived from 'GT injection'. Where is snoopy when you need him lol

[/ QUOTE ]

The original engine came from the Audi GT of 1974

The car was later refered to in some markets as the GTE so VW did not want to use that tag so it said.

The GTIs official name, 'The Golf GTI',

Strangely it appeared that the 'I' in 'GTI', did not originally stand for 'Injection' as the german word for injection is 'Einspritzung', which leads you to a GTE!

it is suggested that Guiguaro himself, suggested GTI as in italian you would get 'Gran Turismo Iniezione'. Others say as i have already said that since Audi already had the Audi 80 GTE, Volkswagen simply used 'GTI' to be different.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

As the GTI is such an iconic car, I find it very difficult to understand why anyone would want to debadge. The Mk5 GTI is car to be very proud of owning. Who on earth wants to be just ordinairy!

[/ QUOTE ]

As you know i often drive 2 GTIs ones a bog standard 5 door the others a near fully loaded 3 door. The 3 door has the rear badge removed. I find i get tailgated far less and get less hassle from the youths.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

Hey Paddy Driver,

You claim 'Not wanting to rub any of the lads up the wrong way - but those that say 17" are better ride and cheaper to repair obviously have 17" and wish now they had ordered 18"

Sorry to burst your bubble pal, but I can afford either, no problem. Currently the car is on order with 18's but I'm thinking of amending that to the 17's because I'm starting to think that the 18's look to Shiny and Chav and the 17's are more subtle, in keeping with the class of the car.

Perhaps your trying to justify spending £400 on wheels that are virtually identical from 10 feet away.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the 17s better myself for long term use.

I do prefer the look of the 18s though.

The reason i went for 17s was not price it was simply with been in the trade i have seen too many bent alloys due to small tire wall and pot holes. Since its like roads in the middle east countrys up here as anything outside the M25 wall does not seem to get cash i went for the 17s.

Its so easy to bend the inner edge of an alloy were theres little strength and support especially one with little tire give and a largeish width like the 18s.

infact my mate bent one of his 18s a few months back luckie we got it straightened as it was not that bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Of course it means something, it's just that Autocar don't know.

Where's snoopy when you need him?!?

[/ QUOTE ]

No really, Snoopy and Chav will back me up, it really doesn't mean anything wink.gif

Of course, this could just be an urban myth and it could mean something frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I was always told this too,

I posted what i think may have happened further up.

I think the idea they asked the guy who was heavily involved at the time and who styled the mk1 golf what he though maybe the reason its GTI. Makes sence.

But then again as an Engineer myself i know how us Engineers are, we are always in a world of our own and love to just pluck names out the air to label things that often in the future puzzle people why we called it that. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

....I think you are right - Most people, especially the gentlemen of the press, will favour the 18s

[/ QUOTE ]

Not from what i have read. they like the look but they always get coments on the difference in ride and road noise. Seems from most revies i have read they prefer the 17s but the look of the 18s.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry snoopy, as much as i hold most of your opinions in high regard, that is rubbish. 18" wheels are the norm for any sports car these days. The ride on either is no different whatsoever. I have driven both and you couldn't tell them apart. It's a sports car and with that always comes a comprimise on comfort. As for road noise... tongue.gif Asthetically the 18"s look much better IMO, the few that don't agree with this are entitled to their opnion. But come the day of reckoning, find me one dealer that would prefer to have a GTI riding on 17"s over 18"s on his forecourt and i'll eat my hat! (not Reds baseball cap mind grin.gif ).

It's like any sports car, be it a Porsche, BMW or TT... the smaller wheels are never favoured come trade in.

Oh and to those who think you can't tell the difference at 10 ft away, you might as well get the 17"s because you must be partially sighted. beerchug.gifSMOKE6.GIF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

....I think you are right - Most people, especially the gentlemen of the press, will favour the 18s

[/ QUOTE ]

Not from what i have read. they like the look but they always get coments on the difference in ride and road noise. Seems from most revies i have read they prefer the 17s but the look of the 18s.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry snoopy, as much as i hold most of your opinions in high regard, that is rubbish. 18" wheels are the norm for any sports car these days. The ride on either is no different whatsoever. I have driven both and you couldn't tell them apart. It's a sports car and with that always comes a comprimise on comfort. As for road noise... tongue.gif Asthetically the 18"s look much better IMO, the few that don't agree with this are entitled to their opnion. But come the day of reckoning, find me one dealer that would prefer to have a GTI riding on 17"s over 18"s on his forecourt and i'll eat my hat! (not Reds baseball cap mind grin.gif ).

It's like any sports car, be it a Porsche, BMW or TT... the smaller wheels are never favoured come trade in.

Oh and to those who think you can't tell the difference at 10 ft away, you might as well get the 17"s because you must be partially sighted. beerchug.gifSMOKE6.GIF

[/ QUOTE ]

LeMan

I was commenting on what the press say about the GTI not other makes or my own views.

Every review i have read has said the same, Evo, Autoexpress (many occasions), Autocar (many occasions), Testdrive etc etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

....I think you are right - Most people, especially the gentlemen of the press, will favour the 18s

[/ QUOTE ]

Not from what i have read. they like the look but they always get coments on the difference in ride and road noise. Seems from most revies i have read they prefer the 17s but the look of the 18s.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry snoopy, as much as i hold most of your opinions in high regard, that is rubbish. 18" wheels are the norm for any sports car these days. The ride on either is no different whatsoever. I have driven both and you couldn't tell them apart. It's a sports car and with that always comes a comprimise on comfort. As for road noise... tongue.gif Asthetically the 18"s look much better IMO, the few that don't agree with this are entitled to their opnion. But come the day of reckoning, find me one dealer that would prefer to have a GTI riding on 17"s over 18"s on his forecourt and i'll eat my hat! (not Reds baseball cap mind grin.gif ).

It's like any sports car, be it a Porsche, BMW or TT... the smaller wheels are never favoured come trade in.

Oh and to those who think you can't tell the difference at 10 ft away, you might as well get the 17"s because you must be partially sighted. beerchug.gifSMOKE6.GIF

[/ QUOTE ]

LeMan

I was commenting on what the press say about the GTI not other makes or my own views.

Every review i have read has said the same, Evo, Autoexpress (many occasions), Autocar (many occasions), Testdrive etc etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

interestingly all the mags that have specced and got them for their long term fleets, all have 18"s wink.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

Sorry snoopy, as much as i hold most of your opinions in high regard, that is rubbish. 18" wheels are the norm for any sports car these days. The ride on either is no different whatsoever. I have driven both and you couldn't tell them apart. It's a sports car and with that always comes a comprimise on comfort. As for road noise... tongue.gif Asthetically the 18"s look much better IMO, the few that don't agree with this are entitled to their opnion. But come the day of reckoning, find me one dealer that would prefer to have a GTI riding on 17"s over 18"s on his forecourt and i'll eat my hat! (not Reds baseball cap mind grin.gif ).

It's like any sports car, be it a Porsche, BMW or TT... the smaller wheels are never favoured come trade in.

Oh and to those who think you can't tell the difference at 10 ft away, you might as well get the 17"s because you must be partially sighted. beerchug.gifSMOKE6.GIF

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't agree with your point about 18s when it comes to resale. The fact is, the 18s are easier to curb and also much harder to repair. The finish on the 18s is going to require a very skilled person to repair them so they look like new. In 3-4 years time, there's going to be a hell of a lot of 18s in bad condition because of curbing, or because of botched or deteriorating repair jobs. Furthermore, add to all this the reports of 18s corroding... not good.

You say that the motoring press are going to recommend 18s in the coming years, however I think they'll be saying it's extremely difficult to find good examples, so unless you can, steer clear and go for 17s. Would you buy a car with badly curbed, badly repaired or corroded alloys? I know I wouldn't.

That's my theory, anyway!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

I don't agree with your point about 18s when it comes to resale. The fact is, the 18s are easier to curb and also much harder to repair. The finish on the 18s is going to require a very skilled person to repair them so they look like new. In 3-4 years time, there's going to be a hell of a lot of 18s in bad condition because of curbing, or because of botched or deteriorating repair jobs..

[/ QUOTE ]

Any wheel 17" or 18" will look poor if not looked after.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

I don't agree with your point about 18s when it comes to resale. The fact is, the 18s are easier to curb and also much harder to repair. The finish on the 18s is going to require a very skilled person to repair them so they look like new. In 3-4 years time, there's going to be a hell of a lot of 18s in bad condition because of curbing, or because of botched or deteriorating repair jobs..

[/ QUOTE ]

Any wheel 17" or 18" will look poor if not looked after.

[/ QUOTE ]

But are the 18s as easy to repair? Even if someone can do a good job on the 18s, I suspect it will cost more to do so. The brushed finish on the 18s is the problem. It's not a standard finish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All this talk of kerbing and refurbishment costs is a valid practical consideration, but I do wonder how people can justify buying a Gti, which obviously means your happy to pay more for the car, more for insurance and less miles per gallon, all for the enjoyment of owning such a car, yet, the extra few hundred quid in extra costs to have the 18's is a stumbling block?

For me the issue is squarely about 1 thing. The look. To begin with, I loved the 18's and the car is currently on order with them on, but I am seriously considering changing to 17's. The reason. I'm starting to think that the 17's suit the car perfectly, lets fact it, their a stunning set of alloys anyway. I just have this nagging theory that the 18's are a bit too aggressive and showy, the car doesn't need them, its a work of art already.

Put it this way, if the 18's weren't an optional extra, I just wonder how many people would have upgraded to an aftermarket set of 18 Monza's anyway?

ps. re the second hand thing. I don't think the wheels will affect demand one way or another. There will be those that want 18's, those that don't and those that just want a straight car. I reckon those that just want a straight car, are the huge majority.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

Put it this way, if the 18's weren't an optional extra, I just wonder how many people would have upgraded to an aftermarket set of 18 Monza's anyway?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would never consider anything that isn't OEM, so that argument doesn't stand. tongue.gif

[ QUOTE ]

ps. re the second hand thing. I don't think the wheels will affect demand one way or another.

[/ QUOTE ]

Think you're wrong there. 2 GTI's on the forecourt, one ith 18"s one without... i think i know which one i'd put my money on going first.

[ QUOTE ]

There will be those that want 18's, those that don't and those that just want a straight car. I reckon those that just want a straight car, are the huge majority.

[/ QUOTE ]

The 18"s aren't an aftermarket option, How can speccing them make your car 'not straight'... tongue.gif

If you don't want them, don't get them... time will tell what the masses will prefer coffee.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

{quote]

Think you're wrong there. 2 GTI's on the forecourt, one ith 18"s one without... i think i know which one i'd put my money on going first.

[/ QUOTE ]

strange, i'd chose the better condition car which had the colour /spec i wanted, not the one with big wheels. Wheels just bolt on, so are an easy change if that's what you really want.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On photos at times 17's admittedly look a wee bit small BUT in the flesh they're perfectly fine IMO

I'll undoubtedly trade mine into a dealer so don't think it's relevant if it will sell easily or not, let the dealer worry about that. EEK2.GIF The price I'll be offered wont be more than £445 less!

coffee.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Think you're wrong there. 2 GTI's on the forecourt, one ith 18"s one without... i think i know which one i'd put my money on going first.

[/ QUOTE ]

strange, i'd chose the better condition car which had the colour /spec i wanted, not the one with big wheels. Wheels just bolt on, so are an easy change if that's what you really want.

[/ QUOTE ]

Obviously... tongue.gif I was talking hypothetically... the same car x 2 buttcheeks.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...