AdyGTI Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 I've just ordered a GTI, but reading here makes me wonder if i did the right thing just going with the standard 17's.. The thing is, I live on what could be best described as a stoney road. Near the beach and made up of parts of tarmac, roughly thrown down, and stones - all in all a rough old surface to drive on. The question is, what is the difference in ride between the 17's and the 18's? I had a test drive in a GTI with 18's on, and even to me on a rough piece of road this felt choppy and unforgiving to the road surface. Given my situation, should I stay with the 17's or add the 18's onto the spec? Any thoughts.. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Firstly a Warm Welcome to TSN . I've had both 17s (as originally ordered) and then changed to 18s at about 10K miles. Both VW factory BBS alloys. The ride difference is negligible - Firmer rather than harsher - and both alloy size surfaces will be vulnerable when stones are thrown up. I would deff consider upgrading the shocks to Koni FSD. They will hydraulically 'read' the surface and intelligently compensate. You get softer suspension for rougher surfaces and harder for smoother surfaces (I think I got that the right way round!). The 18s deff look better imo and possibly improve traction but only very slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 By the way, why not come to the TSN Sussex meet this Saturday - We're a very friendly lot and you'll see some GTIs (mine) and R32s. It's a social, pub lunch and car chat and banter....Very informal. Link to info: Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentandy Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Like Robin I've owned both, although mine was on separate cars. The difference in ride quality is barely noticable and if anything 18's provides you with slightly better feedback. 18's do look better IMO, the only downside is if you scrape them they're not so easily repairable as the painted 17's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I've just ordered a GTI, but reading here makes me wonder if i did the right thing just going with the standard 17's.. The thing is, I live on what could be best described as a stoney road. Near the beach and made up of parts of tarmac, roughly thrown down, and stones - all in all a rough old surface to drive on. The question is, what is the difference in ride between the 17's and the 18's? I had a test drive in a GTI with 18's on, and even to me on a rough piece of road this felt choppy and unforgiving to the road surface. Given my situation, should I stay with the 17's or add the 18's onto the spec? Any thoughts.. Cheers. [/ QUOTE ] You dont live in Pagham do you? Where in west sussex are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdyGTI Posted August 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Firstly a Warm Welcome to TSN . [/ QUOTE ] Cheers . [ QUOTE ] By the way, why not come to the TSN Sussex meet this Saturday - We're a very friendly lot and you'll see some GTIs (mine) and R32s. It's a social, pub lunch and car chat and banter....Very informal. [/ QUOTE ] I can't make it this weekend - sorry. It's a bit short notice as I've got other stuff planned. [ QUOTE ] You dont live in Pagham do you? Where in west sussex are you? [/ QUOTE ] Haha, yep.. Virtually on the beach. If I'd have known about this place and your offer about a month ago I would have paid you a visit. My main problem is with the comfort side over the bumps, I know the ride will be hard but I just hoped the ride with the 17's would be slightly softer over the rough stuff. I do like the look of the 18's but they look very suseptable to kerbing, I'm not going to be out racing around most of the time - but I know it'll annoy me badly if i did mess them up. I think I'll be keeping the 17's for the time being, I can always try a set of the 18's at a later date if the 17's are not to my liking. I don't plan on any modifications until the warrentee is over, although a remap looks very tempting, but I definately won't get anything done for the first year/10,000ish miles. At any rate it'll be a vast improvement over my Focus 1.6 Automatic Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 ADYGTI, if I were you I would spec the 18's as if you didn't like them you could sell them probably for a profit, where as it could be very expensive to buy the 18's at a later stage. Maybe the 18's will make the car more desirable come resale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 ...Good idea TT . It could cost anything from £1,000 for used 18s to £2,000 for new 18s later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Haha, yep.. Virtually on the beach. [/ QUOTE ] Not many places called the 'stoney roads' except in Pagham, you must live a couple of hundred yards from me then? Seen me about? Go for 18's, like has been said, you can and I did get good money for them, I have no probs with my 19's ever, its not like you are going to boot it down their....is it? maybe go for 19's good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 I've got 17's and wish I'd gone for 18's... you're lucky you've discovered TSN before you've ordered, don't be a muppet get yourself 18's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Yup, get 18s, very little difference, more in the inflation pressures than in the 17-18 difference. And 18s look awesome in comparison, BUT soooo easy to damage, and while 17s are really a repaint, 18s are a diamond remill that may or may not be possible depending on the nature and depth of the damage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack_is_Back Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 If necessary, I would rob my own granny to get the money for the 18s. They really make the car, and should be top of your options list. Welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petsy Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 [ QUOTE ] If necessary, I would rob my own granny to get the money for the 18s [/ QUOTE ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrastas Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 18's you wont regret it, they make the GTi look bad ass... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seventyseven Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Welcome!! personally I went for 17's from a financial point of view & imo,the car looks a bit ''spindly'' on 18's & needs lowering BUT....Wish I'd discovered tyresmoke before I ordered my car,as now I know what they're worth & I'd have put them on here/fleabay for cash & 17s.Can't recommend this forum enough-friendly,helpful,witty,scathing,resourceful-frighteningly knowledgeable! ''They'' know everything,or at least they know a bloke in a pub that does! Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AidanR Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 I originally wanted a GTi with 17's on as i was worried about how easy the 18's would scratch and Damage. Also I thought the 18's looked a bit 'Bling' For instance about damage I see lots of the Audi 9 spoke alloys badly kurbed and scratched as it seems the tyres are narrower than the wheel itelf meaning if you were to touch a kurb parking or at low speeds the wheel would touch before the tyre- a problem i've not found with the GTi's Wheels as the tyres seem to sit squarer and offer more protection for the rim against scratches and marks. Over all I'm really glad I've got the 18's now as i think they finish the car off perfectly...... And don't look too 'Bling' anymore either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 For the road surface you have to drive on i would stay with the 17s. Much less risk to the alloys and once chipped the 18s will soon start to 'line' and corrode much much much worse than the painted 17s. I have to drive on a similar road to you to get to one of my industrial units in the back of beyond once a week and i would not risk it with the 18s. I have had experiance of this type of finish before with a previous car and theres far too much risk with the lower profile tyres and lack of protection to the alloy with the 18s on with a ruff stone ridden road surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Very true Snoopy So if you are going to go over unforgiving surfaces, then there is less tyre to the rims on 18s versus 17s, so the rims themselves may get "impacted" and need early replacement, so you might be better of with 17s or 16s or 15s. Such damage occur on the inner surface of the rim and be difficult to see - so potentially dangerous. Avoid taking your GTI on 4WD tracks..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Very true nhs We use to see quite a few buckled rim when we ran dealerships as the less strength part of the rim the inner side near the suspension would buckle with impact with potholes. The wider the rim the less strength it has, The less sidewall on the tire the less cusion the rim has, it also seemed more prone on newer cars as there was less thump through the suspension for owners to know what was going on. Quite a few owners never knew it had happened until we showed them by spinning the wheel while the car was up on the wheels free ramp. With the 18s though i would be far more worried about marking the surface of the wheel as soon as its breached you can kiss goodbuy to the finish and look of it unless you get them referbed. http://ibizagti.fotopic.net/c913995.html That car originally had the same finish to the 18s and im sure some of you can see what happens over time IF you don't treat them with kid gloves and referb regular. Don't get me wrong i really like the look of the 18s and the size looks better on the GTI I just do not like the maintenance and vulnerability of such a wheel finish from previously owning cars with the same finish. The deciding factor in this case to me would be the road surface and that would make my choice easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdyGTI Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 I think you are right Snoopy, the main reason I went for the 17's was for the rough road. Having been told here that there is virtually no difference in handling is good to know and reinforces my choice. I really like the look of the 18's, but even the demo car that I took out was kerb'd on the front wheels numerous times - and it only had 5,000 miles on it. On the 18's the sidewall of the tyre and the alloy wheel are at the same level, iirc, which in itself would offer little protection to the alloy wheel. I wasn't able to look at the 17's though and it might be exactly the same, but atleast the bigger tyre would offer slightly more protection? I don't want to be worried about the wheels, either kerbing them or having to maintain them for any reason. Thanks again guys, I think I'll leave the spec as it is with the 17's. It's been on order about a month now and I've been given an estimate of "end of October" timeframe. Can't wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AidanR Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Putting it that way Ady I recon you're right, I am always worried that they will get marked one day. Roll on october!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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