Wheels

[ayrshiredude]

Can anyone tell me, in real terms, the difference between 17 and 18 inch wheels on the FR? Whats the difference in ride quality and road noise?

Thanks

 

[KXL]

18s are diamond cut, 17s are normal powder coated ones...on FR, on the Xcellence, the 17s are diamond cut version of FR's 17s. Both are 215 sectioned tyres, with 17s at 45 and 18s 40 profile. Physics would say that the 17s would be marginally more comfortable, quieter and fuel efficient than the 18s.

Where as the 18s look really nice, it also exposes more the tiny brake disc sizes on the Ibiza, which to me is a bit of a mismatch. On a more performance orientated car large wheels are required to house the large disc and calibers under.

Oh and diamond cut ones are more of a pain to maintain and if you curb them frequently, expect an expensive refurbish. Else suggest using alloygators.
I guess it would be difficult for others to suggest road noise and ride quality unless they have driven both on a test drive, or own both (which is unlikely). Myself, I had a Mk5 Ibiza with 215/40 R17s and test drove a Mk6 on 215/40 R18s, and I felt the noise and comfort were decent considering the profile and size of Mk6 tyres, def better than the MK5.

 

[Maypack]

Oh and diamond cut ones are more of a pain to maintain and if you curb them frequently, expect an expensive refurbish. Else suggest using alloygators.

Diamond cut wheels can only be refurbished a maximum of 3 times due to the potential to weaken the wheel with reskimmming.

I tried to get Alloygators fitted to my 19” CUPRA wheels and my local Alloygator fitters refused even though I said I would happily take the chance. I was informed that the use of Alloygators on Diamond cut wheels can aid in “white worm” damage of the wheel.

Saying that, @Deano j1971 has them fitted to his CUPRA ST and has had no problems with them. In fact he has stated that they have saved his wheels on more than one occasion.


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[RUM4MO]

One of the reasons that I am trying to get my daughter to get some winter only wheels and tyres soon - aftermarket seems to be the main way to avoid fashionable diamond finish right now, even then there are quite a few available with diamond finish.

 

[убийца Драконов]

I like the 17" powder coated because they looks nicer and easy to fix if they got minor scratches

 

[IanH72]

Can anyone tell me, in real terms, the difference between 17 and 18 inch wheels on the FR? Whats the difference in ride quality and road noise?

Thanks

I test drove the FR with 18” wheels before buying a Xcelence Lux with 17” wheels. The ride is softer on my car but that could be due to the FR having lowered sports suspension more than the wheel size. I would say the road noise is pretty much the same. I found the comfort levels with both cars to be good on both cars and would have brought the FR Sport if it had more kit so ended up getting the Xcelence Lux.

 

[RUM4MO]

@KXL just a small point, you said earlier, unless I've picked you up wrong, that some wheels come as new powder coated, I'd expect that all VW Group original wheels will all just be getting spray painted in the interests of economy at supplier level, it will only be when people like some of us get wheels restored that they will end up being powder coated, which does seem to be the better option for keeping them looking good. I'm just posting this so that anyone that buys "new" VW Group wheels that have been powder coated knows that they will just be older wheels restored and coated using that method. I bought a set of used Audi 18" 5 spoke alloys for use in winter time on my S4, but one looked like a bear had tried to eat it, so I looked around and luckily found someone selling a new unused same wheel, when I took the 3 grubby wheels to get powder coated, I asked if they could match them to the new wheel colour - "no chance, this process allows for different colours but not exact colour matching" - " we always advise that wheels are restored in sets" - so that new wheel needed stripping and powder coating along with the 3 nasty ones! I'm not trying to nit pick.

 

[camelspyyder]

The ride quality is more dependent on the tyre specified than the difference in size between 17 and 18 especially since the profiles are the same (according to KXL above).

I've driven 215/40 that rode like bricks and other 215/40 on the same car that felt more like the classic Citroen or Jaguar magic carpet ride.

Lack of choice of OEM tyre on a new car is a pet hate of mine. I hate the OEM Bridgestone's on my current SEAT, but its not economic to replace them yet.

 

[ayrshiredude]

Thanks for your replies. I find that atm the ride is fairly firm and there can be a fair bit of road noise. I realise that I have the Firmer suspention but I am worried that the 18" wheels will further increase both the firmness of the ride and also the Road noise. I assume that manufacturers put harder tyres on cars as the will last longer. I have had "quieter" tired before and know there can be a difference.

 

[RUM4MO]

Probably as implied if not said already, some brands/models of tyres are known to have "firmer" sidewalls, one thing that I find curious on my daughter's new Leon Cupra is, it does not have ZR rated tyres, the tyres fitted are 19" 235/35 Conits with AO marking so approved by Audi on certain cars, but they are Z not ZR rated, my S4 has always ended up having ZR rated tyres and like the Cupra is "sports" orientated model. I used Audi A4 B5 wheels on my previous 2000 VW Passat 4Motion and always fitted ZR rated tyres in summer, the original same size VW alloys I used with winter tyres just used Z rated tyres as they did when originally used with Z rated summer tyres, the ZR rated tyres always felt more stable in summer.

 

[KXL]

@KXL just a small point, you said earlier, unless I've picked you up wrong, that some wheels come as new powder coated, I'd expect that all VW Group original wheels will all just be getting spray painted .

Sorry, I made a mistake, I meant spray painted, not powder coated...confused the two..