MK5 Golf GTI
All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: Xizor on July 23, 2012, 12:58:48 am
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Hi again,
In my quest to find out as much I can about GTI's before I splash out, here's another question for you.
18" wheels - apart from looking great are there any other benefits from having them? i.e. handling?
Also, what about drawbacks, do they really ruin the ride quality like some suggest? I've only driven one with 17's so far.
Thanks for any info.
Cheers :smiley:
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there have been thread on this in the past,
The 18's are apparently worse for handling and comfort.
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Its not just about the size it depends on weight aswell.
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17's are supposed to be more comfortable as long as you don't go less than a 45% tire height. I've only run 18's - and now have 18 x 8, w/225/40's. My wheels are 19 lbs where the oem 18 x 7.5 Detroits were near 29 lbs.. I've upgraded the suspension as well so I expect the ride to be a bit stiffer than oem and it is. But handling is great as is.
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Depends what you wish to do with the suspension and where your regular routes are. I have found that i struggle locally to me with ground clearance on 18's - as car is quite low, so i have 19's.
The main benefit you will see from 18's is the turn into corners, with less tyre sidewall to flex the response will be sharper and more positive, but equally will wear the shoulder of the tyre faster.
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I was really only wondering about the choice between 17" and 18" Monzas on the stock setup.
Do they actually improve the handling as well as looking great? And how much does it affect the ride quality?
Cheers :smiley:
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My Mk5 GTI was originally supplied with OEM Monza 17's and I later swopped to Monza 18's. I expected the ride to be less comfortable but any difference was insignificant - That was done before I had any suspension mods.
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The main benefit you will see from 18's is the turn into corners, with less tyre sidewall to flex the response will be sharper and more positive, but equally will wear the shoulder of the tyre faster.
I bought my car with 18's on, I can honestly say it corners fantastically. It also looks better (IMO), makes the car look just that bit more asthetically pleasing.
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i changed from 17's to 18's - cant really feel any massive difference - def recommend a car with 18's over the 17's - they look way better in my opinion!
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Goes quicker on 17's as an EVO tyre test from a few years ago confirmed. :smiley:
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Thanks for all the interesting comments.
I love the look of the 18s and pleased to hear there isn't much difference with the ride quality. The way some journo's talk you would be led to believe it's like chalk & cheese. Take a read of this from the Ed 30 review on carkeys.co.uk:
Regular readers will be familiar with this argument to the point of stupefaction, but here goes anyway. The single worst thing about the Edition 30 is that those unique 18" alloy wheels are fitted with low profile 40 section tyres. I suspect that this is a marketing ploy which was not enthusiastically received by the chassis engineers, since the rubber clashes horribly with the relatively soft suspension (a little too soft in extreme circumstances, but nicely judged apart from that). There should be - but isn't - a smaller wheel, taller tyre option for customers who rate driving experience higher than bling quotient.
Much as I'd like to change the world by spreading the true faith about this sort of thing, I might as well try to quell a hurricane by spitting at it.
Anyway, hopefully will be test driving a GTi tomorrow with 18s, so I'll see for myself.
Cheers :happy2:
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Regular readers will be familiar with this argument to the point of stupefaction, but here goes anyway. The single worst thing about the Edition 30 is that those unique 18" alloy wheels are fitted with low profile 40 section tyres. I suspect that this is a marketing ploy which was not enthusiastically received by the chassis engineers, since the rubber clashes horribly with the relatively soft suspension (a little too soft in extreme circumstances, but nicely judged apart from that). There should be - but isn't - a smaller wheel, taller tyre option for customers who rate driving experience higher than bling quotient.
Much as I'd like to change the world by spreading the true faith about this sort of thing, I might as well try to quell a hurricane by spitting at it.
Journalistic boll*x.....obviously he knows the 'chassis engineers' well......one mans opinion and obviously a tainted one at that.......maybe he likes Toyota's...... :fighting:
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I've always said that steering feel and feedback is better with 17s. There is a directness you don't seem to get with 18s.
That said I choose to run 18s for aesthetic reasons. It's terribly vain.
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I have 19's and considering dropping back to 18's due to many factors such as handling, ride quality, tyre prices, rubbing etc
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Having had both the 17'' & 18'' alloys as above no real difference in ride.18'' all the way,look much better.
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I find the 18's give more tyre noise, but that could well be down to the fact that the fronts are currently at about 2mm :grin:
The 18's do seem to tramline a little more, due to less sidewall, but the suspension still provides a much more refined ride than my last car with 18's (2009 civic type S)
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18's plus suspension mods = The 'sweet spot'.
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18's plus suspension mods = The 'sweet spot'.
Im not sure Robin. If i were prepping a mk5 for track it be certainly on 17s. 18s looks better admittedly.
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Surely the unsprung weight and the fact the car has to spin them makes it 18s for show 17s for go ?
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17s OZ
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7145%2F6721588143_bd04042cb3.jpg&hash=fd3fcc74efb25b7ac1ccdbfa064d6574d2ff43b3)
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Personally feel that 18s fill the arches better but at the end of the day it depends on your own taste. I run 18s on my gti and love the way it looks
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18's plus suspension mods = The 'sweet spot'.
Im not sure Robin. If i were prepping a mk5 for track it be certainly on 17s. 18s looks better admittedly.
.....Low profile on 17's?
I'm talking about 'fast road' - I reckon my trackdays are over.
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fb308%2FRedRobin_05%2FOZweight.jpg&hash=5b6304cf61eab2cbb48edc02ec0e09e7ea076b5e)
^ Looks like OZ only have one guy who quality checks: Sergio 74!
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Doesn't it also come down to the brakes you're running? Only a few 17's will clear the 345's of the S3/Cupra setups.
Fish
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45 profile robin. So normal, not stupidly low profile.
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I was really only wondering about the choice between 17" and 18" Monzas on the stock setup.
Do they actually improve the handling as well as looking great? And how much does it affect the ride quality?
Cheers :smiley:
My comment was a bit general but I was really talking to this. I don't disagree you can get super light wheels or 17" might be too small for big brake set ups.
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Our lasting Olympic Legacy will alllow us in my local area to run very small profile's and very low as the roads have been resurfaced for the Torch run.
It all depends what suits you best. I like the 19's for the fill they give to the arches, but if i have to carry people, i have to go to 18's.
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I have 19's and considering dropping back to 18's due to many factors such as handling, ride quality, tyre prices, rubbing etc
I concur, i have run 225/45-17 on 7,5x17" ET 51 but feel the car looses out on steering feel, also had 235/35-19 og 8,5x19" ET 48 although it looked great i found my rimchoice to heavy and at trackdays there wasn't to much room in the wheel arches. I currently have 235/40-18" on 8x18" ET 50 front and 225/45-18" on 8x18" ET45, i find the 18" is the swwet spot on this car, handling wise, weight and brake clearance is where i want it to be.
I must admit i'm getting tired of the nonsense that higher profile tyres offers more comfort :stupid:
a higher profile offers uncontrollable suspension, whereas the lower profile let's the advanced suspension do it's job and let's the tyre do the grip that is it's job.
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Your telling me that a 235 35 19 is just as comfortable ride as 205 55 16? :confused:
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Your telling me that a 235 35 19 is just as comfortable ride as 205 55 16? :confused:
No, i'm telling you that 1400£ worth of suspension is better than 400£ of tyres to do the suspensions job. the lower profile tyre the more you have to consider what suspension to get depending what ride quality/ride feel you want from your car.
19" on a car who's suspension is made for 16" tyres is going to be a terrible ride, but combined with a suspension kit either adapted to that rim size or adjustable to accomodate what tyre size you want is the solution.
It's all in the details IMO of course :star: