18 inch wheels ?

[kombichik]

hi guys i have a 2006 polo gti all standard im looking at some bigger wheels but its hard to get a straight answer out of the places ive asked 4 advice in short does any1 no if i can run 18 inch wheels on my polo gti i was looking at 17 inch wheels called barb they look good but the guy rekons the 17 s dont fit with the brakes or sumthin but the 18 inch in the same style will fit sounds wierd 2 me anyway if any1 s got any pics of a polo with 18 inch wheels plz post ta

[fuzion]

your running 16s, so 17s obviously will clear your brakes.

look at this ad, definitely a bargain!

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...ad.php?t=25610

18s wouldnt be a good option for a polo

[VWindahouse]

It also has to do with offset and wheel spoke positioning which wheel manufactuers call X factor.

[mozzzy_2000]

I have seen a few 'tricked out' polos on the web with 18s so yes it can be done.

[Bubu]

It is possible that the guy is trying to sell you WRX fitment with an offset of around 45. Hence why it may not clear your brakes if you go for 17's. Both wheels have 5 x 100 PCD but different ET (offset).

Or maybe he is just trying to make an extra dollar out of you by selling you 18's rather than what you want. It dosent help if your female either (I assume you are female if you call your self a kombichik).

[mikepologti]

one thing to not also kombi is that i here (i personally dont have 18's) that 18's rub a lil.

[JCM308]

There are a couple of guys on here with 18's that say they're ok. I'd love to get a set but they will definately ride alot harded (due to reduced sidewall height) than the 16's.

As long as the offset is correct then you won't have an issue (even when it's lowered). Finding the correct offset will be the problem.

Also be careful if the guy is trying to sell you WRX rims. Without modification they WILL NOT FIT! they have the same stud pattern but the hub's for a Subaru are smaller (confirmed this with my mate's Liberty rims). So without hitting the middle of the rim with a dye grinder you will not get these on the car.

You may be better finding out where others on the forum have gotten their rims from and if any are close to you then go there.

[naughty]

i tried out 18's on my 5 door gti - the problem is that if you dont want to affect your gearing ratios you can only use 215/35/R18 tyres - any wider or higher profile then its going to definitely be goodbye gearbox - and the gti gearboxes are definitely fragile

at that profile though each time i hit a pothole i lost a tyre - 3 tyres lost in 6 months meant i changed back down to 17's and i havent had a problem since then

pics with the 18's







it looked brilliant but the problem was that the pirreli tyres i was using were not cheap - and losing three in 6 months was killing my pocket bigtime

so heres how the car looks now



doesnt look as impressive but at least no tyre issues anymore - i can really drive on public roads now instead of like before where it was no longer a drive it anywhere type of car - you had to drive on pristine roads only

and yes ive had the regular gti gearbox problems too but IMHO it was accelerated by having the 18's - the gearbox doesnt strain as much with the standard wheels or the 17's

[gareth_oau]

I personally think that silver rims tend to look larger than black rims.

Also, if you lower the car slightly, this will also give the impression of a bigger rim, with the wheel/tyre filling out the arches

[Catfish]

Thanks for the feedback re 18s, naughty. What exactly were the regular gti gearbox problems you had and how were they cured/solved?