View Full Version : Aftermarket rims
rayray086
16-10-2006, 11:37 AM
Hi guys,
Not planning to buy any as of yet, but just want to know so I can come back to it when I do.
What kind of info would I need when going about buying aftermarket rims? E.g. offsets, ideal diameter, rim width (how wide can I go to get it looking snug), bolt pattern etc.?
golf3
16-10-2006, 01:31 PM
4x100 with a centre bore of 67.1
Offset will determine how it sits in the guards... If they are tucked under the guards too much, then get some spacers, they will bring the offset down...
Depending on state regulations, you can't go any wider than 2" from stock, so you'll be limited to 8", or 8.5" if going off the VR6... But diameter isn't limited...
I have 17x7, but people rock 16x9 in the states... And the bigger the rim, the smaller the tyres, and the harder and more annoying the ride...especially with 205/40R17
rayray086
16-10-2006, 06:11 PM
Thanks for the informative post golf3. Makes it much more easier trying to digest all the numbers.
Why is it that the ride is more harder and annoying with bigger rims with low profiles? Just that there's not so much air and flex in it than "normal"?
i reckon its because theres a bigger road contact, causing the ride having more frequent vibration...
low profile tyres have very stiff sidewalls usually. thats why they give a harsh ride
normal tyres especially at modest pressures able to absorb a lot of road imperfections.
deemoE36
16-10-2006, 09:54 PM
i just went in, saw rims that i like, nagotiate for a better deal and rubber and drow off with new wheels
brackie
17-10-2006, 06:14 AM
Car companies (especially VW/Audi) put millions of $$$s into R&D and then design chassis and suspension to get the model to handle, brake and corner as safely and reliably as possible. It's a great thing to mod your car to make it look good and comply with the latest fashion trends, but you have to be careful not to go to extremes as you may compromise the original design goals of the manufacturer. Wheel diameter and tyre profile are a case in point as the "looks" benefit and sharper handling is somewhat reined in by a harsher ride. It would also be a huge disappointment if you went out and spent 1000s of $$$s and found that you didn't like what you got. Try before you buy if you can ;)
bombsquad21
17-10-2006, 08:51 AM
I recently added 17x7 with 205x40 toyo proxes on my 1997 gl. On a smooth surface they are great, much better than stock. One problem...there are no smooth roads in Brisbane, basically it has trashed my ride and I can actually hear my car falling apart. It has 212,000 on the clock and I'm adding k's quickly but it's geting so bad i'm thinking of cutting out my second muffler to add note so I dont have to hear my passenger side door card rattle. I'm sure 16's must suit the car better. The 17's do look good though.
rayray086
17-10-2006, 12:10 PM
Damn.. I'll have to keep that in mind when I go looking around.
You put up a good point there brackie; it's not like they design a car and then just chuck it out on to the market. The Golf is my first car though, so I really wanna try out what it feels like to customise your own car a bit.
As for the "try before you buy", can you really do that with wheel shops? Or did you just mean ask for a drive from a friend who has that kind of set up?
On a mk3 its widely accepted that 16" rims give a nice compromise between performance and comfort. Only probly is the range of 16" rims available in australia is quite pathetic! I went to the trouble of importing my own in a style i liked.
yea i would go for 16' on my car... but thinking of the ride and still quite unsure what I want... and bigger rims causing me wanna lower my ride, which I really couldn't, bloody driveways:mad: , but I did like some deep dish steelies:D
brackie
17-10-2006, 02:29 PM
As for the "try before you buy", can you really do that with wheel shops? Or did you just mean ask for a drive from a friend who has that kind of set up?
Yeah. You might be a bit pushed but perhaps someone on this forum lives close enough for you to take their wheels for a spin :???:
Water Boy
17-10-2006, 07:18 PM
I personally would go 16's because you can get heaps of different rubber for them, they are cheaper and you may not have as many probs as 17's
Just my opinion hope it helps :)
evorobin
17-10-2006, 08:39 PM
Hmmm I've just got some 205/40/16 tyres. Waiting to see what the ride turns out like tbh LOL
Car companies (especially VW/Audi) put millions of $$$s into R&D and then design chassis and suspension to get the model to handle, brake and corner as safely and reliably as possible. It's a great thing to mod your car to make it look good and comply with the latest fashion trends, but you have to be careful not to go to extremes as you may compromise the original design goals of the manufacturer. Wheel diameter and tyre profile are a case in point as the "looks" benefit and sharper handling is somewhat reined in by a harsher ride. It would also be a huge disappointment if you went out and spent 1000s of $$$s and found that you didn't like what you got. Try before you buy if you can ;)
This is right. I've gone back to standard wheels on my Golf 3 after trying lots of so called enhancements. If driving is your thing, changing wheel size is not the way to get a better experience. Spend the money on superior tyres, struts and springs.
As well as the problems described above, fat tyres will give you "tramlining". This is when the car begins to follow the ruts in the road you'd never seen before .. an unpleasant thing especially when braking. Once you go past a certain size - someone here might know what it is - the tyres do not clear the back guards under load and the steering lock is reduced as well. I had these problems at 17x8. (The car looked a joke too)
Finally there's cost. Bigger wheels are just the beginning. Tyre prices go up exponentially as you begin to increase the size. A lot of people running big wheels end up compromising with lousey el-cheapo tyres. That's a mistake.
rayray086
18-10-2006, 11:22 AM
Thanks for your insight moto. I actually experience some "tramlining" on braking on a few roads in Sydney (though rare), but I think it's tyre problems in my case. These are on my standard wheels too.
Actually, I don't even know if my wheels are standard - they're Enkei alloys, but I also see them on other Mk3 Golfs around Sydney. Were they actually factory upgrades, or just a common aftermarket upgrade?
Cheers for the help and opinions guys. I think I'm gonna try and settle my mind for 15's and 16's, just a compromise between ride quality and looks.
Golfer
18-10-2006, 09:31 PM
Hey guys, I'm going for wheels very, very soon. Please let me know what you think of these in 16"?
http://www.bsawheels.com.au/users/ProductDetail.aspx?id=359
I know bsa make cheapies, but i really like the black with machined lip look. This is the closest to perfect i have found...
Golfer
18-10-2006, 09:34 PM
Remembering that i have a white car, so i can't play with light coloured alloys.?.?.?.?.?...
rayray086
18-10-2006, 09:44 PM
Cool, you got almost an identical Golf to me! I was also thinking of black rims too, but I'm scared they'll be too much of a contrast. I've opted for black, gunmetal, or a white finish.
Those look decent, though IMO, I think single spokes look better on the Mk3. Only my opinion!
Also, got any other sites for Aussie vendors doing rims?
Golfer
18-10-2006, 09:53 PM
There are plenty, but over a pretty broad range of prices. How much are you looking at spending?
Performance Wheels Australia have some nice designs in the style you might like with a little bit of dish. They are pricier than BSA, but are made in Oz, not china. Plenty of 4x100 designs avaliable. Speedy have some good 17" designs if you feel like getting your teeth rattled out. Many O/S brands are avaliable in Oz, but at a price.......
evorobin
19-10-2006, 12:16 AM
I disagree with someone's comment 16" tyres are cheaper. 17's are far more common and "should" be cheaper. Mental block though they are just too farking massive for ol skool motors!
golf3
19-10-2006, 09:04 AM
It should look like this when lowered a little...
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/1773/16bsapz6.jpg
Golfer
19-10-2006, 12:03 PM
Cheers Golf3 for the pic of what mine will look like with those wheels. I'm a big fan of that look, and just hope it will look as good on my car. I'll post some pics once i have them on (could be a while yet...)
EvoRobin, you are right, the 205/40 R17 is a very common jap tuner tyre here in oz, and as such tends to get bought in bulk by tyre distributors, so they sell them off cheaper than the 205/45 R16.
Keep in mind though everyone with Gl's that the 17" tyre is 3mm outside of legal maximum rolling diameter (I don't know about VR6's) so if you don't want to give the boys in blue an excuse to defect your ride, probably better to steer toward the (barely) legal 16's... Just a thought really.
Golfer
19-10-2006, 07:10 PM
Went over to the wheel shop today, and we were doing a bit of a ring around to see what styles were about similar to that, and i happened upon this beauty, american made, for considerably !!LESS!! :D than the chineese BSA rims!
http://www.riaxonline.com/styles/details.asp?wheelid=4&name=SECA%20-%20Glossy%20Black&style=RX108&desc=
I really love these rims too, and as usual, all input from you guys is greatly appreciated...
golf3
19-10-2006, 07:29 PM
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1629/riaxyi8.jpg
Golfer
19-10-2006, 07:33 PM
Cheers Golf3, those wheels are even better than the BSA's IMO. Just have to wait 4-6 weeks for them to come in from the US of A... :(
bombsquad21
19-10-2006, 08:19 PM
For reference here are a couple of pics of my white 97 with BSA 17's. My new springs arrive tomorrow so please ignore the horrendous wheel gap. I chose these because they had the deepest lip by far. Casting quality is so-so. I drove into the tyre shop with my 80kph max space saver on so I was keen to get them fitted then and there. Incidently whilst at the wheel shop I spotted a stack of 4 17in Mini Cooper S rims with Pirelli run-flat tyres. They fit the golf with a slight bore modification. I would have loved to pick these up, "Not for Sale" damn!
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2006/10/DSC01411-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2006/10/DSC01409-1.jpg
I like those American rims though, shame about the wait.
Golfer
19-10-2006, 09:30 PM
Ha HA!!!
This is my first ever attempt at photochopping. Pretty ordinary, but at least i can see how the wheels will look on (my) my car...
Behold my amazing artistic talent LOL!!!
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/MightyEFIIXR8/golfchop.jpg
Golfer
19-10-2006, 09:44 PM
While i'm at it, i thought i'd introduce my old car, just because i had found the perfect set of rims for it. The rims are 17" CSA Force I, machined finish. Sorry they're not attached to a VW. CSA's wheels have gone downhill so chronically, same quality but the price has gotten way too high for what they are. Does anyone run CSA's on their ride?
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/MightyEFIIXR8/7.jpg
Again, sorry it's not a VW, but i do kinda miss my old baby XR8 :(
GoLfMan
19-10-2006, 10:17 PM
why did you sell it???
love the look of those yank black rims in the last shot... just lower it and itll be pucker ;)
Golfer
02-11-2006, 09:32 AM
NOOOOOOOO!!! Someone intercepted my rims en route (i assume they made an offer the importer couldn't refuse...) :( I would now have to wait until after christmas for the riaxes if i'm still interested. Guess i'm starting from scratch. So hard to find wheels i like in 16 inch, and i'm resisting the move to 17's, as i already spend too much time at the dentist without my car rattling my teeth out as well ;)
Who's got 16's? Pics guys would be most appreciated, as i'm running on (worn down 185/65 R14) SLICKS at the moment and need wheels post haste. Plus i'm keen as to drop the thing 30 mil, and i can't do it and keep a straight face on stock wheels and tyres :) lol
GoLfMan
02-11-2006, 09:44 AM
intensem1 has some BBS 16's for sale!!! re drill em and drop it, it will look absolutely sweet!
Golfer
02-11-2006, 09:54 AM
Hahaha lol, how about this? (these are actually avaliable in a 4x100 16"!)
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/MightyEFIIXR8/golfchop2.jpg
Golfer
02-11-2006, 10:03 AM
Alternatively i could go a little more conservative...
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/MightyEFIIXR8/golfchop3.jpg
But hey, the more i look at those little mini dubbed out chromies... lol :)
rayray086
02-11-2006, 11:02 AM
:S Those chromes are yuck IMO. Definitely prefer the 10 spokes over the chromes. I'm considering Alex's BBS RS, but still trying to jump over that redrilling hurdle; I don't like the idea of it, but I've heard that many Golfers have done it for theirs, and I just love the BBS RS 3 piece rims... ... ...
Golfer
02-11-2006, 11:20 AM
I had a mate try and redrill a set of 17's for his Saab, and the whole process made me whince... I really would prefer to find a set of rims that are already designed for my car.
Not a fan of "DUB style" rims on the little golf Ray? At least it would be unique! (not sure anyone else is silly enough to put them on lol j: )
Golf Loon
02-11-2006, 06:37 PM
:S Those chromes are yuck IMO. Definitely prefer the 10 spokes over the chromes. I'm considering Alex's BBS RS, but still trying to jump over that redrilling hurdle; I don't like the idea of it, but I've heard that many Golfers have done it for theirs, and I just love the BBS RS 3 piece rims... ... ...
Redrilling is $150 at Tempe Tyres Man. ;)
Golfer
03-11-2006, 09:35 AM
Sorry for the photodump guys but the tyre situation is getting kinda desparate!!! Just trying some ideas on...
What do you think of these ones (I know they're chrome, but the styling is a little more subtle)?
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i268/MightyEFIIXR8/golfchop5.jpg
GoLfMan
03-11-2006, 10:27 AM
love the style of those rims mate, they look awesome :D one of my favourite designs
rayray086
03-11-2006, 10:40 AM
Nah, not a fan of the chrome dub style, but hey, your most recent Photoshop effort looks good! Seen them on a Nissan Silvia S13 that I had considered buying before the Golf, and always had a soft spot for those.
evorobin
03-11-2006, 10:59 AM
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2006/11/bbs_lm_silver-1.jpg
These would be my choice. BBS LM
Oneofthegreats
03-11-2006, 11:11 AM
BBS LM Magnesium's ohhhh yehhhh.
You'd need to remorgage your house for them;)
But yeh, that would be my choice too. I might have some pics of Mk3's with these rims.
golf3
03-11-2006, 11:54 AM
10 spoke for real...
ausgolfer
03-11-2006, 03:00 PM
I've got 16" simmons on my golf, a little similar to BBS in style.
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2006/08/P1011170-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2006/11/000_01082-1.jpg
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2006/04/000_01102-1.jpg
rayray086
03-11-2006, 04:29 PM
That looks awesome... love the mesh type of design. Really suits the Golf.
evorobin
03-11-2006, 11:20 PM
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BBS-Alufelgen-7-5-J-x-17-ET-40-100-4-Opel-Astra-F-RY_W0QQitemZ300044889947QQihZ020QQcategoryZ9888QQr dZ1QQcmdZViewItem
SWEET!
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2006/11/ry031-1.jpg
Golfer
03-11-2006, 11:41 PM
Hmmm.... Very nice robin, just wish they were 16 inch, and wish i could speak german :) ahahahahaha
evorobin
05-11-2006, 07:43 AM
Golden rule is 15's on a mk1, 16's on a mk2, 17's on a mk3 etc etc
205/40/17 would look hot. The car is gonna be/already lowered right?
rayray086
05-11-2006, 11:24 AM
Hey guys, don't know if youse have been to this site before:
http://www.dubmodder.com/
A flash site that lets you mod the appearance all the Golf cars. A great little thing to use if you want to see how some particular rims look, + lowered to the ****s :D It's all rice, but go crazy :) No Golfs will be harmed in the process.
DubSteve
05-11-2006, 03:12 PM
Hey guys, don't know if youse have been to this site before:
http://www.dubmodder.com/
A flash site that lets you mod the appearance all the Golf cars. A great little thing to use if you want to see how some particular rims look, + lowered to the ****s :D It's all rice, but go crazy :) No Golfs will be harmed in the process.
Yeah thats sites really good for inspiration. The things that you can do with that site, Its awesome. Heaps of fun though.
Golfer
07-11-2006, 10:36 PM
Yeah robin, once i get the wheels im gonna drop it 30 mils. I've been to the RTA, and checked, i need an engineer's cert for 17's, but they do look sweet on a mk3...
golf3
08-11-2006, 04:40 PM
engineers certificate?
says who? RTA or insurance??
in victoria you're allowed unlimited increase in diameter, only 2" increase in width...
Golfer
08-11-2006, 09:33 PM
Cops get a bit defect happy up here on rims. OFICIALLY, if in NSW and you fit wheels not specified on the tyre placard, you can be defected for "Fitment of non-standard rim/tyre sizing" which can be avoided with a ($200!!!) engineers cert...
GoLfMan
09-11-2006, 07:21 AM
Cops get a bit defect happy up here on rims. OFICIALLY, if in NSW and you fit wheels not specified on the tyre placard, you can be defected for "Fitment of non-standard rim/tyre sizing" which can be avoided with a ($200!!!) engineers cert...
thats total crap, why dont they chase real criminals :?
bboyskidz
09-11-2006, 07:36 AM
thats total crap, why dont they chase real criminals :?
you are the real criminals; it is an offense and you will be charged for it
lol thats the first thing i thought of...
there is reasons for these laws, if a car says it can only handle a specific size wheel, the manufacturers have obviously done it for a reason, it gets to a point where wheels get too big and performance gets lacking... plus anything bigger than 17" on a golf is just getting rediculous.
GoLfMan
09-11-2006, 08:05 AM
but we arent ricers here ;) and we dont put anything over 17inches on mk's 1-3 :D j:
18's look great on mk4's and 19's look great on mk5's in my opinion :)
Golf Loon
09-11-2006, 08:25 AM
Show me where you can get an engineers cert for $200 bro. Try $600+
syncro
09-11-2006, 08:37 AM
Cops get a bit defect happy up here on rims. OFICIALLY, if in NSW and you fit wheels not specified on the tyre placard, you can be defected for "Fitment of non-standard rim/tyre sizing" which can be avoided with a ($200!!!) engineers cert...
That's not entirely correct. You can go 15mm overall diameter larger.
I have heard of a blue slip mechanic knocking back Golf 1s with 14" wheels but it is just BS! (Get another tyre placard)
bboyskidz
09-11-2006, 08:37 AM
but we arent ricers here ;) and we dont put anything over 17inches on mk's 1-3 :D j:
18's look great on mk4's and 19's look great on mk5's in my opinion :)
lol, i work in flemington and you should see some of the car the guys here have...
ur definately right though... nothing over 17" on mk 1-3. i think i'm going to stick to 16"s though.
GoLfMan
09-11-2006, 08:55 AM
16's are a great happy medium :) they look shmick on mk's 1-3 :)
DubSteve
09-11-2006, 09:54 AM
16's are a great happy medium :) they look shmick on mk's 1-3 :)
They do look shmick and if you don't want to attrack any attention then stick with the 15"s on the vr6 they look hot lol.
But if you have 17"s don't you loose overall performance cause of the tyre size is bigger???
GoLfMan
09-11-2006, 10:04 AM
just initial acceleration because of the gear ratio :)
KI11Z
14-11-2006, 02:06 AM
loon, engineering certs are wateva they wanna charge, I just got one for $325 . . . and 17s on a mk3 with a decent drop look shweet! imo, the first chop looked the best . . .
Golf Loon
14-11-2006, 06:45 AM
But if you have 17"s don't you loose overall performance cause of the tyre size is bigger???
My VR6 Beeza acellerated heaps quicker on 15s, compared to 17s.
WABIT
16-11-2006, 08:08 PM
mk1 on 19's, bagged looks horn :D
wabit
evorobin
19-11-2006, 10:03 AM
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-BBS-LM-STYLE-WHEELS-VW-JETTA-GTI-GOLF-AUDI-TT-RIMS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43958QQihZ006QQite mZ160052433005QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD2V
Cost less than BBS!
http://members.cox.net/snafe2/BBSLMONE.JPG
DubSteve
19-11-2006, 07:01 PM
My VR6 Beeza acellerated heaps quicker on 15s, compared to 17s.
Hmm the smaller wheel the easy it was to accelerate.
peedman
19-11-2006, 08:04 PM
What do you fellas reckon of BBS Bugatti rims.
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4821/bbsbugattivd4.jpg
I found a set inc. tyres for rougly $500 in good nick seeing as my car needs new tyres but wasnt sure. They're 15x6 btw. Thoughts?
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1396/images5cdatabaseimgs5caoe5.jpg
GoLfMan
19-11-2006, 08:06 PM
NOT a fan mate... so plain... they say nothing you may as well have the mk3 steelies on there and slam it and it would look at least 3 times better :)
wagits
07-04-2008, 11:35 PM
4x100 with a centre bore of 67.1
Offset will determine how it sits in the guards... If they are tucked under the guards too much, then get some spacers, they will bring the offset down...
Depending on state regulations, you can't go any wider than 2" from stock, so you'll be limited to 8", or 8.5" if going off the VR6... But diameter isn't limited...
I have 17x7, but people rock 16x9 in the states... And the bigger the rim, the smaller the tyres, and the harder and more annoying the ride...especially with 205/40R17e
I just saw somewhere that the centre bore is 57mm for a 4 by 100 Golf wheel. Can anyone confirm
Dont know if I can quote this link, but it is interesting as it specifes wheel details of various cars
http://www.autosportz.com/article_what_size_rim_fits_car.htm
rayray086
08-04-2008, 12:31 AM
Yep it's 57.1mm - it's just a typo in that post.
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