Wheels choice denver vs detroit [Archive]

Lima

02-01-2010, 09:30 PM

I'm only going to say this once...
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Nath

02-01-2010, 09:40 PM

With that setup mate go the 18s.

Really good write up about it on the Mk6 site (http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15877#post15877) by WhiteJames, have a look.

Congrats of the purchase.

brodzta_GTI

02-01-2010, 09:52 PM

detroit ftw!!!!!!

MurphyTheElf

02-01-2010, 10:21 PM

The black accent on the Detroits really make the candy white GTI pop. Well worth the extra coin.

niulf

02-01-2010, 11:14 PM

Definitely the detroit.

Spook

02-01-2010, 11:17 PM

Go Detroit. One of the better value for money options at $1,200.

Tim

02-01-2010, 11:41 PM

thats a no brainer! the 18s look fantastic!

GTI2708

02-01-2010, 11:58 PM

Or If you want to you could go the Denver and fit some aftermarket rims.

Maverick

03-01-2010, 12:20 AM

Or If you want to you could go the Denver and fit some aftermarket rims.

Why would he want to do that when for under $1200 he can upgrade to top quality rims and tyres that look great on the car? There's a limited range of quality rims available for the Golf in Australia and importing is expensive.

maca

03-01-2010, 03:09 AM

Why would he want to do that when for under $1200 he can upgrade to top quality rims and tyres that look great on the car? There's a limited range of quality rims available for the Golf in Australia and importing is expensive.
And it's hard to find a set that look good, let alone fit. (I prefer the OEM look)

I know there's the Detroit & Motosport, but are the Charlestons or any other types available?

mfl

03-01-2010, 06:36 AM

I got the Denvers, - go for the Detroits, agree it would be $1200 well spent.

The Denvers are a little too small in diameter, especially from the rear view.

cheers

trueman

03-01-2010, 07:07 AM

Hmmmm guess I'll go the ....... Detroits.
Thanks for all the great advice.

GTI2708

03-01-2010, 08:44 AM

Why would he want to do that when for under $1200 he can upgrade to top quality rims and tyres that look great on the car? There's a limited range of quality rims available for the Golf in Australia and importing is expensive.

1200????? My dealer said the option was 4000. !!!!!!
He must've just wanted to get rid of the car without having to do anything more. That's really annoying cos I love the detroits and would have definatley got them. Damn dealers

Maverick

03-01-2010, 09:04 AM

1200????? My dealer said the option was 4000. !!!!!!
He must've just wanted to get rid of the car without having to do anything more. That's really annoying cos I love the detroits and would have definatley got them. Damn dealers

The factory upgrade option is $1200, if you do it later the dealer will sell you a new set of rims and tyres and you can sell your own or trade them in ($1000-$1500) so the cost later is around $2500. Some dealers if they have a car with 18's that hasn't been sold will swap the wheels between the cars and still charge the $1200 (plus maybe something for the work).

GTI2708

03-01-2010, 10:43 AM

Oh that's low. I reallly liked the detroits. now I'm going to go custom ones in a little while, so I don't get them from the dealer. Haha

Tux

09-02-2010, 09:10 PM

I wouldn't have ordered the Detroit alloys had I have not seen them in the flesh. Pictures don't do them justice but they really 'finish' off a beautiful car!

$1200 is a cheap option IMO..

Tux

flappa

09-02-2010, 09:21 PM

saw the 18's for the first time last weekend.

So glad I ordered them.

Lima

09-02-2010, 09:30 PM

iBoost

09-02-2010, 09:33 PM

Yeah there's a red demo GTI I see near my place all the time and it has the 18 inch Detroits. They look great in the flesh, very happy I ordered them.

noowve

09-02-2010, 10:11 PM

Ordered new GTI
CW
GTI 5dr dsg
xenon
ACC
Blue tooth (the basic)
MDI

Not sure whether to get 17 or 18s?
Actually like denvers almost retro and more subtle. Any opinions

Hi Trueman, may i know how much you paid for your car drive away.. i've got an identical spec to yours.. here are my speces

5 door DSG
Xenon
ACC
18" Detroit Wheels
Leather seats

that will be good if you could let me know..

Corey_R

09-02-2010, 10:25 PM

I wouldn't have ordered the Detroit alloys had I have not seen them in the flesh. Pictures don't do them justice but they really 'finish' off a beautiful car!

$1200 is a cheap option IMO..

Tux
Wow - I must've missed this thread the first time around, but I must say, unlike all the other threads of this type, since you'd already put in the ACC, there was only 1 correct answer to this, and you've made it! Congrats on your purchase - and yeah, the upgrade to the $1200 Detroits really is a great value option. :D

dave_r

09-02-2010, 11:27 PM

G-rig

10-02-2010, 07:08 AM

Definitely order Detroits (18"). Even if you change your mind later they are very sought after and most of the mk5 and mk6 guys would be willing to buy them.

AdamD

10-02-2010, 12:08 PM

I must be the only person that doesn't like either the Denver or Detroits? I'd probably do the $1200 option and then sell them for aftermarkets as I'd say they'd fetch a good price compared to the 17's?

I'm with you on this; I'm not a huge fan of the Denvers, but I really don't like the Detroits at all. But in the end I ordered with the Denvers, and will likely go to a set of Omanyts or else spend the extra coin on an aftermarket option like BBS CH or VMR 710.

My 2c. Everyone's different. ;)

Escell

10-02-2010, 02:04 PM

This is an interesting thread. I agree that the Detroits look far better, but after researching through a few other forums the general consensus was that ride quality suffers. I tested 18s with ACC and although the ride quality wasn't bad it definitely wasn't amazing (in comfort mode).

I'm coming off 17s on a Jetta Turbo FSI and that suspension is like rock. Great when you're going fast but over the bumps on the way to work it gets annoying.

In the end I went with Denvers because of this but this thread is swaying me to 18s.

Anyone have an opinion on ride quality, not just the look?

windmagnet

10-02-2010, 04:50 PM

Anyone have an opinion on ride quality

I have the 18s.

Was worried about the ride quality and wanted ACC so I could soften the ride but could not get both at the time.

No regrets.

I have a bad back and drove Adelaide-Melbourne and back on freeways and more minor roads with no issues.

Car does get a bit rough accelerating really hard over broken road surfaces so if your roads are like this and you drive like a lunatic it might be an issue.

GTI2708

10-02-2010, 04:57 PM

If anyone does want to sell their 18" detroits PM me anytime.
I'm thinking about getting a set if the price is right. ;-)

Nath

10-02-2010, 06:48 PM

If anyone does want to sell their 18" detroits PM me anytime.
I'm thinking about getting a set if the price is right. ;-)

Back of the line..... :P

MurphyTheElf

10-02-2010, 06:58 PM

Haha. Not a chance - either of you.

mfl

10-02-2010, 07:09 PM

Back of the line..... :P

yep add me to the queue ..............

Beaker

11-02-2010, 08:12 AM

Hey guys, rather then start a new thread on basicaly the same subject I thought I'd add to this one.

I'm new here, about to order a new GTI and I'm also undecided on the wheels.

Firstly I don't like the look of either the 17s or 18s (with the Detroits marginaly better), but an aftermarket wheel isn't an option (lease). Also the cost of rubber puts me off the 18s slightly. I go through a set of rubber every year and the 18s will easily add $500 to that bill every year.

But more importantly - handling and ride is far more important to me then 'look'.

I assume most here would have seen this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pouc2DczPI&feature=related

I notice, that even though I understand that in Europe the 18' Detroits are standard, the vehicle doing all the real work is fitted with the 17' Denver.

Why? Anyone know?

If the GTI is a better performance car with the 17's on it - my descision is made!

Nath

11-02-2010, 08:23 AM

From memory Maverick has discussed this somewhere in here that the 17s are better for performance on the track etc and I think the concensus around is that even with ACC the 17s give a marginally better ride comfort.

How about you get the 18s, and I'll trade you my 17s..... lol

Seriously though if you arent after the look then stick with the 17s and save the $1200 or put it towards something else.

Corey_R

11-02-2010, 08:27 AM

I notice, that even though I understand that in Europe the 18' Detroits are standard, the vehicle doing all the real work is fitted with the 17' Denver.
That's not correct, 17" wheels are standard on the GTI in Europe too. In Germany the 18" Detroit's are a 600 Euro option, and in the UK they're a 450 pound option.

iBoost

11-02-2010, 08:34 AM

If ride quality is your main priority, then the 17 inch wheel is always going to ride better, regardless of whether you option ACC or not. Might as well save the $1200 if you don't really like the Detroits. That being said, I've had 18s on my last two cars and never found the ride particularly hard or jarring. This is a personal preference though, and one person's opinion on ride quality might be very different from another.

Even if the car is leased, couldn't you buy some after market wheels that you like, then sell them when the lease is up and put on the brand new Denvers again?

Corey_R

11-02-2010, 08:42 AM

Even if the car is leased, couldn't you buy some after market wheels that you like, then sell them when the lease is up and put on the brand new Denvers again?

Yeah - I've known people to do this on their leases. I'd still check your lease clauses etc, but I'd be surprised if they prohibited it as long as the wheels complied with any laws/regulations etc.

Beaker

11-02-2010, 10:31 AM

There is no reason I couldn't buy a set of wheels and fit them afterward but they can't be claimed in the lease (shoot me I'm tight when it comes to my lease cars).

I do really like this type of wheel tho

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2010/02/RS42006Replica-2.jpg

Its a shame that VW won't offer a range of wheels from their entire family like the likes of Volvo and Saab do :frown:

It makes the descision hard I have to say when there is no clear 'better' option.

iBoost

11-02-2010, 10:36 AM

You could always try and option on the VW Motorsport wheels, I hear they are big $$$ though.

Beaker

11-02-2010, 11:37 AM

You could always try and option on the VW Motorsport wheels, I hear they are big $$$ though.

Yeah $1K a corner apparently - and I don't like them either - if I was going to spend that sort of cash I'd get some nice Compomotive or OZracing rims.

Something like this

http://www.comp.co.uk/productpics/wheels/CXR1780-5_l.jpg

Would be sweet, not to mention it'd cut the unsprung weight in half so it wouldn't exactly hurt the handling either. :aag:

but now I'm dreaming - I'd never get it past my wife :argue:

Escell

11-02-2010, 10:13 PM

I agree VW should offer the full range of wheels for each model.

I contacted my dealer about 17 inch options as I find the denvers moderately ugly and he said there was only one - onyx. It's reasonable but there are so many other choices by VW out there that I'm disappointed at the lack of choice.

I went with 17s based on feedback from a pro car racing mate of mine who really advised I get them if ride quality was a priority.