Aftermarket Alloy Wheels

[Dutch77]

Yep, agreed on Enkei and well priced in Australia unlike some others.

BBS has filed for bankruptcy protection in Germany but this won't impact production fortunately.

If OP can find a set of good condition second hand OEM wheels though that suits needs, no problems there either.

[bgroper]

Please forgive my display of totally subjective personal prejudice.
I do happen to rather like the Audi S3 wheels on my Mk7 R.
Sorry 'bout that.
YMMV

[Golf R 2020]

... DO NOT buy any OEM wheels…

Why not OEM?

[Dutch77]

Why not OEM?

OEM is fine unless you're looking to drop some weight for a performance application (although very few look any good these days.. but I appreciate that is subjective). With the exception of the 19" Pretoria OEMs are generally quite heavy but the flipside is they're strong (again, minus the 19" Pretoria) and make good second hand value (definitely excluding the 19" Pretoria).

[tigger73]

... DO NOT buy any OEM wheels…

Why not OEM?

I think Fasty's referring to the cheap OEM copies. There was a big expose of this done a while back by Mercedes/Holden and tested the OEM wheels vs. the cheap knock-offs. The cheap copies basically shattered when they hit a pothole.

There's several articles written around the same tests but do your research and only buy genuine (second-hand genuine) rather than cheap knock-offs which often use inferior casting processes and don't have the same strength.

Link to one article here: Why you shouldn’t buy knock-off wheels

[Lucas_R]

Anyone heard of or used Inforged wheels? I really like the design of their IFG39 wheel in silver IFG39 | alloy wheels,car wheels,rims,car rims,mag wheels,custom wheels .

The Mk7 GTI PP I recently purchased has 3x badly rashed wheels (which formed part of the negotiation process), and I was going to get them refurbished - but the price I got for the refurb range between $300-350 per rim. At that price, I may as well buy new rims which have a better offset and are a design I actually like.

So with a price of around $400-500 per rim, in a 19x8.5 size and a clean and simple spoke design - what can be recommended? I do not like black wheels, and want to stay away from machined wheels - so painted silver or grey wheels please.

Other styles I like:
Rotiform KPS ROTIFORM KPS 19X8.5 5X112 SILVER - WHEEL - East Coast Tyre & Auto
Koya SF11 SF11 19″ 20″ Semi Forged (Custom-Fit) - Koya Wheels
Niche Targa NICHE TARGA 19X8.5 5X112 MATTE GUN METAL - WHEEL - East Coast Tyre & Auto

[Trentm]

I went Rotiform SPF, 1lb lighter than KPS.

[Golf R 2020]

OEM is fine unless you're looking to drop some weight for a performance application (although very few look any good these days.. but I appreciate that is subjective)...

I totally agree that most of the VW OEM wheels are not the best looking. The only ones I like at all are maybe the Pretorias, so I'm thinking of changing to those. (Currently have the Spielbergs which look a bit silly to me. I'm hoping they'll grow on me, but so far they haven't)

I contacted VW a while ago and was quoted about $400 a wheel for the 18" Pretorias, and $2000+ per wheel for the 19".

Has anyone switched to the 18" Pretorias? How do they look? I can't find any photos anywhere. Only 19".

I'd like to stick to OEM wheels.

I dislike the Spielbergs so much, I might be crazy enough to fork out for the 19", but only as a last resort at that price. Anyone know if I could get these locally, or the best way to get them?

[Dutch77]

Anyone heard of or used Inforged wheels? I really like the design of their IFG39 wheel in silver IFG39 | alloy wheels,car wheels,rims,car rims,mag wheels,custom wheels .

The Mk7 GTI PP I recently purchased has 3x badly rashed wheels (which formed part of the negotiation process), and I was going to get them refurbished - but the price I got for the refurb range between $300-350 per rim. At that price, I may as well buy new rims which have a better offset and are a design I actually like.

So with a price of around $400-500 per rim, in a 19x8.5 size and a clean and simple spoke design - what can be recommended? I do not like black wheels, and want to stay away from machined wheels - so painted silver or grey wheels please.

Other styles I like:
Rotiform KPS ROTIFORM KPS 19X8.5 5X112 SILVER - WHEEL - East Coast Tyre & Auto
Koya SF11 SF11 19″ 20″ Semi Forged (Custom-Fit) - Koya Wheels
Niche Targa NICHE TARGA 19X8.5 5X112 MATTE GUN METAL - WHEEL - East Coast Tyre & Auto

Haven't seen the InForged - but they're sitting on the oxwheels site which I always saw as trying to make a weak attempt at playing on the OZ logo.

I know the Rotiforms aren't light but definitely have got a good rep for strength and finish, Koya seems to pop up a bit more these days. I always thought Enkei were a great price/quality point, but not sure what they do in 19 and whether it still comes in on budget.

I'd say Neuspeed but unfortunately between freight, the exchange rate and local distribution they've ended up being quite an overpriced wheel locally.

[Dutch77]

I totally agree that most of the VW OEM wheels are not the best looking. The only ones I like at all are maybe the Pretorias, so I'm thinking of changing to those. (Currently have the Spielbergs which look a bit silly to me. I'm hoping they'll grow on me, but so far they haven't)

I contacted VW a while ago and was quoted about $400 a wheel for the 18" Pretorias, and $2000+ per wheel for the 19".

Has anyone switched to the 18" Pretorias? How do they look? I can't find any photos anywhere. Only 19".

I'd like to stick to OEM wheels.

I dislike the Spielbergs so much, I might be crazy enough to fork out for the 19", but only as a last resort at that price. Anyone know if I could get these locally, or the best way to get them?

You're only partly crazy.

The 18" are only cast, but if you want the design/keep OEM/happy to drop to 18" which itself is not a bad thing then it might still be an option. They're a common option (and dodgy non-OEM copy for winter wheels) overseas so there will be examples in the Mk7 wheel thread or overseas forums/google.

The 19" are forged but stupidly priced whether from the dealer or the second hand market (do not pay $3k for a second hand set). ECS Tuning does a set for probably $5-5.5k new (AUD) - that's some serious coin that is better spent on a much better set of high end wheels whatever takes your fancy.