Monday 23rd January 2012

PH Blog: right wheels, wrong wheels

Cue the blizzards - we've swapped the weedy winter wheels/tyres on the Golf GTI for the proper Edition 35 18s

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OY61 EBM calmly awaits its fate

You could call it a fit of vanity, or maybe more charitably a sensible reaction to the rather mild winter temperatures, but whatever the reason the PH Fleet Golf GTI Edition 35 now wears a set of summer rubber. And the 18-inch alloys that nature (all right, the VW design department) always intended for it.

Rusty-C gets stuck in to winter wheels

Yes, we know that mid-January is a bit of a brave time to be dumping winter rubber in favour of tyres that serve their best in more clement weather, but there is method to our apparent madness.

Firstly, the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D rubber is designed to give its best on at or below the 7C mark, so when temperatures are skittering into double figures these tyres simply aren't the right choice. Secondly, if we played it safe and really waited until genuinely warm weather, we wouldn't be able to assess properly how much difference the winter rubber makes over 'normal' tyres in cold conditions.

Looking better already?

Thirdly, there is the undeniable aspect of vanity. Plenty of PHers - and others - have commented in the two months we've had the car that, to put it bluntly, the wheels look a bit <expletive deleted>. So it's time for the Golf GTI Edition 35 to stop looking like a Polo Bluemotion - or a 1.6 S halfway through a Max Power makeover - and stand up for itself a bit more in visual terms.

It's too early to give you an in-depth assessment of how the new wheels and tyres compare with the old set (expect that in the next PH Fleet report in a few weeks time), other than to say that there is an immediately obvious extra degree of bite on turn-in, in dry conditions, at least.

A fine set of alloys?

What we can say with some confidence, however, is that myself and PH classified admin guru Rusty-C (the chap in the pics) will not be opening a tyre-fitting business any time soon. We were at it 45 minutes and had got through just one and a half wheels before Haymarket facilities man Richard took pity on us and helped out with the rest. We would probably still be struggling with the final locking wheel nut if he hadn't been there...

We've managed it now, however, and have but one question for you: whaddaya think?

[RedWater]

Thank fk for that - much better!

[Beefmeister]

Looks infinitely better. Though IMO the 5dr Golf looks nicer than the 3dr...

Edited by Beefmeister on Monday 23 January 11:57

[Richard-G]

looks like a golf...........................

• runs away*

[JamesHayward]

Looks much better. Also explains what you two were doing hiding round the corner the other day... you did look a wee bit shifty...

[kambites]

I preferred it on the old ones. I don't like big wheels, either for the way they generally drive or the way they look.

[Dave Hedgehog]

need to be black imo on a white car

[Zircon]

Should have put some 22" chrome spinners on it.......

[Stew2000]

Richard-G said:

looks like a golf...........................

• runs away*

Sounds like a Golf too

[Devil2575]

kambites said:

I preferred it on the old ones. I don't like big wheels, either for the way they generally drive or the way they look.

I agree.

[The Danimal]

I think I prefer the old ones. I like to see a good thickness of rubber round my rim.

Interesting to see if the ride qualities change significantly too.

[Krikkit]

I think it's time for PH towers to invest in a breaker bar and 19mm socket!

Looks much better for it than the winter wheels, although they didn't look that shoddy, they just aren't up to the task!

[12gauge]

Beefmeister said:

Looks infinitely better. Though IMO the 5dr Golf looks nicer than the 3dr...

Edited by Beefmeister on Monday 23 January 11:57

I see what you mean, the rear window corner just looks a little 'sharper'

[LuS1fer]

The Danimal said:

I like to see a good thickness of rubber round my rim.

Quoted just for the comedy element.

Has anyone mentioned it cost 31k yet?

[vidfletch]

The Danimal said:

I like to see a good thickness of rubber round my rim.

Fnaar! Fnaar!!!

[Johnboy Mac]

LuS1fer said:

Has anyone mentioned it cost 31k yet?

Ha,ha! Just thinking the exact same while reading the artical. Was it not 34k................

[Ross_T_Boss]

On the wheel front... I prefer the 'summer' look.

On the function front (after all, that's what winters are for)... perhaps a bit premature, seeing as the coldest months in the UK are Jan/Feb.

The MET office website says possible snow and frost in the next week UK wide, with a 50/50 chance of a prolonged cold snap and possible snow in Feb. You might be getting that breaker bar back out again, winter isn't over yet!

[5439cc]

The Danimal said:

I like to see a good thickness of rubber round my rim.

Damn you! I just laughed out loud in a busy yet silent office - now everyone is looking at me weird...

[lionrampant]

Cue the snow in 5... 4... 3...

Does look a lot better though chaps.

[mybrainhurts]

Glad you made it, lads.

Now, wrap up and sit down for a week for a well earned rest...





PS...snow due next week..

[George H]

The wheels look much nicer, but still not as nice as the BBS Monzas from the standard Golf GTI imo.