Alloy wheel help!!!

[Booth11]

Thanks Exonian.  The reason I asked was due to someone at work stating you could not use an 18" wheel as a spare if the car was AWD and had 19" wheels standard?  I thought I would just ask on here incase it was BS, as the guy is known for it.   

Sorry Ben, going on Exonians answer I will probably keep the wheel and not sell it after all. However if you do want a good wheel refurbishment place, the one in Wadebridge Cornwall is very good.  heres a link

http://www.thepolishedwheelcompany.com/

The spacesaver wheel in an R with 19" Prets, is an 18" spacesaver.

[JoeGTI]

A 17" wheel is the smallest that will fit over the brakes afaik. As long as the rolling circumference is approx the same a 17 would be fine. Better than the spacesaver anyway as Exonian said.

[Brenbo]

I said to the guy who said it wouldnt be OK that the space saver was an 18" wheel, he said it shouldn't be. So i left it there, still think i could remember the space saver being 18" last time i checked.  Thanks for confirming.   

[Exonian]

It's not so much the space saver being an 18" wheel, that's just to clear the brake callipers and allow for a small skinny tyre to be fitted to it and the same size spare will be fitted to most of the range I'd guess for simplicity of manufacture.
The rolling circumference is the most critical factor Brendan and as Joe says, even a 17" wheel will clear the calliper and is a popular winter wheel size.
It's the tyre dimensions that will upset the 4-motion if they're not similar to the ones fitted to the other corners it'll constantly think you've got a flat tyre plus the vehicle will be listing to one side!
225/45/17, 225/40/18 and 235/35/19 all have a reasonably similar rolling circumference so won't upset the electronics too much, plus the tyre fitted will be of a suitable speed rating unlike the skinny space saver.

[I wanted a GTi]

The problem is is that in the Mk7 the space saver wheel fits under a part of the rear boot plastic and the wider tyre won't fit unless you cut that bit of plastic away.

[Brenbo]

The problem is is that in the Mk7 the space saver wheel fits under a part of the rear boot plastic and the wider tyre won't fit unless you cut that bit of plastic away.

This is what I told the guy.  You would not fit a 19" wheel with correct size tyre in the area allocated for the space saver.

[I wanted a GTi]

The problem is is that in the Mk7 the space saver wheel fits under a part of the rear boot plastic and the wider tyre won't fit unless you cut that bit of plastic away.

This is what I told the guy.  You would not fit a 19" wheel with correct size tyre in the area allocated for the space saver.

You wouldn't even be able to fit a 17" wheel in there. It's the wight of the tyre that is the problem. I don't mind having a space saver at all, how often do we get punctures?

[Brenbo]

Very rare to be honest.  It's just good having a space saver as a back up to limp home and then change for a full size wheel until the tyre gets fixed.  It was just this guy was of the opinion he was right and everyone else is wrong.  As I say he has a rep for being a bit of a BS'er at work.

[I wanted a GTi]

Very rare to be honest.  It's just good having a space saver as a back up to limp home and then change for a full size wheel until the tyre gets fixed.  It was just this guy was of the opinion he was right and everyone else is wrong.  As I say he has a rep for being a bit of a BS'er at work.

Can you imagine not even having a space saver, a can of tyre foam and a blow out in the middle of nowhere and no phone signal. Time for a long walk.

[benmartingolf]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies.

Yes I should have definitely asked the question on here before getting it done but you live and learn hey!!

So I called VW yesterday and took it down for one of the managers (who is a friend of mine) to have a look. He agreed it looked naff and has told me that they only use Smart World for body work repairs and not alloys. So I'm going to have a moan tomorrow to the service department who shouldn't have recommended them apparently.

I've sent an email to smart world so hopefully will hear back tomorrow but my friend from VW suggested if I get my money back to use pristine wheels who do a alloy exchange programme. Has anyone used them before?

What a balls up.

Ben