Storing old alloys

[Rudedog]

Probably a silly question but this is the first time I've ever swapped a set of alloys.

I have my new alloys ready to go and I was initially thinking I would drive to my trusted tyre shop and have them fit new tyres and then drive away with my old bare alloys to store.

Now I'm thinking is there any advantage to just getting new tyres on my new alloys then swapping them at home and storing my old alloys with the old but legal tyres on them?

I'm sure many on here are far more experience at this than me.

[SRGTD]

Not a silly question at all.

When I’ve bought new alloys I’ve always had new tyres put on them. The big advantage for me of new tyres is that I can get tyres of my choice - I’ve always swapped alloys early on in the car’s life and the original tyres have always been (unpopular) Bridgestones. Getting new tyres also eliminates the risk of the original alloys being damaged by an over zealous or inexperienced tyre fitted removing the original tyres to fit on the new alloys.

I put the original wheels+tyres (after cleaning them up) in wheel storage bags that are then stored horizontally on a wheel storage tree in the corner of my garage with a cover over the lot to keep them free of dust and dirt. The original wheels+tyres go back on the car when the time comes to sell it, and if the new wheels don’t fit my next car I sell them on (I’ve never had an issue selling on good quality, well cared for VW or good aftermarket branded alloys).

@Exonian has lots of experience of swapping alloys on the cars he’s owned, so I dare say he’ll add to this discussion topic.

[Exonian]

@Exonian checking in!

I think you’ve covered everything there SR.

Definitely go for new tyres on the new wheels if you can afford it. Probably cheaper in the long run and more importantly it’ll vastly reduce the chances of a tyre fitter marring any of the wheels.

As for storage I never bothered with bags or trees.
I generally inflate the tyres a little above the running pressures so that the wheel faces don’t make contact with anything when stacked, then I use bubble wrap and cardboard squares to put between the wheels and just leave them stacked in a safe corner.
Not just me being tight, it also saves my back from heaving all four wheels and tyres a metre into the air to clear the post!

[Rudedog]

Thanks to you both.

My current alloys have a set of PS5's on and I will go for the same on my new alloys.

I do have a set of VW alloy bags that I picked up when on special ages ago so I'll use those plus layers of cardboard.

[P6GTD]

I’m a recent first time alloy swapper as well.

I pondered long and hard on question of new tyres vs existing and also retaining existing tyres on original alloys.

In the end I decided to get new tyres in the new alloys and bin the old tyres (3mm left and 2yrs old).

The clincher was my bright idea to store the old alloys in the boxes the new ones arrived in then stack in the corner of the garage.

My otherwise sceptical wife was most impressed. It’s the small things that get you forgiveness…..

[Rudedog]

Actually that was my other option - in reality I can't see me ever selling my current GTI so my original Milton Keynes would just stay in garage plus I could have the headache of disposing of the old tyres in the future.

Choices... choices.

[Beebopper]

I swapped alloys earlier this year, the new ones came in boxes which came in very handy for storing the old alloys. When the new wheels were fitted, I also swapped two tyres over that had around 6mm on them, and got a new pair also for good tyres all round. (Size remained the same).

The tyre place disposed of the unwanted tyres, and even packed the old wheels up in the boxes the new ones came in.

The thinking of not keeping tyres, depends how long you intend to keep the new wheels and the car. Because eventually they will age and start to perish, even if stored. You may end up having to change them regardless, and they are much bigger to store with tyres.

[Adam T7]

Going to swap my 18” Parker’s for 19” CM Pretoria copies soon, so will definitely have to get new tyres (PS5’s). Was planning on selling the Parker’s but looking at folk struggling to sell decent wheels, my refurbed once, slightly scuffed with worn (but legal) tyres I might struggle?

[SRGTD]

Going to swap my 18” Parker’s for 19” CM Pretoria copies soon, so will definitely have to get new tyres (PS5’s). Was planning on selling the Parker’s but looking at folk struggling to sell decent wheels, my refurbed once, slightly scuffed with worn (but legal) tyres I might struggle?

I’d recommend you keep your Parker’s if you’ve got space to store them and put them back on the car if you ever decide to sell it. IMHO a car with OEM alloys is much easier to sell; some potential buyers will expect to see the original factory alloys on the car and may be put off if the alloys aren’t the originals or weren’t ever offered as a factory option.

When I had my mk6 Golf GTD some years ago I fitted a set of VW anthracite coloured Rotary alloys on it and when the time came to sell the car, the VW dealer I bought my new replacement car from would only accept the GTD in part exchange if I put the original factory alloys back on, even though the Rotary alloys were very popular and much sought after.

I’ve never had an issue selling on aftermarket or non-factory VW alloys (the Rotary’s were from VW’s accessories range), although IMHO as with most things, condition, a realistic price and an accurate description / lots of pictures are key to a timely sale. With one of the sets of alloys I sold, the buyer offered me more than the advertised price! I did have 2-3 potential buyers wanting that set though.