GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk6 => Topic started by: Steve309 on 15 January 2021, 14:55
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Hi all
My wife keeps damaging the once pristine and beautiful monza alloys on my mark VI GTi. I cant afford £360 every year to repair them and guess you can only re-cut a certain number of times. I'm now thinking I get them off permanently (get them refurbed again and leave them in the shed for a few years) and put any old things on there so I dont have to dread what the car will look like when she comes home after each journey. The thought of buying some old wheels from ebay worries me - any advice or ideas on who I might go to please to get reliable (most of all safe and genuine) set of 18" wheels from please? Not even that bothered what they are or what they look like anymore..sigh.
Thank you folks.
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get a mrs that can drive or buy her a banger to drive until she learns to have nice things :tongue:
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You can get those alloy plastic protectors that edge around. But if you really drive into a high curb, won’t help to much. I’d say get her a Budget banger, that way you won’t have to worry regardless
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IMO diamond cut alloys are more trouble than they’re worth;
- the diamond cut lacquered finish suffers from poor durability, specially during the winter months when the roads are salted.
- diamond cut alloys almost always succumb to white worm corrosion - usually when they’re between 2 and 3 years old.
- they’re more expensive to refurbish than painted / powder coated alloys, and can usually only be refurbished a maximum of twice.
- they’re easily damaged by inexperienced tyre fitters or poorly maintained tyre changing equipment.
Those alloy wheel protectors such as Alloygators aren’t usually recommended for use on diamond cut alloys; if dirt and grit gets between the wheel protector and the lacquered face of the wheel, the lacquer can get damaged, water then gets under the lacquer and you get the onset of white worm corrosion.
With any car I’ve had with diamond cut wheels, I’ve swapped them for a more durable set of painted / powder coated alloys.
@Steve309; if your car’s in good condition, I’d avoid putting ‘any old thing’ on it - I’d want a set of wheels that suit the car, look good and (if buying a used set) are in good condition. There’s always a risk attached to buying used alloys as you don’t know the history of them. They may have suffered from cracks or buckling and been badly repaired. If your budget doesn’t stretch to buying a set of new wheels, always make sure you ask the seller if they’ve ever suffered any structural damage, what the damage was and who repaired them (you can then check out the repairer’s website to see if they actually do structural repairs - some reputable alloy wheel refurb companies won’t, on the grounds of safety).
With used alloys - or new for that matter - I’d avoid cheap Chinese replica alloys as they may have structural quality issues and the finish may be poor. Also, they may not have been subjected to the same degree of safety testing as alloys made by well known reputable wheel manufacturers. I’d always try to stick to OEM alloys as they’ll bolt straight on and you can use existing bolts - assuming they’re the correct size and offset. Alternatively, if considering aftermarket wheels, I’d stick to a well known reputable brand; e.g. Borbet, BBS, Ronal, Oz etc. Always ask the seller to let you see the reverse side of the wheels to check out the details that are stamped into the spokes - e.g. manufacturers details, size / offset details, safety testing mark (TUV, JWL, ABE or equivalent) etc.
Almost everyone is likely to experience the misfortune of damaging a wheel at sometime during their driving life. Would some refresher training on parking / judging the car’s size and distance from the kerb be useful for your wife? It would help to keep your wheel refurb / replacement costs under control. :smiley:
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After fixing the original (Lady ahem) owners Seattle ‘adjustments’ (all four :rolleyes: ) I bought and fitted
a set of Alloygator’s. They often have offers on their site (set for 60 quid or so) and it really is a cracking product which really will save your wheels even from a REALLY determined idiot/yes yes this idiot did hit a curb swerving to avoid another oncoming idiot and all that was required was a new single Alloygator, which they sell as singles (£25), when the wheel would have been ruined otherwise.
😍