Blue Graphite?

[Rolfe]

No way!  £415 for marginally cooler wheels?  I didn't come up the Clyde in a banana boat.

No criticism of people who like that sort of thing, but it's just not something I'm at all concerned about.  And once there's some mud on them, well, how much different will they look?

Actually, there's a more practical reason.  I'm told that the bigger wheels give a slightly less smooth ride, and I'm very keen on smooth ride.  I'm even paying for the ACC to get as smooth a ride as possible.  And so would you if you had to put up with my Mum wincing audibly (one might almsot say theatrically) at every bump, and comparing your car adversely to your cousin's Astra, based entirely on ride comfort.

Not having the Xenon headlights either.  They give me the creeps when I see them coming towards me on the road at night!

Rolfe.

[R32UK]

No way!  £415 for marginally cooler wheels?  I didn't come up the Clyde in a banana boat.

No criticism of people who like that sort of thing, but it's just not something I'm at all concerned about.  And once there's some mud on them, well, how much different will they look?

Actually, there's a more practical reason.  I'm told that the bigger wheels give a slightly less smooth ride, and I'm very keen on smooth ride.  I'm even paying for the ACC to get as smooth a ride as possible.  And so would you if you had to put up with my Mum wincing audibly (one might almsot say theatrically) at every bump, and comparing your car adversely to your cousin's Astra, based entirely on ride comfort.

Not having the Xenon headlights either.  They give me the creeps when I see them coming towards me on the road at night!

Rolfe.

How about you get the 18" wheels and I swap you them for my lovelly 17"??  + some cash of course

[gossa]

Gizzy, don't think the 17's will not fill the arches as much as the 18's? They overall diameter will be the same as the 17's will have a deeper profile sidewall.

They'll probably LOOK they'll fill the arches better though.  I wouldn't have a GTI without the 18's, especially seeing how cool they looked on the tele the other night! Not for everyone though, especially those with elderly passengers!

[Rolfe]

No deal I'm afraid.   

To be fair, the demo car had the 18s, and no ACC, and my mother was perfectly happy.  But the test-drive route wasn't rough.  I want her to shut up about the bumps even when we go through Carnwath on the A721.  That is simply shocking.

The 18s are pretty, I agree.  Just not £415 pretty.

Rolfe.

[Egbutt Wash]

Thin rubber on big wheels is so 90s.
Evo tested the Mk5 GTI with 17" and 18" wheels.
The 17" were two seconds faster around their track.
I'd pay extra for the 17's.

[keelaw]

Thin rubber on big wheels is so 90s.
Evo tested the Mk5 GTI with 17" and 18" wheels.
The 17" were two seconds faster around their track.
I'd pay extra for the 17's.

Some truth there. Look at the mclaren f1, pretty unsexy wheels by today's standards as very larg sidewalls. But, if its good enough for gordon murray...


(Personally I grew up in the 90s so 18s for me pls!)

[Rhyso]

17's look gay - saw a demo GTI the other day at my local dealer

 

[keelaw]

Saw a blue graphite mk6 golf (non gti) this morning and it did look pretty good.

Very subtle but classy. Dark, shiny but not as obvious as black. Would look great as a contrast against the red detailling and callipers.

There are pics of a show car online of a very shiny blue graphite one.


Test driving a black one this weekend so will commpare.

[Rolfe]

The salesman I first spoke to said he didn't think that colour was right for the GTi, but I beg to differ.  (I think, not having actually seen it in the flesh!)  The pics I have seen do look subtle and classy, and the red detailing looks good.  In fact, the red detailing on the cloth seats toning in with this is one of the reasons I went for cloth in the end.

The Tornado red is certainly an eyeful, but then you lose the effect of the red detailing.

Rolfe.

[ifti]

But then I drove the 306 away, and started to critique my own driving.  I run in too high a gear quite a lot of the time.  I'm bad about changing down to overtake - I just assume the car will pull away in 6th (which it more or less does).  I reviewed what the salesman said about city driving, and recalled evenings of aching shins after inching through London traffic.  I never really thought about it.

I don't do much city driving now.  But I'm seriously reconsidering my commitment to manual gear-shifts.  I suspect I could so get used to the DSG.

Opinions, anyone?

Rolfe.

I used to do exactly the same with my old car - just assume you would be able to pull away without shifting down - which is silly when you sit and think about it! lol

Im glad I went for DSG. I sometimes use the paddles to have a little fun, but when in D or S, you can keep both hands on the steering wheel etc, which I much prefer in a spirited drive. Also the kickdown feature is brilliant!