17"s better in the winter then??
The machined lacquered alloys don't seem to like the winter elements, they can take a lot of looking after in winter months. It could be a few reasons, sudden change in temp of the wheels were the metal expands at different rates to the lacquer. Road salt, damp conditions, sitting covered in the snow etc. Summer tyres compond are not designed to work below around 7 degrees and the tread pattern is not ideal for winter conditions.
Thats why in winter months i myself have two options. I fit winter tyres to a second set of alloys and use them on the golf.
I also have a second car which is much lighter and lower powered with narrower tyres (145x13). The second car is mostly used in the snow this meens i don't have to worry about other people on the road whos standard of winter driving does seem to be very poor nowadays. So if they hit me by sliding in the snow they hit my £1000 car which will not upset me as much as if they hit my mk6. (I use to use mini's in the winter (i never got stuck in the snow in them) but mini's are too expensive to now.) These options also meens i can push everyone else out of the works carpark and simply get in my car and drive out without any trouble with a

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