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sharansporttdi
16-11-2010, 12:29 PM
Anyone upgraded there standard 16 inch wheel?? And if so, what wheel from the VAG will fit my car. Not sure on the offset, but the current 5 spoke Magnas are letting the car down in the looks department.

Would any from the Passat range fit, or from what other models. Looking for 17 inch mainly, but may consider 18 inch What tyre profiles would be need from 215/55/16 for the 17 and 18 inch wheels, to maintain speedo accuracy.

many thanks

sharalaxy
18-11-2010, 11:40 PM
Anyone upgraded there standard 16 inch wheel?? And if so, what wheel from the VAG will fit my car. Not sure on the offset, but the current 5 spoke Magnas are letting the car down in the looks department.

Would any from the Passat range fit, or from what other models. Looking for 17 inch mainly, but may consider 18 inch What tyre profiles would be need from 215/55/16 for the 17 and 18 inch wheels, to maintain speedo accuracy.

many thanks

Do you have the std alloy wheels on it now? Id so I might be interested in buying them from you if you do upgrade yours:beerchug:

Carouser
19-11-2010, 04:16 PM
Hi There

I replaced the 15" standard steel wheels on my VR6 Sharan for a set of 17" replica Audi RS6 five spokes.

Look quite nice really, understated and easy to clean (link to pick below):

http://www.rpiequipped.com/store/images/Hartmann_RS6_172_A.jpg

Paid about £550 for four with budget tyres.

I bought them through Carnoisseur in Cambridge.

However, the only thing is, the profile of the tyre is so low, that they are really easy to scuff and knock about against curbs and in less then a month I had scraped all four of mine.

The standard 15" wheel had a really chunky tyre the profile of which was higher than most curbs so I never had to worry about it.

Still, at least they look worn now and that the car is 'driven'.

That said, it's no excuse...

Hope this helps.

Carouser

sharansporttdi
20-11-2010, 12:24 AM
Do you have the std alloy wheels on it now? Id so I might be interested in buying them from you if you do upgrade yours:beerchug:
No probs, but I could do with knowing what VAG wheels will fit my car, with the correct offset, so that I do not get any rub on the arches when on full lock.
I'm new to Vw, so don't know which wheels go with which cars. I do like the 5 spoke ones on the latest Passat model. Would they fit my car??

Cheers

sharansporttdi
20-11-2010, 12:34 AM
Hi There

I replaced the 15" standard steel wheels on my VR6 Sharan for a set of 17" replica Audi RS6 five spokes.

Look quite nice really, understated and easy to clean (link to pick below):

http://www.rpiequipped.com/store/images/Hartmann_RS6_172_A.jpg

Paid about £550 for four with budget tyres.

I bought them through Carnoisseur in Cambridge.

However, the only thing is, the profile of the tyre is so low, that they are really easy to scuff and knock about against curbs and in less then a month I had scraped all four of mine.

The standard 15" wheel had a really chunky tyre the profile of which was higher than most curbs so I never had to worry about it.

Still, at least they look worn now and that the car is 'driven'.

That said, it's no excuse...

Hope this helps.

Carouser

Love the wheels, look really good. What tyre profile did you fit on these? My 16 inch tyres are 215/55/16 so would possibly upgrade to 225/50/17. I want t keep with a high aspect ratio so less of a chance to kerb the alloys. My wife is quite partaken to going upthe kerbs.........still thinks she's in her freelander..........:aargh4:

zorgman
25-11-2010, 08:40 PM
im using 245/45/17 off a audi a6 on mine makes a big difference to handling i use 39psi all round

sharansporttdi
25-11-2010, 11:58 PM
im using 245/45/17 off a audi a6 on mine makes a big difference to handling i use 39psi all round

Big difference as in big improvement or big difference as harder to steer, etc.

FYI, I use 40psi anyway for general driving

zorgman
26-11-2010, 11:08 PM
Big difference as in big improvement or big difference as harder to steer, etc.

FYI, I use 40psi anyway for general driving

found the quiter than the 16's i had on handling better grip better but that much torque off car i still spin wheels in 1,2,3rd when wet, great in this snow we've got at mo i just let clutch out no revs and it just pulls me away. in all whole car much better in all aspects also fills in that big hole where whels are in arches

sharansporttdi
28-11-2010, 02:58 PM
im using 245/45/17 off a audi a6 on mine makes a big difference to handling i use 39psi all round

Do you have a piccie of your wheels fitted to the car?

sharansporttdi
28-11-2010, 03:00 PM
Hi There

I replaced the 15" standard steel wheels on my VR6 Sharan for a set of 17" replica Audi RS6 five spokes.


Do you have a piccie of these wheels fitted to your car?

Carouser
12-06-2011, 09:10 PM
Sharansporttdi

So, so sorry for missing your last posts on this subject and not replying. For some reason I didn't get any notification, so rest assured I was not ignoring you.

Anyway, I thought it would be useful to keep you posted with my experience with the new alloys, although I appreciate that it has been some time since the subject was last discussed. Here we go...

All in all a TOTAL nightmare...

The new five-spoke RS6 alloys did look the picture and with the tyres that came with them, everything seemed fine, initially.

However, within a matter of weeks, I had damaged all four corners - could have put it down to my driving, (or parking) but it seemed everywhere I went I would curb them. The 2" difference between the rims and the ultimate profile of the tyre meant that the rims were lower than curb-side so would often get hit.

Anyway, after getting over the initial upset, everything was fine. That was until I got through the first set of front tyres and decided to go for a new set on all four corners.

I selected a tyre with a higher profile, to lift the car a little to prevent further rim damage, but after several attempts it seemed impossible to balance them and I was getting an awful shake through the steering wheel. Using the formula to calculate the rolling radius, the result was quite significantly over the standard set up, but well within the 'legal' limits (apparently the police allow 5% tolerance before the speedo is not registering properly etc).

After a thousand or so miles and a number of balancing attempts I had to bite the bullet and change them for the original size, but while improved, it didn't cure the problem.

The guys at National told me that all four rims had buckled which made it nigh on impossible to balance them to 0 grammes. I had initially thought that this was an easy way to fob me off, but I have to say that the guys did absolutely everything they possibly could to help me, including giving me a replacement set of tyres at cost (as they couldn't take the now part-worns back) plus the old tyres to re-sell.

So all in all, I decided to source a set of 15" steel rims, a set of 195 x 65 x 15 extra load budgets, with an aftermarket set of wheel trims and have gone back to basics.

The difference is incredible. Despite being 13 years old now with 155k miles on the clock my car feels like an altogether new car, presumably because I have put up with awful handling for the past 14 months or so and now everything feels perfectly improved.

I know that people fit 17"+ alloy rims to their Sharans, but they originally came with either 15" or 16".

To me, it always seemed that the 17" alloys never really belonged on the car and she never felt right. Steering felt harder and exaggerated, and the ride felt disappointed and I had hoped for signifiant improvement given the extra rubber etc... The actual rolling radius of the 17" rims with the original tyres they came with was no different to the original set up with the 15" steels with the 195 x 65 x 15 so whether the wider wheel was causing the problems I just don't know.

As per my original post, mine were fitted with RS6 REPLICA alloys, and as many people have indicated, I would suggest leaving replicas alone and try to source some originals, othewise stick with the shoes the car first came with. After all, getting her back to how she used to drive has been a huge weight off my mind, and who really see's the benefit of pretty wheels, those driving her or those on the outside of the car?

It could well have been that the replicas were never true in the first place, but this is not something I can now prove.

Suffice to say, I have gone through the following:

5 x 15" original steel rims with near-new tyres (received £95 on eBay)

Bought 4 x 17" RS6 replica alloys with budget tyres (paid £550)

Bought 4 x new 17" tyres (paid £300)

Sold 4 x nearly new 17" tyres (received £130 on eBay)

Bought 4 x 17" lower profile tyres (paid £200)

Bought 4 x 15" steel rims (paid £115)

Bought 4 x 15" budget tyres (paid £180)

Bought 4 x 15" wheel trimes (paid £30)

Net result: A cost of £1,150 which represents an expensive lesson to learn given I have gone right back to the original set up.

Of course I still have the 17" RS6 alloys and nearly new tyres which may reach something in auction, but I cannot ignore the fact that the 'buckling' caused so many of the problems I experienced, and (aside from the perfectly new tyres) unless someone can refurbish them to a point where the buckling is removed, then the alloys will be no use to anyone.

I now have concerns that at least one of the wheel barings are on their way out too. Whether due to inperfect wheels or simply wear and tear is another matter...

I would be interested in hearing your experiences.

Best wishes

Carouser

sharansporttdi
13-06-2011, 07:23 PM
Yo mate

Thanks for your detailed experience with your wheels, even if it has been (unfortunately) a very costly experiment for you. Unfortunately for me, I don't have the money for such a task, but think you may have been unlucky with buckling your wheels. That happened to me once, with genuine wheels on my previous car(Volvo.....ohh I miss that car :(), and it ain't nice :zx11:

I'm not a big fan of my car right now, so wheels and tyres are the last thing on my mind. It serves its purpose, but other than that, it is just a car

Carouser
13-06-2011, 08:39 PM
Good to hear from you and thanks for your thanks!

Like you, the Sharan wouldn't be my dream car...(many a subscription to Classic American for that all-American Muscle would vouch for that...one day...one day...just maybe...)...but a small family and plenty a luxurious camping holiday means I would be lost without her and her functionality.

She is also my work-horse. I run a car share to London and back from Cambridge, so I need the big lump and the space to carry my ever willing passengers with me. Further, I had her LPG converted a while back now so need to keep her running.

http://www.cambridgecarshare.co.uk

So, on the basis you haven't ventured down the alloy wheel route, I suggest you take my advice and don't bother.

Going back to the original set up has taken years off me, the car feels better on the road and I have improved fuel economy.

While on the subject, I must thank the guys down at Steven's VW Spares (can be found on eBay) or contactable at stevensvwspares@aol.com for the fantastic price and delivery arrangements for the set of steels.

All the best, Sharansport

Carouser

Sulphur-Man
14-06-2011, 02:50 PM
Reading this thread with interest as I've just put +2's on my 2011 Sharan. I had hated the look of the 16's it came with and wanted to try 17's as per the posher models. My wife spotted some 18's on eBay that were from a Passat CC and I took the plunge as they were a bit of a bargain. I was thinking we could run them for a bit and see if the ride was ruined and put the 16's in the shed just in case.

Turns out the tyres were not correct for the car - too skinny, but I wouldn't say the ride has been ruined. After some investigation I find that 18's are an option in Germany with 225/45's on 7.5J rims (mine are 8J but will fit).
I'm going to have a look at changing the tyres as I reckon I can probably move the others on having done less than 1k miles and looking new.

One thing I have read time after time - cheap replica alloys are not worth wasting your money on as they are invariably made in factories where the quality of the raw material is less than ideal. The old phrase 'you get what you pay for' makes good sense in this respect. If it wasn't for the fact that I was lucky enough to find OEM's for a steal then I wouldn't have considered anything that wasn't TüV approved. Wheels and tyres are a bit of a minefield anyway, but cheap wheels and tyres are like a time-bomb. They are your only point of contact with the road so why skimp on them?

Carouser
14-06-2011, 03:11 PM
Sulphur-Man

Loving the look of the new Sharan...I'm envious.

Yes, all in all, you are right, I should have done more investigation. At £550 for the replicas I didn't think they were all that cheap, but in hindsight...

My 17s were running 225 x 45 x 17 tyres which were pretty wide and did look the part, but felt almost too wide for the car, and when pulling up, the car would steer to the left or right depending upon the camber of the road.

Ride was very hard too, and steering heavy in comparison.

Given the guy who sold me them said I could have gone for 18s and I hate to think how she would have handled let alone the condition of the rims after a few weeks...

As above, the Mk1 Sharan came with either 15s or on later models 16s which were fit for the vehicle, I would think twice about going for anything over and above the standard set up.

While the original 15s look like pram wheels and don't add to the attractiveness of an already old car, she feels much lighter and more responsive and altogether better all round. I also get upto 4mpg improvement which is odd given the rolling-radius is identical. Can't really fathom that one out.

At the end of the day, she serves her purpose which is a work horse at heart and I wish I had never considered pimping her up in the first place.

I would be lost without her given the use I put her to, so when she does go, I'd have to replace her with another MPV.

Best wishes

Carouser

Sulphur-Man
14-06-2011, 03:41 PM
Sorry it sounded like I was preaching there - didn't mean to.

You're obviously a happy man now that you have the car riding as it should which is great.

I think there are plenty of people selling alloy wheels who don't give a monkeys if they are correct for the vehicle, they just want to sell more wheels. To the majority of buyers, who might be 'max power' magazine readers, they want the car to impress women (or men, indeed) and possibly wouldn't know much about suspension geometry and wheel offset, I suppose it's just about price. And it's a huge market out there!

Personally I think you should have to have some sort of qualification to sell wheels. The guy who sold to you probably knew how to fit them on the car and that's about it. There are many variables to consider.

Thanks for your comments on our Sharan. We have just blown a lot of savings on it but feel it was worth every penny! It's our first 7 seat car so we researched quite a bit and drove quite a few before parting with the cash. It will have to last us a very long time, believe me!

It's great when you get a car that feels right though as I'm sure you'll agree. As long as it does the job and is viable, that's the main thing. Although I'll admit my fascination for the pretty alloys is not logical-sounding, there are some benefits. As long as the calculations work out.

Do you have any pictures of your car posted?

Carouser
14-06-2011, 04:26 PM
Perfectly understood, Sulphur-Man. Didn't take your response as preaching, just wish I'd sought more advice before I ventured ahead.

As it happens, the guy at Carnnoisseur does nothing but sell alloys and has been established for some time. I took comfort that he knew what he was talking about and told me that he had fitted the very same to his Mk1 Sharan.

Ultimately, when first fitted, I didn't really notice any problems so I put down a lot much of the problem to me damaging the alloys causing them to buckle as confirmed by National Tyres and my regular garage who I asked to confirm. It was only when I fitted new tyres that I started to notice.

If I had the chance again (and budget) then perhaps I would have gone for the same set, but in 16" to prevent the scuffing etc that potentially caused the damage in the first place. I say damage, but to the human eye, they merely look 'used' and a little scuffed here and there. I've certainly seen worse on newer cars...

That said, she feels far better with the original 15" steels than she did when the alloys were fitted, so I'm convinced the 17s were simply not right.

Unfortunately I do not have any photos of the car with alloys fitted. Only those on my website with the original steels which can be found here:

http://www.cambridgecarshare.co.uk/car.html

Carouser

Sulphur-Man
14-06-2011, 05:24 PM
A fine-looking vehicle if I may say so. Well kept. What a great website too! Hats off to you for that - a very sensible idea the car-sharing stuff. Great to see a good example of the original design of a vehicle. I'll bet that engine is silky-smooth?

Carouser
14-06-2011, 06:40 PM
Thank you for the compliments.

Yes, I am really pleased with the Mk1. Aging now but you see many VWs about as well as both the Ford and Seat guises, so can only assume they were reasonably well built particularly when many were used for the school run or private hire so there are definitely some tatty ones out there still going.

The VR6 engine is great too. 155k miles on the clock now and still going strong. Does rev high though even at usual cruising speeds (3,000rpm at 70mph) and it surprised me that they didn't stick a 6th gear on this model like they did in later versions. The engine could certanly cope with it and it would presumably have improved fuel consumption too.

A guy asked me once what engine I had in the car. When I told him it was the VW 2.8 VR6, he said that he had the Ford 2.8 V6 lump in his Galaxy but it never sounded as sweet as mine. Unfortunately, it isn't the same one that they stuck in the Corrado though - it's the lower powered version but it's good enough for my needs.

Only thing with sticking such a large transverse engine in the Sharan means there is no space at all under the bonnet to be able to work on it but then I leave that to the mechanics anyway. Suffice to say, she has needed limited repairs anyway.

I hope you enjoy yours as well as mine. I'd be totally lost without her now - so functional and flexible.

I note you have recently registered so possibly new to this forum (join date of May 2011). It really is a great source of experience and knowledge and I have referred to the site on a number of occasions during my three years of ownership.

All the best

Carouser