Topic: 2018 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen 4motion Trendline 6MT 1.8TSI

[Ex-airbalancer]

Nice !
But you need to do the caps on the wheels

[OliverD]

Looks good! I like that colour a lot.

[Weels]

Nice!!   

[pi314]

Nice !
But you need to do the caps on the wheels

Car came with black plastic covers but I'm just waiting to retorque to put them back on

Looks good! I like that colour a lot.

I like the colour but sometimes I wish I got the green. It wasn't in stock unfortunately. I was just happy to get a car in a colour rather than a shade of white or grey.

[Noto]

How much did the plasti-dip end up costing you to do the 4 wheels with multiple coats?

[pi314]

How much did the plasti-dip end up costing you to do the 4 wheels with multiple coats?

$38+tax. Four cans.

[tortoise]

Man, those look great.   I assume they are your winter tires.  I can't remember, did you go with the X-Ice's?

[pi314]

I honestly love the way they look. I need to find another set for the summers and sell the dovers.

I think they're Hankook Optimo tires that are mounted - I'll mount real winters on them in the fall. Still undecided between X Ice and Blizzaks.

[Noto]

I think they're Hankook Optimo tires that are mounted - I'll mount real winters on them in the fall. Still undecided between X Ice and Blizzaks.

I have Xi3s on the Forester and WS80s on the Mazda.

The WS80s are silent (unless the road is wet and you're at ~80km/h, then a gentle hum - but they make the OEM Turanzas seem loud-as-:censor:), as are the Xi3s (the Xi3s are much quieter than the WS70s they replaced, but that's not necessarily saying much).

I find braking and cornering performance to be top notch on the WS80s, but grip on start-up is better on the Xi3s.  Let's put it this way: I can't tell the difference between the two - they are both THAT good.

On AWD, I'd probably stick with Xi3s for their likely longer treadwear, whereas on FWD I'd stick to WS80s.  You can't go wrong either way.

[tortoise]

..but grip on start-up is better on the Xi3s. 

It's kinda hard to make that comparison when using an AWD vs FWD car, unless I am missing something.  I would have expected that the Blizzaks would have the advantage over the X-Ices in getting going in snow.

I too would go with the X-Ice's on an AWD car if cost was equal, but in my experience the WS-80's are a good bit cheaper.

[Noto]

It's kinda hard to make that comparison when using an AWD vs FWD car, unless I am missing something.  I would have expected that the Blizzaks would have the advantage over the X-Ices in getting going in snow.

I too would go with the X-Ice's on an AWD car if cost was equal, but in my experience the WS-80's are a good bit cheaper.

Absolutely - I typed that, but looks like I edited that part out.  Oops.  Yeah, the Forester's a Forester.  No it's going to be better in the winter than a Mazda3.

FWIW, both the Fozzie's and Mazda's winter rims are 16" (with the Mazdas being slightly narrower (205/55R16 vs 225/60R16) and with a shorter sidewall).  Their pricing was very similar:

Xi3s installed, with tax: $754.34 (KalTire) (got the $70 rebate back in Dec, so $684.34 total)
WS80s installed, with tax: $681.58 (this included the $70 instant rebate from Costco).

They were within $3 of each other.

[tortoise]

Ahhh. Thanks for clarifying.

I think for me the difference was $30 per tire.  And when the WS-80's were only $100 each, that's a big difference.

[pi314]

I might just buy used winter tires/rims assuming I can find one with even wear. Bonus if I can downsize to 15s

I am leaning Xice just to try something new. Price is closer with the 16s.

[Noto]

My recommendation is to find used rims with shot tires that you can pick up for dirt cheap.  I doubt you can find 16" rims for $140 like I did, but even ~$250 would be break-even for buying new 15" steelies (taxes in).  Then get new tires.

I maintain that buying used tires, unless you're only keeping the car for a short period of time, is a bad idea.

[dirtyjeffer]

My recommendation is to find used rims with shot tires that you can pick up for dirt cheap.  I doubt you can find 16" rims for $140 like I did, but even ~$250 would be break-even for buying new 15" steelies (taxes in).  Then get new tires.

I maintain that buying used tires, unless you're only keeping the car for a short period of time, is a bad idea.

i bought my 16" steelies at Coscto, brand new, for $30-$35 each.

[tortoise]

I maintain that buying used tires, unless you're only keeping the car for a short period of time, is a bad idea.

Generally agree.  But buying used wheels with tires that have a few seasons left on them can be a good move. Basically you get two seasons of use for free.

[Noto]

Not so much for winter tires, IMO.  I mean, yeah, if you're getting winter tires that are <3 years old, then fine...but age is the bigger destroyer of winter tires than treadlife from my experience (sold the Corolla with 7 year old Xi2s with 9/32" left; trashed the 7 year old WS70s from the Forester because one had a nail in it - also 9/32" - neither one provided any reasonable traction in their final seasons of use).

i bought my 16" steelies at Coscto, brand new, for $30-$35 each.

You sure about that?

Cheapest steel rims at Costco for 16" are $48.99, which are $55 with tax.  Multiply by 4, and you're at $220.
https://www.costco.ca/Steel-Wheels.product.100018256.html

...and that assumes that the rim will fit your car.  The fitment guide suggests the cheapest steelies I can put on my Mazda3 are 15" X99126N, $49.99 (universal fit).  The hub-centric (X45567) are $53.99 (I have no idea what the difference is).  Interestingly, the 16" are the same price.

Even still, ($50*4)*13% = $226.

The Mazda replica wheels sold by Costco are $109.99 each.  That'd be $497 incl tax.  I paid $140, and yeah, mine are slightly scuffed here or there...but they look fine and drive well.  Money well-saved.
https://www.costco.ca/C-Wheels---Mazda-Replica-Alloy-Wheels.product.100317833.html

[pi314]

There are other reasons to sell tires... flooded cars for example  . I have a line on winter tires used for a season for someone whose car was totalled.

My dad's Corolla rims were also about $35 a few years ago.

I do have two sets 16inch rims now so I might just install winters on these black ones.

[dirtyjeffer]

You sure about that?

yup...and the previous 15 inch models we bought were $30 each...however, seeing your link they appear to be $60 each now so perhaps either the supplier has changed and/or the price has gone up a fair amount (this was 6 years ago)...let's use current pricing then...your point stands and i accept it as valid.

[Angry Chicken]

Wow!  Very nice!  Welcome to the VAG.