15s and Mk3 Polos

Krupa · Post by **Krupa** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:50 am

I'm safe in the knowledge that this thread's gonna make me look like a complete numpty but if you don't ask you don't learn, so here goes.

I'm really curious what it is that makes this a bad combination. Bear with me...

I've had 15" alloys on my car for nigh on 5 years now, and personally I rate the way the car drives on its alloys. It has masses of grip, it's very stable on the motorway, doesn't wheelspin very easily. I've had arch work on the back, but not on the front, and it's fine with 5 adults in the car (until you come to a speed bump, but that's nothing to do with the wheels). I don't get any scrubbage inside the arch on full lock either.

In fact, the only things I can really pick fault with are how much tyres cost (Â£70 plus for decent ones in 195/45/15) and the dickheads that my car proves to be a magnet for. I don't even find that it tramlines horrifically, having run my 13s for a week or so back in January the same roads I notice tramlining with 15s I notice it with the 13s too. Ride quality isn't great, but it's not great on the 13s either.

Yet I am constantly reading posts where people say 15s cock up a Polo's handling, and I'm sat here thinking... does it? Purely based on my own experiences, I haven't found this to be the case. But then what do I know!

If I were, say, to go and put a set of 14" wheels on my car with 195/45/14 tyres, would I get much of a change in terms of how the car drives? Surely with that width of tyre it's not gonna make much difference to tramlining and ride quality? Plus it's still a larger wheel than standard, so surely it'll still have the same detrumental effects as 15s? Or does it?

Same goes for 13s really, I found my steelies a complete nightmare in terms of traction having got used to 15" wheels. I didn't feel confident going around a roundabout at anything over old-person speeds either. Wider 13s are available, but again wouldn't that make for the same handling problems as other wheels?

I'm not planning a change, as I'm a believer in if it ain't broke don't mend it, but I'm always open to suggestions.

Enlighten me!

SpikeyG40 · Post by **SpikeyG40** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:00 pm

i like having 15's! think they look real nice! i do have a fair amount of scrubbing problems! i couldn't have the wheels on the back if i didn't have a 3mm spacer on!

i think the problem with mine is also the fact i'm using standard old shocks and new lowering springs! the garage decided the front shocks i gave them (new standard shocks) wouldn't fit!

my advise, don't get just lowering springs, get at least uprated shocks with lowering springs! with my g40 i will be getting adjustables!

PHATBOYDAVE · Post by **PHATBOYDAVE** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 5:21 pm

aright mate ive had the standard 13" wheels 14" and 15x7's which i have on now.
dont care what anyone say's 13's are s**t alloy's or steelies!
the 14's that i had on me old polo were great but i think i could have done with some lower profile tyres then i think they were 55's or 60's, but the handling was mint as it was dropped 40mm all round and had stiffer better bilstein shocks allround which is the same suspension i have now with the 15x7x45's.
Id stick with the 15's everyday!
hope this is a bit useful mate.
Cheers,
D Dave

bstardchild · Post by **bstardchild** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:15 pm

Krupa wrote:If I were, say, to go and put a set of 14" wheels on my car with 195/45/14 tyres, would I get much of a change in terms of how the car drives? Surely with that width of tyre it's not gonna make much difference to tramlining and ride quality? Plus it's still a larger wheel than standard, so surely it'll still have the same detrumental effects as 15s? Or does it?

Well calculated in my head it will cock up your speedo

185/55 14 might be better - I can't notice any difference in grip between them and my 15's with 195/45's but the ride is better

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:58 pm

I can't really see how the diameter of the wheel would make any real difference to handling.. I think probably it's just that people tend to fit wider, lower profile tyres to larger wheels so the steering gets heavier and the ride is harsher. Can't see why it would be any less responsive apart from the extra weight, and the grip is going to depend more on tyre compound and dimensions than radius. I think the only thing that wheel size by itself will really make a difference to is accelleration and top speed.

tarquin bevilastard · Post by **tarquin bevilastard** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:01 pm

my gt has 195/45/15's on 15x6.5 wheels at the moment ,it took a lot of work to fit them but i didn't have to have any arch work done.just had to play about with dampers and springs alot

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:08 pm

It was the first time I've drove a Polo with 15s today. Fitted some 195/45/15 tyres and I must say, it made a huge improvement. However, it could just be that my old 14" wheels were fitted with large tyres, but certainly an improvement over stock 13s, no end.

My car handles as it should with 15s on, so I'm happy. Occasionally, 15s can look a bit too large on MK3s, but quite a few people have got away with it and they look in proportion with the car.

Here is mine fresh on 15s today...

DelG40 · Post by **DelG40** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:37 pm

15x6.5" with 195/45/15s on my Polo GT. Only had to fit 10mm spacers to the rear to bring them away from the suspension platform. The handling has improved dramatically, I'm really chuffed.

Here's what my GT looks like with the 15s on (you can also see a side on picture in my signature)

PHATBOYDAVE · Post by **PHATBOYDAVE** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 10:21 am

Id put you a pic of mine up there too but cant seem to do it!
an anyone help?

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 10:26 am

See, who says 15s don't look right on the MK3!

To be honest, I think it's just certain 15s that don't look right. If you have 15s, by putting 45 profiles tyres on (which is a neccessity anyway) it seems to balance out the look of the larger wheel on the car.

I got away without having to use any spacers, since mine have a good offest, although I have yet to test it with three people in the back.

Del, why does your car look like it's bloody lowered!

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 10:30 am

PHATBOYDAVE wrote:Id put you a pic of mine up there too but cant seem to do it!
an anyone help?

just put the location of the picture, eg. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v57/L ... Polo10.jpg but inside img brackets like this:

{img}http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v57/L ... 0.jpg{/img}

* But replace the { with [

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 4:43 pm

if you'd asked me what size your wheels were without saying, i'd have gone with 14s as they seem to fit just nicely.... so much for judgement eh!

not too small but not too big either, filling the space up properly

DelG40 · Post by **DelG40** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:31 pm

LogIK wrote:Del, why does your car look like it's bloody lowered!

Haha! I've no idea, but I'm well chuffed it does!

Krupa · Post by **Krupa** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:09 am

Del, yours has a similar stance to mine before it was lowered, I was told by the local VW garage that I might have been running G40 springs, but not too sure about that.

You could just about get 2 fingers between the arch and the top of the tyre before it was lowered. Now, you can't get one finger between there!

hardhitter · Post by **hardhitter** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 12:12 pm

I thought we were talking about handling, not looks

UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

15s and Mk3 Polos

15s and Mk3 Polos

15"s

Re: 15s and Mk3 Polos

Polo On 15's

Re: Polo On 15's