UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

So I’ve been looking at changing my stock alloys and tires 185/60/R15 to something bigger, and better to look at, the new sizes are 215/35/R18. I haven’t lowered the car and probably don’t plan to for a while. Will I get any problems with rubbing or anything or do I have enough space for this?

You'll be perfectly fine

You also need to consider the width and offset of the wheels in addition to diameter when changing wheels. Also for the Polo, wheels will need to 5x100 bolt pattern and a centre bore of 57.1 or more (if more, then a set of appropriately sized spigot rings will be needed to reduce the wheel’s centre bore to 56.1. With non-OEM wheels, most will need new wheel bolts to ensure they’re the correct seat type for the wheels you fit.

If you’re going for a 215/35 R18 tyre, then you’d be best going no wider than a 7.5J wheel - if you go to 8J and above on a 225/35 R18 then you could end up with the stretched tyre look and the ridge of your wheels would be exposed, so very prone to kerb damage.

There’s a useful calculator at www.willtheyfit.com that’ll calculate all the critical differences between your existing set up and any new set up. Based on your current set up - 185/60 R15 tyres on (probably) 6Jx15” ET38 wheels, if you were to change to 215/35 R18 tyres on 7.5jx18” ET35 wheels, then the inner face of the wheel would be 16mm closer to the suspension strut and the outer face would poke out 22mm more than with your current set up.

Also consider the following;

• the cost of a decent brand of tyres in 215/35 R18 will probably be quite a bit more expensive than your current tyres, so worth checking this out. Be aware that 35 profile tyres will give a much firmer ride than your current 60 profile tyres.

• You need to ensure the load limit of any wheels you’re considering buying is sufficient to support the weight of your car. Fitting wheels with an insufficient load limit could affect the structural integrity of the wheels and make them unsafe. You’d also invalidate your insurance.

• If buying used wheels, ensure you get the seller to confirm they’ve has no structural repairs to remove cracks or buckling. Be aware that many of the cheaper replica wheels (new or used) could have a poor quality finish or structural quality issues so could be prone to cracking or buckling more easily than wheels produced by a reputable manufacturer such as Borbet, Ronal, BBS, Oz etc. Check the reverse side of the spokes for details of the manufacturer and for safety certification marks (TUV, JWL, ABE etc.).

• If buying new wheels from an online alloy wheel retailer such as Rimstyle, when you input details of your car on their website, they’ll only show you wheels that will fit your car, with an adequate / safe load limit. They’ll also supply a fitting kit with the correct bolts and spigot rings (if these are required for your wheel choice).

• Fitting different wheels is a modification for insurance purposes so ensure you inform your insurer, otherwise you could invalidate your insurance. Some insurers may charge a small premium increase for fitting different wheels, whereas others may not.