I am on the cusp of ordering a 1.4 TSI DSG Elegance Estate (once Skoda have sorted out the options offered, such as the Winter Pack for the petrol-engined cars). The standard wheel size is 17", without a smaller diameter alternative. I would prefer 16" rims - they are plenty big enough, more comfortable on the UK's increasingly rutted tracks, and cheaper to replace. Skoda's UK Customer Services just echo the brochure's listed wheel options for this model. Do any of you experienced Skodians know how I could persuade Skoda to build the car with 16 inchers? The Czech website seems to allow Velorum, Minoris and Ilias 16" wheels (who makes up these names?), but my grasp of slavic languages is a bit feeble when it comes to car configuration, so fitting them to an Elegance for residents of Bratislawa (or wherever) may be as impossible as for a UK-destined vehicle.

I would go and have a nosey in the Yeti forum as there are a few members who have managed to "downgrade" theirs wheels to 16" but I think it involved speaking to Skoda rather than the dealer, and possibly even Skoda back in the motherland to achieve it.

Has anyone got pictures or web links to the new Ocatvia with 16 Inch alloys? Like IainC, I am also considering the 16" alloys (in SE spec, rather than upgrading to 17" Denom alloys), but all the pictures on the web and all the Dealers only seem to have 17" alloys. It would be great to know if the look is OK or do they look too much like "Noddy" wheels! Better ride comfort is a bonus but vanity also comes into it.

I'd wonder how much downgrading would affect resale. Especially where a buyer has researched the spec and realised the wheels are wrong.

Would a dealer slash px offers?

I guess the easiest way would be to go for an SE spec - which has 16" wheels as standard and add the extras from the Elegance spec to it.

I did consider speccing up the SE (cheaper insurance, too), but there are some things that don't hit the spot - the upholstery and the electrically adjustable driver's seat being two. I can't recall the others.

For vrsfanboy: if you log on to the Czech-based build-your-own-Octavia site, you can see the car with all the 16" options and can choose any of the wheels on offer with the image being updated accordingly.

As regards re-sale: this doesn't bother me. We have a 15 year old Polo and a similarly aged Scorpio. We are in it for the long haul. Assuming the Octavia is as good as I hope, I'm looking at another 15 years. Even without that time horizon, resale of a car with or without 17" wheels will matter only if sold within maybe 3 years.

I do remember reading about wheel down-grading on the Yeti forum, but I'm pretty sure it did involve contacting Skoda HQ directly. But I can't find an e-mail link for this. I plan to talk to Skoda UK next week by telephone to discuss this. European Single Market and all that stuff. I also want to know when the new brochure will emerge - to confirm the heated front screen for a TSI engined car, and what the position is regarding the chrome window surrounds.

I'm happy to see that the 4x4 comes with 16s by default. Few things are silier in my eyes than so many 4x4 vehicles on rubber bands. One thing putting me off a 4x4 Superb Elegance is the 18s. Though I wonder if anyone on here with 16s would like to swap

Put pressure on them, but I guess with a new product launch, they won't feel the need to put in any effort to make a sale.

New to the forum, so let me know if questioning a 1yr old post is not the done thing, but I'm just wondering how the OP got on with this ridiculous marketing issue?

 

I have just bought a 1.4TSi Elegance, I too would much prefer the 16" wheels and they are most definitely approved for the vehicle (google translate and the TUV type approval documentation shows it clearly). A good number of other EU countries specify 16" wheels on the Elegance, why do the UK marketing team believe that less comfort is needed on a trim level that I see as appropriate to a motorway cruiser rather than racing?

 

So, IainC, did you get them changed? Did you buy some 16" rims after the fact? I have spoken to my local Skoda dealer who has 'Star' and 'Ilias' rims available at £155 each, which seems a bit steep compared to some other aftermarket rims (Dezent TD or RE for example), but I would prefer genuine skoda wheels if I could get them for a sensible price.

I have just ordered a fully spec octavia Ele 1.8 TSI DSG 4x4 with 16". Default summer tires on Ele are 17".

I did it because of better comfort, much less noise and cheaper tires.

The winter tires with spikes are 16" default,

Norway, of cause :-)

Hi Rout, sounds like a good choice to get the 16". I bought my car 1yr old, so there was even less chance of getting the wheels "downgraded" (or upgraded in my view) to the smaller rims. I will be getting 16" rims for my winter tyres, but I believe that what I call "winter" tyres you would call "cold weather" tyres. No spikes needed in the UK!

 

My plan for the summer tyres at the moment is to use the rubber that is already on the car and then maybe I will replace the wheels when I need new tyres. This way I can justify it to the wife because the cheaper 16" tyres will offset the cost of the new wheels! (a little bit, anyway)

I wouldn't worry too much about the 17" wheels and tyres - they aren't an uncomfortable combination.
If you do have your mind set on it though, and Skoda don't play nicely, I wouldn't be surprised if you find someone buying an SE that might be interested in a wheel swap

Well, ride quality with my 'Teron' 17" wheels is better than my previous vehicle, a Focus which also had 17" rims. I'd still like to improve it if possible, I would hold up the slightly firm ride as the only aspect of the car that I am not 100% happy with at the moment. Clearly it wasn't a deal breaker or I wouldn't have bought it, but any improvement would be welcome.

 

Interesting suggestion about the swap, I hadn't thought of that!

If anyone really wants the whole Yeti 16" wheel saga, these two threads give a good summary: 

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/246541-16-wheels-is-there-a-next-step/page-1

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/255522-uk-16-special-build-club-membership-closed/page-1

 

Two points to note:  There is a new(ish) boss of ŠkodaUK, if you want to make a personal plea for special treatment; and the last known UK 16" Special Build was delivered last June. 

My SE estate has the 16" I would happily swap them for 17"....  

My SE estate has the 16" I would happily swap them for 17"....  

 

That didn't take long for someone to appear.

Wow, from having a vague notion to being made to decide whether I really meant it or not all in the space of a few hours. This forum's good! And without the use of flea-bay for my old wheels too.

 

Out of interest which ones do you have, Dan25730? I'm assuming "Ilias"?

 

Any other offers? 

My dealer arranged a swap for me when the Denoms were de-listed.

 

He had another client with an Elegance that had gone straight onto Winter Steels at collection but he really wanted 16s for his summers.

 

When my SE arrived the client came in and they put the Ilias' on his and mine were shod with his unused 17s all before collection, a FOC upgrade. Magic!

 

Niall

I'm keeping an eye out for a set of 16" wheels for winter tyres, but may just end up going for a set of steelies unless someone upgrades and wants rid of their 16's

Has anyone got pictures or web links to the new Ocatvia with 16 Inch alloys?

Here you are:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/122783557@N08/13720883913/in/set-72157643658623485

In Bulgaria the Elegance comes with 16" rims, I choose Illias.

Wow, from having a vague notion to being made to decide whether I really meant it or not all in the space of a few hours. This forum's good! And without the use of flea-bay for my old wheels too.

Out of interest which ones do you have, Dan25730? I'm assuming "Ilias"?

Any other offers?

Yes, Ilias 16". I have had the car for a month now and have been thinking about changing the wheels.

Edited 29 May, 201412 yr by Dan25730

In Norway you get 16 inch wheels on the Elegance if you go for the Rough Road pack. We have a 4x4 With RR Pack, tried to get 17 whhels but had to pay full price so was out of the question.

Yes, Ilias 16". I have had the car for a month now and have been thinking about changing the wheels.

 

OK, I'll mull it over. As I said above, I've only had it a week and my plan was to do nothing this summer (time to assess it more thoroughly 'as is' and easier to sort out in the winter when the wheels are already off) but I must admit that the simplicity of a straight swap is appealing.

 

Out of interest, has anybody that's changed the wheels reported it to their insurance company like good girls and boys, or are you just assuming that with genuine Skoda wheels there's no chance of it ever being challenged as non-standard when making a claim?