Is it just me or is the tyre wall and rim of alloy to flush for comfort? There is no forgiveness when you nudge the kerb!

Yep I have noticed that the alloy wheels protrude, its like the tyres have no lip to protect the wheels from being kerbed, just have to be that little bit more careful I suppose but then again its one of those things at times you just can't help :(

Edited 27 July, 201510 yr by BATVANVRS

Tell me about it and I've got the 19"xtremes I'm lucky as my continental has a protect lip on them

Oh dear... Why don't all tyres just come with rim protection now a days?

Been the problem since the mk3 Vrs came out. Lots of posts on this going way back. Had mine around 14 months. Fitted Alloygators from day 2. So far alloys are safe. Beware though if you fit or have them fitted as I did. The front ones have a habit of moving out, and require tapping back in position with a rubber mallet.probably due to the flexing of the tyre when steering. It has been suggested that the retaining clips were not fitted. To check requires taking to bits again so haven't. About to get Eagle F1 or similar tyres fitted to the front, these have rim protection built in.

Eagle F1s are good for rim protection, will put a pic up tomorrow

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I've just had some Eagle F1's fitted and these have rim protection, but it's more for when the tyre goes down rather than kerb damage.

Been the problem since the mk3 Vrs came out. Lots of posts on this going way back. Had mine around 14 months. Fitted Alloygators from day 2. So far alloys are safe. Beware though if you fit or have them fitted as I did. The front ones have a habit of moving out, and require tapping back in position with a rubber mallet.probably due to the flexing of the tyre when steering. It has been suggested that the retaining clips were not fitted. To check requires taking to bits again so haven't. About to get Eagle F1 or similar tyres fitted to the front, these have rim protection built in.

Any pics of your alloygator? What colour did you go for?

I've tried putting pics on here before and failed. I had the boring black ones put on. They are now a bit tatty. If you watch their video, they look like new when scraped clean. Mine don't, but at least the rims are intact. In black they don't stand out. I have heard of a type that stick to the rims. But haven't seen any. At the end of the day, Skoda didn't think it through when they chose the rim design. Minor issue on a major cosmetic component of the car.

I've touched the kerb with one of my Geminis however it's all my fault... I can't really blame Skoda's wheel design or tyre choice though as the key is not driving it into things.

Alloy gaiters risk damage to the wheels from dirt between them fretting against the wheel finish so wouldn't risk them myself.

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks when I have mine taken out.

I paid a visit to my local tyre centre, that is also a regonal distributor.Asked about tyres with rim protectors to replace the Bridgestone's on the front. He looked puzzled as to why I was asking the question, until I showed him. He said, I see the predicament. He is going to look at what he has over the next few days. I will call in back of next week to see if he has any suggestions

At the end of the day, Skoda didn't think it through when they chose the rim design. Minor issue on a major cosmetic component of the car.

It's hardly a design flaw that if you hit a kerb it will damage the wheel.....just don't hit the kerb! Yes tyres with rim protection reduces the likelihood of damage but you could argue that with most cars.

Not a case of HITTING the kurb, more of accidentally scraping it while parking etc. Unless you're one of those people that likes to park "in the middle" of the road on those narrow housing estate roads, and risk losing an entire side of your car to a bin lorry.....

Not a case of HITTING the kurb, more of accidentally scraping it while parking etc. Unless you're one of those people that likes to park "in the middle" of the road on those narrow housing estate roads, and risk losing an entire side of your car to a bin lorry.....

I still think there is nothing wrong with the design of the wheels just because some tyres leave them more exposed than others.

You need some of these kerb feelers :-D

Not a case of HITTING the kurb, more of accidentally scraping it while parking etc. Unless you're one of those people that likes to park "in the middle" of the road on those narrow housing estate roads, and risk losing an entire side of your car to a bin lorry.....

Is scraping it not the same as hitting it? I don't park in the middle of the road but have still managed not too hit a kerb. Have the mirror set to auto dip when I reverse which helps to keep an eye on how close I get. The only wheel I remember being a design fault for possibly kerb damage was the old tsw venom if anyone remembers that as the spokes protruded by quite an amount.

Id agree that the design is asking for damage. I never damaged an alloy on my mk1 fabia vrs or my mkii octy over a 10 year period. 6 month into owning a mkiii octy vrs ive scraped the nearside front alloy already :no:

Thanks Ployb, someone that actually agrees.

The model Vrs I have doesn't have dipping mirrors, unlike my previous L&K's. It's fronts that are my main concern.

Are we talking primarily Gemini's here or Pictoris too? Just asking as it appears a majority on here have Geminis. I'm picking up a Pictoris cornered VRS soon, hence the question. Cheers.

Are we talking primarily Gemini's here or Pictoris too? Just asking as it appears a majority on here have Geminis. I'm picking up a Pictoris cornered VRS soon, hence the question. Cheers.

Geminis are the ones on mine. I have never actually damaged mine yet. But saw the posts in here before I got it. Noticed the issue, then fitted the Alloygators as insurance

Yep, geminis on mine. Ill see what i can do to patch it up today, im most worried about lifting lacquer.

Had another thing mentioned to me when I went into a National Tyre Centre to ask about rim protection. I gave him Tyre size, he checked on PC to see what he had. Then said are my original fit tyres "extra load (XL) " tyres. They have a tougher side wall apparently. Never heard of that myself. I wasn't in my Vrs, but checked when I got home, I do have those. Mines the estate, could this be the reason

I've had mine for 18 months with Gemini wheels and I regularly parallel park... I managed to kerb my front offside wheel pulling into the works carpark getting too close to the kerb so I could reach the key fob machine to open the gates... Other than my own stupid driving then I have made the tyres kiss the kerb before and not damaged the wheels so really can't blame them?

If you hit the kerb with your tyres or wheels under any circumstances it's not really their fault is it, its yours, however they are designed