Thinking about a winter set already for the new car. Given that I like the stock 18" Belvederes very much I think I'll turn them into a winter set and buy an extra 19" set that I will also like very much, and maybe wrap it in some more track focused Michelin rubber (probably the Super Sports not the Sport Cups though).

 

So going through wheels I find some very nice designs, and relatively lightweight actually for a 19" (11.3-11.8kg) for maybe 600-800euros, Brands like Oxxo, Alutec, R3, Rial (not that I had heard of them before but they are all German TUV approved manufacturers so should be ok.)

 

An example here of these R3 at 11,6kg, perfectly reasonable:

 

http://www.felgenoutlet.com/eu_en/5030756e_VW-Golf-VII-AU--from-2013---/Alufelgen+Reifen/161320_f1_z19/R__Wheels_R3H3_anthracite_matt

 

or the ones I'm leaning towards so far, at an even lower 11,3kg which also offer a 5year warranty : 

 

http://www.felgenoutlet.com/eu_en/5030756e_VW-Golf-VII-AU--from-2013---/Alufelgen+Reifen/142984_f1_z19/Oxxo_Vapor_Black

 

 

 

Then looking into more expensive wheels, still mostly German ones, I find some also nice designs for maybe 1200-1500 euros that for some reason are heavy as f*ck, (13,9 to 15kg). Isn't this supposed to be the other way round? How is that price tag justified on such heavy wheels? Is it down to supposed superior build quality and what does that mean exactly? At least OZ are as light as other lesser brands in their entry-level wheels, then ok if you want to go below 10kg the price is around 2k but for example this AEZ wheel comes at 13,4kg! :

 

http://www.felgenoutlet.com/eu_en/5030756e_VW-Golf-VII-AU--from-2013---/Alufelgen+Reifen/165147_f129_z19/AEZ_Raise_Gunmetal_polished

 

 

Or similarly these Brocks at 13,55:

 

http://www.felgenoutlet.com/eu_en/5030756e_VW-Golf-VII-AU--from-2013---/Alufelgen+Reifen/101930_f129_z19/Brock_B34_SKM

 

 

Is it all down to design? Because if I can find the design i like in a wheel at half the cost still engineered in Germany fully guaranteed then absolutely no reason to bother with those mid-upper brands at all.

 

The big issue with alloy wheels is that very often they are created by "wheel stylists" and then all the engineers are allowed to do is "make them strong enough".

 

The lighter designs that you're looking at were probably actually created by structural engineers.

^^^ That and a big difference other Style over real Function even if all Safety Approved.

 

Real Motorsport / Track use and road, or Motorsport Rallying type Road & Offroad.

Or look a likey Sporty / 'Really light for fast cars' that are as about as much use as a chocolate fire guard in a hitting a kerb hard 

in a 'Spirited Driving' type incident.

 

Many say you get what you pay for, but in the real world you can get what you want but you might be paying lots and not 

getting the best for your needs and wants as you use a vehicle.

Also, I just checked that the lighter (11,6kg) and cheaper wheels above, the R3 for example, has a max load of 730kg

 

whereas the heavier (13,4) double the price AEZ has a max load of 670kg. What the hell...  so you're basically just paying for the design? Ok I know which way I'm going to go, a no-brainer really.

 

I think these will look great on the carbon metallic grey (darker than the car in the 3d):

 

http://www.felgenoutlet.com/eu_en/5030756e_VW-Golf-VII-AU--from-2013---/Alufelgen+Reifen/161320_f1_z19/R__Wheels_R3H3_anthracite_matt