Questions about selling wheels

[alessio92]

I'm in the market for a new (used) car, and one of the MK2 Octavias I'm looking at is on 17" Alloys - see photo below. I'm really not a fan of these though, and I'd prefer 15" or 16" wheels for a better ride and to save money on tyres.

I have the option of a set of 15" winter wheels for the time being (Someone told me you can put 15s on an Octavia - correct me if I'm mistaken) but ideally if I buy this car I'd like to sell the 17" alloys and put a set of smaller wheels on it permanently.

 

There's a few of things I'm not sure about though:

- How do I find out what the manufacturer's name for these alloys is?

- How do I determine what they're worth? Don't want to rip anyone off but equally don't want to rip myself off!
- Crucially: What's the best way to actually ship the wheels? Clearly by courier, but how do I package them up or whatever?

 

Also, aside from having a garage recalibrate the speedo & mileometer, is there anything else I should do when changing the wheel size?

 

Thanks!

 

[fatzy]

I cannot answer everything, but 15" wheels will fit Octavia Mk2 (but not vRS).

 

Buying and selling used rubber and rims will always be a risk. You will get a 'low' price for what you sell and the uncertainty of what you buy is high. 17 inch tyres are a bit more expensive than 16 and 15's, but is it really profitable to change? If there is a gain, what do you expect to save when you have to buy another set of wheels? If you wish to use 15 or 16 for other reasons (comfort, rim protection against pot holes, etc) it is a different story. 16's and 15's benefits from having more and softer rubber sidewalls, but 17's on this car is a good size, a compromise between comfort and sportiness. I would not be concerned unless you have to cope with special conditions like bumpy/steep/curvy gravel roads, pot holes, sharp edges, etc.

 

The alloys on the photo is original Skoda, delivered on Octavia Mk2. They are called Pegasus. This is good, suitable alloys for this car. Be aware if you buy aftermarket alloys, they may have different hub center diameter, different nut contact face and deviating offset, so you really need to know what you are doing to get suitable alloys. On the other hand, original Skoda alloys from Octavia Mk2 (obviously) + Mk3, Yeti, Superb Mk1 + Mk2 will fit without issues.

 

The original variants of tyre dimensions for Octavia Mk2 are:

195/65-15, 205/55-16 and 225/45-17. If you fit one of these on appropriate alloys you are good to go without any further issues. No need for recalibration or garage visit. If you go for different tyre dimension the overall tyre circumference deviate from original setup of the car. It may not be critical, but again you must know what you are doing to avoid issues and legal/insurance complications.

 

Good luck in your search for a new car and proper wheels!

[BoxerBoy]

willtheyfit.com

 

is your friend.

 

I’d echo the points above to be checked with any replacement wheels.