Forced larger wheels

[Meow]

7 hours ago, pjkw said:

 Czech configurator lets you pair largest engine with 16"s, sportline However has 18" as standard there. So its really just Skoda UK trying to be cool 😛

 

Like the German example, here is another, thank you. I bet there are further ones too.  It puts to myth the idea that "the car needs it".

 

I hope Skoda read these forums and come come to their senses.  All I'm asking for is the choice not to go to big wheels and low profile tyres, just because I want say, something higger than 1.5 or an SEL spec.

 

I used the word 'anger' and I do mean it. It puts me off the whole thing.

[Meow]

Part of why it is anger, is because it just need not be and could so easily be changed.

[xman]

Too many cool cats working in Skoda UK marketing dept.

 

That Paloma woman must have really boosted the cool factor.....👺

[shyVRS245]

1 minute ago, xman said:

Too many cool cats working in Skoda UK marketing dept.

 

That Paloma woman must have really boosted the cool factor.....👺

Bon Jovi told them to use her. They rang HQ and said "Keep The Faith".

[Wardy]

Don't get mad, get even

 

Either sort something with the dealer to swap to another wheel set. Or take the car as-is, then track down a set of wheels you want. Next, either store the original wheels with car re-sale in mind, so it's not an odd configuration. Or just sell the original wheels 👍

[Superted]

On 10/07/2019 at 07:32, Meow said:

Its an old one but I'm going to say it again.

 

Being forced to take larger wheels annoys me to the point of making me angry. Its not necessary for the car - its a marketing led thing and a backwards step for refinement. I am sick of it. 

 

You want a better spec, you're forced upwards. You look for the same engine in a lower spec to avoid the big wheels with low profile tyres,  it isn't sold. Even if it was, to add back as options the features you'd miss from the higher spec model is a less cost efficient way of doing it. You're boxed in.

 

I really do wish Skoda would stop alienating people with this. Compare to other markets and it isn't done everywhere. Compare historically and with larger or more upmarket cars and you find even luxury level cars riding on less. Don't tell me its necessary for the car, Skoda !  I'd have thought decades living under communism and having to uphold lies in every aspect of life would make you culturally averse to doing it with this or anything else. Its one of the based things I lke about central and eastern Europe. You let yourselves down with this. Or, are Skoda UK to blame ? Perhaps this is the case. If anyone knows who controls wheel allocation, please tell us.

 

Realise please, since the Superb is NOT a luxury build of car in tbe way of say E Class or S90, you do not want anything that can add noise and reduce ride refinement.

Is it not bizarre, that in going up in spec you are forced to take something that brings you DOWN in refinement ? Look Skoda, if people fancy 18s with low profile tyres or even 19s, let them choose of course, but also let people have the BETTER 17s and higher profile tyres, if they want them, as a standard starting point. Yo're not doing us any favours by forcing an "upgrade" when you go for higher spec or engine, or utimately yourselves either if people avoid purchase.

 

Still angry. 

I'm all for image, love my Sportline + and my 19's.......Ride is great, comfort is great, handling is great, noise is acceptable, don't see an issue........Happy days for me 😎

[Sagalout]

Wheel sizing is an issue with a lot of the UK market. I can understand some differences in spec caused by the fact that we drive on the correct side of the road but wheel and tyre size? 

I blame motoring journos for 'confusing' the marketeers into thinking it is what Joe Average, family man, old f**t wants.

I would love it if all gave a choice to stay smaller if I want. I have never met a dealer who would swap out to different size wheels at p.o.s. or later.

[nebrog23]

Same with Mazda. Soon as you leave base spec your on 19” wheels that are not necessary. After a test drive in a superb sportline twice I couldn’t bring myself to have one due to road noise/ harshness. I’ll be looking for a Sel with 17” wheels.

I find it’s the same with the black headlining, the higher or sportier the spec the darker the interior gets!

[xman]

9 hours ago, Wardy said:

Don't get mad, get even

 

Either sort something with the dealer to swap to another wheel set. Or take the car as-is, then track down a set of wheels you want. Next, either store the original wheels with car re-sale in mind, so it's not an odd configuration. Or just sell the original wheels 👍

 

Ah, so spend another £2k is the solution, and don't forget to inform the insurance company. Now where can I store 4 wheels?

 

1 hour ago, nebrog23 said:

I’ll be looking for a Sel with 17” wheels.

 

 

SEL comes with 18" as standard.

 

Bet this Superb on 21" is a real bone shaker

Edited 11 July, 2019 by xman

[shyVRS245]

9 hours ago, nebrog23 said:

Same with Mazda. Soon as you leave base spec your on 19” wheels that are not necessary. After a test drive in a superb sportline twice I couldn’t bring myself to have one due to road noise/ harshness. I’ll be looking for a Sel with 17” wheels.

I find it’s the same with the black headlining, the higher or sportier the spec the darker the interior gets!

When I bought a new SE (came with 17" alloys) back in April 2016 I bought a set of 18" alloys which transformed the look if not the handling. However 16 months later I put the original alloys back on the car at trade in and someone got a well specified SE with very low mileage tyres (probably did only 6,000 miles on the 17" tyres).

[Wardy]

10 hours ago, xman said:

 

Ah, so spend another £2k is the solution, and don't forget to inform the insurance company. Now where can I store 4 wheels?

 

You've plucked a figure out of the air, but sure - if you want to spend £2k on something you like 👍

 

Run it past the insurance company, of course - when you discuss this sort of change with them, it can often be a no-cost policy alteration as it's OEM fitment from another wheel choice in the same model range. I've run a number of different wheels on Skodas over the years - none of which have increased a policy cost. Most from other Skodas, some wheels from within the VAG Group, some aftermarket - Speedline and OZ in my case.

 

Wheel storage - many places, depends on your personal storage circumstances. I find a garage and a wall-mounted wheel storage rack works very well.

 

Just to be clear, I'm not saying this is what you should have to do. As already discussed, SUK should open up some more wheel options and give the consumer more choice. But in my experience with the brand since 2005, they're not very open to listening to customers. Not forum enthusiasts anyway!

 

At the end of the day, it could be the difference between getting annoyed and not buying the rest of the car you actually want, and getting something that's been adjusted to fit your requirements.  

[digifish]

FWIW this video just in re Low Profile tyres

 

 

[shyVRS245]

6 minutes ago, digifish said:

FWIW this video just in re Low Profile tyres

 

 

So the conclusion is don't buy a very heavy electric vehicle with lowered suspension with 20" alloys and super low profile tyres. $2,600 of damage or £2,000.

[digifish]

23 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

So the conclusion is don't buy a very heavy electric vehicle with lowered suspension with 20" alloys and super low profile tyres. $2,600 of damage or £2,000.

 

Well, the conclusion is, manufactures are sacrificing function over form, at the owners detriment

[Meow]

On 11/07/2019 at 21:14, Superted said:

I'm all for image, love my Sportline + and my 19's.......Ride is great, comfort is great, handling is great, noise is acceptable, don't see an issue........Happy days for me 😎

 

I think that's great and I like that you are happy. Plus of couse your wheels are very much in keeping with the Sportline concept.

 

It would just be nice if Skoda UK left us with a freer choice when it comes to the standard line car with larger engines and/or higher spec.

 

#choice

[Meow]

On 12/07/2019 at 07:53, shyVRS245 said:

When I bought a new SE (came with 17" alloys) back in April 2016 I bought a set of 18" alloys which transformed the look if not the handling. However 16 months later I put the original alloys back on the car at trade in and someone got a well specified SE with very low mileage tyres (probably did only 6,000 miles on the 17" tyres).

 

1.4 / 1.5 Tsi then. 

 

Bigger engine -  then its the compulsory 18s and low profile tyres.  

[shyVRS245]

43 minutes ago, Meow said:

 

1.4 / 1.5 Tsi then. 

 

Bigger engine -  then its the compulsory 18s and low profile tyres.  

It was the 1.4TSi ACT engine.148bhp and 50mpg average. Best tank was 736 miles.

[Mickey43]

Have to say I love my 19" wheels and (in my opinion of course) make the car look far better.  

 

Ride is fine too, being able to switch from comfort, to normal, to sport varies it up a bit.  

 

Each to their own though.

 

[penguin17]

On 11/07/2019 at 22:28, nebrog23 said:

Same with Mazda. Soon as you leave base spec your on 19” wheels that are not necessary. After a test drive in a superb sportline twice I couldn’t bring myself to have one due to road noise/ harshness. I’ll be looking for a Sel with 17” wheels.

I find it’s the same with the black headlining, the higher or sportier the spec the darker the interior gets!

I may just be used to the ride of 'sportier' setups but I really can't comprehend how the Sportline can be described as harsh in terms of ride characteristics.  If anything it needs to be stiffer still. 

 

Also, don't forget that the Sportline has a slightly different suspension setup and rides a little lower (15mm); I would surmise that it's that rather than wheels/tyres which make the car feel a little more 'rigid'.  I won't say harsh because it simply isn't by any stretch of the imagination. 

 

Each to their own I guess.  I wouldn't have looked at a Superb at all if the Sportline wasn't available. 

 

 

[digifish]

1 hour ago, penguin17 said:

I may just be used to the ride of 'sportier' setups but I really can't comprehend how the Sportline can be described as harsh in terms of ride characteristics.  If anything it needs to be stiffer still. 

 

 

Well it also depends on what the roads are like in your region of the world. If you have to drive over several miles of cobble-stones each day you may appreciate 17" vs 19" tires.

 

If your country has lots of potholes ... same.

[Mickey43]

1 hour ago, penguin17 said:

I may just be used to the ride of 'sportier' setups but I really can't comprehend how the Sportline can be described as harsh in terms of ride characteristics.  If anything it needs to be stiffer still. 

 

Also, don't forget that the Sportline has a slightly different suspension setup and rides a little lower (15mm); I would surmise that it's that rather than wheels/tyres which make the car feel a little more 'rigid'.  I won't say harsh because it simply isn't by any stretch of the imagination. 

 

Each to their own I guess.  I wouldn't have looked at a Superb at all if the Sportline wasn't available. 

 

 

 

Harshest suspension I've ever had was a Mondeo Titanium X Sport.  Stiff as a board, hard as nails even on fairly smooth roads.   Going over bridges with expansion joints would make your fillings rattle.

 

That was on 18" wheels.   My Superb feels like a couch on wheels in comparison, and I've got 19's.   All in the suspension.

[penguin17]

2 minutes ago, Mickey43 said:

 

Harshest suspension I've ever had was a Mondeo Titanium X Sport.  Stiff as a board, hard as nails even on fairly smooth roads.   Going over bridges with expansion joints would make your fillings rattle.

 

That was on 18" wheels.   My Superb feels like a couch on wheels in comparison, and I've got 19's.   All in the suspension.

...but still one of the best cars to drive on a twisty road, no?  I think a Superb Sportline with Mondeo suspension/handling would be perfect! 

[Mickey43]

9 minutes ago, penguin17 said:

...but still one of the best cars to drive on a twisty road, no?  I think a Superb Sportline with Mondeo suspension/handling would be perfect! 

 

Oh the handling was tremendous when you threw it about!   Held the road like a limpet for such a big car.  

[Tivolipete]

Interesting article here:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/are-bigger-wheels-really-ruining-ride-quality

[digifish]

6 hours ago, Tivolipete said:

Interesting article here:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/are-bigger-wheels-really-ruining-ride-quality

 

That's completely crazy nonsense.

 

You put 15" and 19" on the same car.

 

Not different cars. Should that even need to be said? Embarrassingly stupid.