[A-Tiller-the hun]

i'm at a loss to understand why VW would throw 15" rims on the Passat...?

what gives with that... this car should easily come with 17" wheels standard...

noone offers 15" rims on near $30K cars anymore... :crazy:

 

[chucchinchilla]

2004.5 models come standard now with 16" wheels previously only on glx cars, new glx cars come with those great looking 17" Pheonix(name?) wheels.

 

[cram51]

2004.5 models come standard now with 16" wheels previously only on glx cars, new glx cars come with those great looking 17" Pheonix(name?) wheels.

Do you or anyone else have pics of the new 17" wheels they are putting on the GLX now?

 

[rpaller]

Phoenix is right on the name of the 7 split spoke design wheel.

 

[B5_Passat]

There is a picture of the new 17's in the following document:

http://www.pifiu.com/vortex/uploads/052004/MYPassat2005.jpg.doc

 

[Macabre]

Because the Passat was designed before the big wheel fad.

 

[RechtsFahren]

I once went in to a M-B dealership and asked for a 15" wheelcover and they said, 'You're crazy, you only have 14" wheels. They use 15 inchers only on limousines, like the 600."

The M-B 600 weighed close to 6000 pounds, had a 6.3 liter engine, and it got along just fine on 'itty bitty' 15 inch wheels....

Beyond 16 inches wheels are mostly about style. Big wheels are heavy!

 

[00PST]

Very glad I got the GLX cause I do NOT like 15's :lol:

 

[Altair 4]

Probably runs from VW's perception that they are selling a family sedan...

Also, for those of us suffering from limited mod funds, consider this:

195/65-15 OEM Michelin MXV = $109

245/45-17 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S = $179

Prices from tirerack.com.

 

[Joules]

i don't like my tiny little 15s. if i get the 17s, then I have to lower my car too? i don't think i have the funds for all of that. :sad:

 

[pete1]

Because the Passat was designed before the big wheel fad.

And because $25k family-car buyers don't want to pay $800 for 17" all-season radials. :suspicio:

And because they can sell you "VW" aftermarket wheels for $$$. :crazy:

 

[ycharlies]

this way you can have 15/16" shoes for the winter, and your new 18s for the summer. atleast that's my jersey mentality. cant ride 18s in the months of snoooow.

 

[RiverRipper]

this way you can have 15/16" shoes for the winter, and your new 18s for the summer. atleast that's my jersey mentality. cant ride 18s in the months of snoooow.

Exactly...also allows you to run high performance tires during the summer instead of all-seasons if you are running two sets of rims.

 

[Hoop]

Grrr...

Road Americas are now standard on the GLS? They could have at least used a different 16" wheel to differentiate from older GLXs.

 

[HarrisburgJoe]

I may be in the minority, but I love the 15 inchers on my new 04.5. I think they look great, and they're made by BBS. I'm sure glad I got the 4motion with the 5 speed, looks like that's going away already.

 

[A-Tiller-the hun]

2004.5 models come standard now with 16" wheels previously only on glx cars, new glx cars come with those great looking 17" Pheonix(name?) wheels.

that's wrong... i got a 2004.5 GLS with 15" Wellingtons...

 

[A-Tiller-the hun]

family sedan or not... this car warrnats 17's from the factory...

 

[nelamvr6]

I may be in the minority, but I love the 15 inchers on my new 04.5. I think they look great, and they're made by BBS. I'm sure glad I got the 4motion with the 5 speed, looks like that's going away already.

I'm with you, I like them, I wouldn't change them even if I could afford to.

Just a matter of personal taste.

But consider what you'd get as standard on a lot of other brands of cars: crappy steel wheels with plastic hub caps. At least VW is giving us alloy wheels.

 

[mfitz]

I may be in the minority, but I love the 15 inchers on my new 04.5. I think they look great, and they're made by BBS. I'm sure glad I got the 4motion with the 5 speed, looks like that's going away already.

I'm with you, I like them, I wouldn't change them even if I could afford to.

Just a matter of personal taste.

But consider what you'd get as standard on a lot of other brands of cars: crappy steel wheels with plastic hub caps. At least VW is giving us alloy wheels.

speak for yourself, my 98 came with the itty bitty AND crappy 15 inch steel wheels with plastic hubcaps AND a ridiculously tall 195/65 stock tire

 

[A-Tiller-the hun]

only the bottom of the barrel models get steelies and hubcaps anymore...

i didn't think they still made 15" alloys...

i would have been happy with the 16's from the GLX, but ecstatic for the 17's on the W8... :bow: