Okay so I know a lot of you people on here with GTI's and other similar cars like to use steel wheels for your winter tires. But the other day this was taken IMO too far when I saw a BMW 3 series wearing small black steel wheels (presumably with winter tires)... So my question is, why do people do this? There is quite a large selection of non ****ty looking cheap, light alloy wheels out there, for not much more cash then the steel ones. Do people like the poverty spec "i've lost my hubcaps" look or what? Is this just something I'll never understand? I don't want my car to look like utter sh*te for 4-5 months out of the year..
I can buy a set of non-bent steel wheels for like $30 on CL with some looking. For winter, I couldn't give a **** less what wheels I have on my car, and I think people that do are kooks.
In most applications however, I would atleast throw on a set of wheelcovers as I have seen these steel wheels starting to rust after just 2-3 seasons of use. In the Netherlands (where I'm from) it was some sort of a trend to buy winter tires and put them on steel wheels without using wheelcovers so everybody could see that you're the kind of person who has enough money for winter tires. I know it sounds extremely backwards but they actually want you to notice the steel wheels because of this.
The thing is that in the Netherlands almost nobody uses wintertires, and I don't think it's really necessary overthere either. It's not mandatory atleast so it's only the "enthusiasts" that buy them to protect their expensive summer wheels from the 6 grains of salt they might get on them. I'm not sure if it's really a status symbol but it definitely has a "look at me with my steel wheels and notice how I care so much about my car that*I went the extra mile and got some winter tires for it" kinda vibe to it.
Here in Finland everybody has wintertires and we just put hubcaps on them or have a set of dedicated winter alloys for them.
The price of steel wheels is crazy now. I think a 15" steelie is $60 on tirerack and then add $30 for a set of wheel covers. I decided to go with light weight alloys for $99 instead.
I agree with the OP. I have never understood that in this day in age where everyone is plasti -dipping the planet and losing sleep at night what their car looks like during the summer but cant go out and buy a $3 can of spray paint and rattle can the steelies to make it look halfway respectable in the winter. It just makes the car look cheap. Also hard to find factory hubcaps from germany would be something else to consider.
Everyone is not plastidipping.
Everyone does not lose sleep over what their car looks like during the summer or winter.
And why are black steel wheels not respectable?
What color do they need to be in order to be respectable?
I like steel wheels in the winter. They're cheap, they're easy, they don't show dirt, they blend in with the tires. Their functional and honest. I don't think an alloy wheel covered in salt and dirt-caked ice is that much better looking than a nice neutral steel wheel, anyway. Most alloy wheels are bland and generic looking anyway.
I don't think i'm delusional. I think most normal (non TCL) people would agree with me about steel wheels not belonging on nicer cars. And yes, I do think a newer GTI is a nice car.
Most of those cheap alloys look worse than steelies, IMO. You're not fooling anyone with those Fast Wheels. The car looks more poverty spec than a car with steelies. Something you see at a bad used car lot.
You know, I wonder about that. Do you bathe and dress decent before going out? Do you make sure your hair is combed/brushed? Do you wear clothes at any time that are at least close to being in style with your peer group? Do you ever think "Yeah, that looks good" when you buy clothes or get a hair cut, or clean your home (assuming that yo do keep things clean)?
Unless you look like a homeless bum and live like a slob all the time then I daresay that yes, you do indeed care what other people think of you at least part of the time. So why is it wrong when it comes to your car to also at least partly consider what other people might think about it?
I'm another one that doesn't get it. I live in an area where it never snows so we don't need winter tires and steels sell. People seek them out.
They pay almost what a decent set of alloys would cost as well. Dub Felgenwerks is selling repops for what 3-400 now?
I doubt I will ever pay over a grand for a set of bare wheels so I don't consider myself a wheel snob. Just doesn't make sense to me. A set of 15x9 widened Rado steels fetches what a set of Modernlines does :screwy:
I bought a project car that had steels on it and I was going to toss them into the "roller" stack as wheels I use for rolling cars around when they are getting bodywork so I don't have to worry about getting paint and primer on them. A few days later I realized they were rado steels. I sold them and bought some ATS Cups for less than I sold the rado wheels for.
When I bought snow tires for the Prius, I found someone in CA selling OEM wheels for the same price as steelies from Tire Rack. They even had free shipping. No brainer there.
Definitely. I checked Kijiji for any decent 16-17" OEM VW or Audi alloys before I bought ordered my steel wheels. Nothing good was available. I'm happy with the steelies but at the same time, I'm really looking forward to putting the alloys and summer on, especially considering I took delivery of the car with winter tires.
In fact can you even find the last time I posted a picture of that Falcon? It's been years, so hyperbole about it is rather beside the point, isn't it?
1. 'Naked' steel wheels that people think look cool. Reality is the hubcap that you are supposed to put on top of the steel wheel also looks hella crappy and cheap. Naked steel wheels look like you are too cheap to buy hubcaps.
2. People that think a special steel wheel (including but not limited to the "Corrado Steelie") because it was hard to find and unusual, making it more desired than a nice set of alloys. This does not mean the wheel looks good on every VAG model made.
3. Cars that still come with steel wheels, hubcapless.
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