18" wheels will cost you 5+ mpg!

PeterPiper

New member
Joined
May 21, 2018
Location
Abbotsford, BC
TDI
Jetta 2010 Malone Stage 2
LOTS of us appreciate the better look of 18" wheels over the stock 16" - however be warned - you will pay an ongoing price!!
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
Sure. I ran some 245/45/17" for a while that were OEM on the 1.8T wagon and soon switched to the OEM TDI 195/65/15 and picked up a few mpg in the gasser car. The wide(r) low profile/higher rolling resistance tires certainly have a negative impact on the fuel mileage.
They were nice looking tires/wheels so I saved them to put back on when I sold the wagon.
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Sure. I ran some 245/45/17" for a while that were OEM on the 1.8T wagon and soon switched to the OEM TDI 195/65/15 and picked up a few mpg in the gasser car. The wide(r) low profile/higher rolling resistance tires certainly have a negative impact on the fuel mileage.
They were nice looking tires/wheels so I saved them to put back on when I sold the wagon.

Just for what it's worth, if you change wheels and tires to a different size from original it will throw out your odometer reading.

So when you think your Mpg has improved it probably did not!:rolleyes:


I too changed from my stock 235x45x18" tires to 235x55x18" tires. I need some more heights for my winter living in Mexico. I do know that now my speedometer reads bang on compared to a GPS reading, but I also know that the odometer reading now is off. Sadly I do not know if it is to the better or the worse.
 

turbovan+tdi

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Location
Abbotsford, BC.
TDI
2003 TDI 2.0L ALH, auto, silver wagon, lowered, Colt stage 2 cam, ported head,205 injectors, 1756 turbo, Malone 2.0, 3" exhaust, 18" BBS RC GLI rims. 2004 blue GSW TDI, 5 speed, lowered, GLI BBS wheels painted black, Malone stage 2, Aerotur
I've ran 15's thru 18's on my wagon, currently running GLI wheels and MPG never changed. :D
 

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
I have 19's on the Beetle and it gets great mileage.

The tires are a bit harder rubber to last for 50,000 kms so maybe that helps and the rims are fancy roll formed BBS's that are light. Odometer should be really close with 15's or bigger so long as the overall diameter is close between wheel sets. Not all tires are equal in size when they say they are. best to measure them before buying.

The real killer on the mileage is the trailer! Drops to about 30 mpg.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
I've ran 15's thru 18's on my wagon, currently running GLI wheels and MPG never changed. :D

Exactly the same for me, ran the 18's a lot but now gone back to the 15 avus wheels, can't say I've noticed any changed other than a bit more comfort.
 

Demo3

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2013
Location
Longmont CO
TDI
2015 TDI Golf Sportwagen
Just for what it's worth, if you change wheels and tires to a different size from original it will throw out your odometer reading.

So when you think your Mpg has improved it probably did not!:rolleyes:


I too changed from my stock 235x45x18" tires to 235x55x18" tires. I need some more heights for my winter living in Mexico. I do know that now my speedometer reads bang on compared to a GPS reading, but I also know that the odometer reading now is off. Sadly I do not know if it is to the better or the worse.
Your speedometer will read 70mph but you actually going 65.41mph.
You can see exactly how changing tires affects the electronics on your car by using something like this. http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/tire-wheel-gearing-calculator.htm
 
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