[akhilesh51]

The Indian roads have increasingly gained a legendary reputation when it comes to roads - BAD ROADS!

Forget the french riviera or the Autobahns, one hour on these roads will be the most memorable, and adventurous moment of your life.

Where do we start - stripped tar patches, cavernous potholes, wandering cattle and dogs, errant bus drivers, slushy monsoon shower - It is the perfect recipe for ADVENTURE.

And we are not the only ones suffering, the worst beating goes to the humble treads on our vehicles. My Jetta too was just not made for life in India. Cruising happily on the German bahns living a merry life of big beer mugs and sweet bavarian maids and suddenly it was transported to the fury and sweat of Indian roads.

Could it cope up? NO.

Its treads gave up before its warranty was due. The damage was beyond repair. If anyone ever tells you that Alloy wheel can't be bent, bring them over to me and i'll show them bends enough to send neck-bursting jerks.

Like any other Indian, I am also a firm follower of JUGAAD and continued to patch them till one day we were stranded with family in the middle of a road, miles away from civilization, with stripped tyre. Did an immediate SOS to dealer only to be told that the problem lied with my alloys and not the tyres.

Okay, so how much would it cost to change the rims ? INR 25,000. PER PIECE !

Obviously, I had heard that Rims which are twice the strength of German OEM sell a set for the cost of a single VW rim so here began the search.

A lot was yet to unfold for an alloy novice because those numbers just didn't make any sense to me. 205/55/R16 PCD:112.5 6.5Jx5 WTH!!!

A bit more research led me to conclusion that as far as rims are concerned there were three factors to consider:
RIM diameter
PCD Value
And the final set of digit (6.5Jx5)

But guess there wasn't an end to my confusion so soon. Apparently most Indian manufacturers only make 100PCD & 108PCD rims.

SO, here I am at the mercy of my dear fellow bhpians...

I desperately need alloys for my VW Jetta with following considerations

1. Rim Diameter - 16inch
2. PCD - 112.5
3. 6.5Jx5 (wht does this mean, anyways)
4. Good strength allow composition
5. Known brand with possible warranty against bends / cracks
6. Sober designs.
7. Budget upto 30K (including delivery to Jaipur)

[GTO]

Originally Posted by akhilesh51

Its treads gave up before its warranty was due. The damage was beyond repair. If anyone ever tells you that Alloy wheel can't be bent, bring them over to me and i'll show them bends enough to send neck-bursting jerks.

Were your tyres imports? Continentals by any chance?

A bit more research led me to conclusion that as far as rims are concerned there were three factors to consider:
RIM diameter
PCD Value
And the final set of digit (6.5Jx5)

Weight (the lighter, the better) along with offset (Link to thread) too.

1. Rim Diameter - 16inch
2. PCD - 112.5
3. 6.5Jx5 (wht does this mean, anyways)
4. Good strength allow composition
5. Known brand with possible warranty against bends / cracks
6. Sober designs.
7. Budget upto 30K (including delivery to Jaipur)

It won't be too difficult finding designs as the Octavia also had a 5 hole 112.5 PCD. The brand that meets all your requirements, including price, is Lenso. Good quality and very popular in India. Check them out. Alternatively, if you find a pair of used vRS wheels, quite nothing like it. They will look absolutely fab on the Jetta.

[BANDHAV]

Originally Posted by GTO

It won't be too difficult finding designs as the Octavia also had a 5 hole 112.5 PCD.

Octavia's rim specification is 5 lugX100 PCD, though Laura, Merc, and Audi all have 5X112.5 specification rims.

You can try contacting Sai Mag wheels of Delhi, I think that they can help you in sourcing a set of your choice that too within your budget.

[akhilesh51]

Originally Posted by GTO

Were your tyres imports? Continentals by any chance?

The brand that meets all your requirements, including price, is Lenso. Good quality and very popular in India. Check them out. Alternatively, if you find a pair of used vRS wheels, quite nothing like it. They will look absolutely fab on the Jetta.

No, Goodyear. I have had too many bad experiences with Goodyear and this just compliments my attitude towards the brand.

Originally Posted by BANDHAV

Octavia's rim specification is 5 lugX100 PCD, though Laura, Merc, and Audi all have 5X112.5 specification rims.

You can try contacting Sai Mag wheels of Delhi, I think that they can help you in sourcing a set of your choice that too within your budget.

I too have been told to look for Laura Alloys. I have heard of Sai, do they supply good strength stuff?

[BANDHAV]

^^Numerous members have bought alloys for their cars from them, and I am yet to see any bad reviews. They are also listed in Team-bhp directory, here is the link http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/delhi-...rial-area.html

[akhilesh51]

Guys, Thanks a million for your help.

My Jetta is now sporting new stuff on the treads and by the way of it, I tihnk my car likes its new possession.

I was in Delhi for some personal work yesterday and thought of tackling the issue head-on after I finished my commitments. I had already had a chat with people at Sai Mag and BK Tyres.

Apparently, the size I was looking for was not available at Sai and was on a 45 day waiting and BK had a set in stock so BK it was for the upgrade.

Reached there around 3 and had already communicated to Jitesh to keep the RIMS ready and boy, I was not disappointed. Rims arrived within 10 mins of my arrival and they looked brilliant.

Installation took much more ime than I would have liked due to absence of Pneumatic tools and multi-wheel jack (I gather it is a legal complication) but nonetheless Jeetu has helpful and tried to accomodate us comfortably in his shop as he went along to get the job done.

Little about the alloys. These are 16" stock size BSA make (I know, I should have gone for better brands but we were in dire need and there was no other option) and I was quoted INR 18,000 for a set of 4 before approaching the shop on phone.

After the job, Jitesh charged me INR17,500 which was perceived as a great gesture by me. Kinda makes me an admirer of the professionalism exuded by them. My only gripe was the lack of documentary proof for the purchase. No Bill, No estimate, Nothing.

Anyways, all is well that ends well.

Now I want help on some things:

1. How is BSA?
2. Is the price OKAY?
3. Last night, when coming back to Jaipur, I noticed heavy sounds from the wheel. Could this be due to alloy or is it something to do with the bearings. Felt it grow whenever I braked.
4. Will these wheels bear the brunt of Indian roads?


* This image is indicative and was supplied ny Jitesh. I am yet to take pictures of my car.

[BANDHAV]

If I were in your place, I would have never opted for these rims. These multi-pcd rims will not suit the character of a car like Jetta.

[abhieagle]

Hi,
I'm hoping to get my new Jetta TDI CL sometime next week and thinking about changing the stock Good Year NCT 5s.
However,considering that I rarely drive over 120 km/h on highways and am a relaxed driver in the city too , not sure if I would need to change the tyres.
The Michelin Primacy LC look like a good option which seem to provide better grip and probably a more comfortable ride.
Now, the questions:
1- Should I change the NCT5s , considering my driving style?
2-Would I see a major difference with the Michelins? Any things to watch out for if going for the Michelins?
3- Any other tyre I should consider? I want a comfortable ride with confidence to drive in the hills and the occasional gravel side road to reach that out-of-the-way resort.

Thanks
Abhi

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by abhieagle

Hi,
I'm hoping to get my new Jetta TDI CL sometime next week and thinking about changing the stock Good Year NCT 5s.
However,considering that I rarely drive over 120 km/h on highways and am a relaxed driver in the city too , not sure if I would need to change the tyres.
The Michelin Primacy LC look like a good option which seem to provide better grip and probably a more comfortable ride.
Now, the questions:
1- Should I change the NCT5s , considering my driving style?
2-Would I see a major difference with the Michelins? Any things to watch out for if going for the Michelins?
3- Any other tyre I should consider? I want a comfortable ride with confidence to drive in the hills and the occasional gravel side road to reach that out-of-the-way resort.

Thanks
Abhi

COngrats on your new car!

Goodyear NCT5s are age old tyres and have been around for almost a decade. Much better tyres are available in the market today. Michelin Primacy LC's have become quite popular in the 15 ~ 16" range. I've got 16" PLCs on my Laura which has done about 35k kms. These PLCs are really good. THey perform really well at slow as well as high speeds. Grip is great as is the comfort and road noise. Tyre life also seems to be good. I expect my set to do atleast 50k kms.

Goodyears tend to become hard after about 10k kms and they are also known to be noisy. For your style of driving, Michelins will give you a better ride comfort and a more silent ride compared to the GYs. Better grip is always welcome even though you don't claim to be a fast driver. The GY NCTs are a poor choice of tyre for cars like the Jetta, Superb and Laura. They must be getting them really cheap, for them to be selecting them for good cars like these.

There is a general perception that Michelins are delicate. I've got Michelins on four of my cars and the puncture/ damage rate has been better than other make of tyres. Although I must mention that I do take car of my cars and drive carefully over bad roads and try to avoid driving fast over potholes etc...

[veedub89]

I have a Jetta which is running on the stock Goodyear tyres so believe me when I tell you this, these tyres are screamers!!
So much so that after a 100-110 kph the tyre noise drowns out the engine noise. Even in the city these stock tyres have a lot of noise.
So my suggestion would be to change them as soon as you get the car so as to get a good exchange price on the new set of tyres. The Michelins are great. The other option could be the Yokohamas but I am not too sure about their performance.

[abhieagle]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

COngrats on your new car!

Thanks Santosh! I'm really excited about the upgrade.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

There is a general perception that Michelins are delicate. I've got Michelins on four of my cars and the puncture/ damage rate has been better than other make of tyres. Although I must mention that I do take car of my cars and drive carefully over bad roads and try to avoid driving fast over potholes etc...

That surely helps getting closer to finalizing on the PLCs. However, they can take the occasional bump, right? I remember driving to Tirupati and I completely missed spotting a small but deep pothole bang in the middle of the highway and hit it at around 70. This was with the stock Bridgestones on my Accent a few years back and we came away with no visible damage. Of course these were not tubeless.

Originally Posted by veedub89

I have a Jetta which is running on the stock Goodyear tyres so believe me when I tell you this, these tyres are screamers!!
So much so that after a 100-110 kph the tyre noise drowns out the engine noise. Even in the city these stock tyres have a lot of noise.

Wow, drowning out engine noise @ 100! Seems like I'll have to let the NCT5s go. Thanks for pointing out the noise levels in a way that really puts it in perspective.

Just wondering, since the spare on the Jetta is not an alloy, but a steel rim, in case of a flat, I would anyways use it only to get to the next 'puncher shop' and switch back to the regulars there. In this case, would you think I could get away with replacing only the 4 tyres instead of all 5. i.e leave the NCT5 on the spare?

Now i'll have spend a bit of time tomorrow to look around to see where I can get a good deal on the PLCs. I live near Richmond circle and spotted a 'tyre shop' on the LB rd/Langford road crossing. Can't recall the name just now.It's beside the KTM showroom there. Anyone's done business with these guys? Do they generally provide good prices?

On a slightly off note, do these regular roadside 'puncher shops' have the skill to fix tubeless tyres?

Abhi

[veedub89]

Originally Posted by abhieagle

Wow, drowning out engine noise @ 100! Seems like I'll have to let the NCT5s go. Thanks for pointing out the noise levels in a way that really puts it in perspective.

Just wondering, since the spare on the Jetta is not an alloy, but a steel rim, in case of a flat, I would anyways use it only to get to the next 'puncher shop' and switch back to the regulars there. In this case, would you think I could get away with replacing only the 4 tyres instead of all 5. i.e leave the NCT5 on the spare?

Now i'll have spend a bit of time tomorrow to look around to see where I can get a good deal on the PLCs. I live near Richmond circle and spotted a 'tyre shop' on the LB rd/Langford road crossing. Can't recall the name just now.It's beside the KTM showroom there. Anyone's done business with these guys? Do they generally provide good prices?

On a slightly off note, do these regular roadside 'puncher shops' have the skill to fix tubeless tyres?

Abhi

Well my Jetta is the older generation one (MK5) so I dunno how to go about the whole spare being just a rim situation. I guess it should be ok for you to get just 4 new tyres.
There is an authorized Michelin store in HSR layout but that I guess that would be far you. I only mention this because I had bought tyres from them when I was staying in Bangalore and got real good service. But I am sure there must be others. I think Koramangala has one as well. Not sure though.
The roadside 'puncher shops' can fix a tubeless but they won't be particularly good at it.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by abhieagle

That surely helps getting closer to finalizing on the PLCs. However, they can take the occasional bump, right? I remember driving to Tirupati and I completely missed spotting a small but deep pothole bang in the middle of the highway and hit it at around 70. This was with the stock Bridgestones on my Accent a few years back and we came away with no visible damage. Of course these were not tubeless.

Of course they can. I sure haven't babied my car for the past 34k kms. There have been numerous occasions where I have thudded through some nasty potholes. Just be a bit more careful than you would with high profile tyres and steel rims. You gotta protect those alloys too.

Originally Posted by abhieagle

Just wondering, since the spare on the Jetta is not an alloy, but a steel rim, in case of a flat, I would anyways use it only to get to the next 'puncher shop' and switch back to the regulars there. In this case, would you think I could get away with replacing only the 4 tyres instead of all 5. i.e leave the NCT5 on the spare?

I'd suggest get rid of all 5 NCTs and get 5 new tyres of the same make. That way if, during mid way through the tyre life if one tyre gets a nasty puncture or a cut, you can keep that as the spare and use it in emergencies only. If this were to happen with an NCT as a spare, then you'd be forced to either buy a new tyre or run three Michelins and one GY. Either situations is not good for having a perfect wheel alignment.

[abhieagle]

I visited one of the Michelin dealers as well as another store. Both don't seem to have PLCs in stock, but offered me MXV8s instead. Total difference with buyback of NCT5s works out to around 6k per tire.
Does it make sense to go for the MXV8s at this price?
The other options offered (with exchange)were:
Conti CPC2 (different store): 5.5k/tire
Pirelli P7: : 4.5k/tire
Yoko AR01 3.4k/tire

I'm thinking the prices quoted might be on the higher side? What do you guys think? I'm being offered 4k for the NCT5s, except for the CPC2 dealer who was offering 4.5k.
Also, contemplating maybe running the NCT5s for some time before I decide what I don't like about them and then pick the alternative to handle the exact issues with the NCT5s
Abhi

[Santoshbhat]

MXV8s are one genration older than the PLCs. I thought the PLCs were supposed to replace the MXV8s. If I were you, I'd try to source PLCs from some other stores. If you do decide to go for the MXV8s make sure you check the month and year of manufacture, just to make sure that you are not being handed over very old stock.

As per changemytyre.com , a new 16" NCT costs about 7,700/- , so you decide whether it is a fair price. Your only real option is to get quotes from various dealers and go with the one that gives you the best overall deal.

If you run the NCTs for a few 100 kms then you are going to knock off a big chunk from its buyback value as it will then be deemed as "used tyres". If you decide to swap, do it immediately after taking delivery of your car.

Good luck!

Edit : Generally most new tyres perform well in the first 5 to 10k kms. Its only after this period that issues like high road noise, uneven wear, hard ride, poor grip etc... start to surface.