Replacement wheels
Q My 2003 Audi S3 I have owned for 10 years. During this time I have had the wheels refurbished twice and they now require doing again. The paint just peels off, so I have decided to replace the wheels with those fitted to a 2018 Audi A1 S line – part number 8X0 060 1025BM.
The original wheels on my car are 17in x 7.5in Avus, PCD 5 x 100, ET 32, whereas the wheels on the A1 are the same dimension apart from the ET measurement which is 36. Would you think they would be alright to replace the original wheels?
Also, would you happen to know of any Audi car breakers in the south of England. I have tried on all the online sites and all the car breakers in my area.
Alan Job A The positive offset of the wheel (the ET figure) is one of the most important details and it is vital not to deviate from the original ET figure. The rim diameter and size can be altered, but a change in the offset can cause problems due to the close running proximity of the brake caliper to the inner edge of the wheel.
From the data I have the ET of 36 will cause the tyre to be 14mm closer to suspension components, and the rim to be 4mm closer to suspension components. This is normally acceptable for most vehicles. The tyre will also stick out further by 6mm, again not normally a problem on most vehicles – the one point that may be a setback is that the brake caliper will be closer to the rim, and this could cause problems.
One of the easiest ways to find a breaker who has the parts you require is to use one of the online search engines which connect directly to breaker’s yards.
www.247spares.co.uk, www. partsgateway.co.uk and www.breakeryard. com all perform this service. I would add a warning though that the companies do not take responsibility for the seller’s behaviour, so check out the reviews on any company that offer the goods.
Whilst there are many good companies whom I have personally dealt with.
I have also come across those who are not so straightforward. Unfortunately, it is still a case of let the buyer beware.