Help! New wheel worries

[Connelly]

Alright so this is my first car & I'm buying my first set of new rims off of my local craigslist.

I found a guy that is selling:

CoreRacing Kobe 5X100 17"
with Yokohama Geolander G900 tires
(P215/55/R17)
The offset is about 40-42.

Are these going to fit?
My initial thought is that they're going to fit but I'm
not 100% sure.

It's also worth noting that I own a 2000 Volkswagen Beetle 1.8T
I've heard that these models have larger brake calipers so I'm not sure.

Thank you so much for your help!

[2004NBTURBOS]

Yup. those ought to bolt right up.

[IndyTom]

Well, the wheels will fit, however the tires are the wrong size!

In a 17 inch rim your beetle requires a 225/45-17 tire.

The tire these wheels come with are 215/55-17.

Here are the differences:

Sidewall : Beetle tire: 4.0 inches New tires: 4.7 inches
Radius : 12.6 inches 13.2 inches
Diameter : 25.0 inches 26.3 inches
Circumference: 78.5 inches 82.7 inches
Revolutions per mile: 808 vs 767

What that means is your speedometer will be off by about 3 1/2 miles per hour. When it shows 60mph you are actually traveling about 63.5 mph.

So technically YES, the wheels and tires will fit but you will have an overall larger diameter wheel which will throw off your speedo a bit. Not sure if the added 1.3 inch diameter will make a difference in clearance. I don't think it will but you may want to install a wheel and see if there is any rubbing from the tire if you turn the wheel.

Good Luck!

[Connelly]

Originally Posted by IndyTom

What that means is your speedometer will be off by about 3 1/2 miles per hour. When it shows 60mph you are actually traveling about 63.5 mph.

That's very interesting! That's super helpful since I always like to push my bug 10km/h over the speed limit! Now it's going to be even more!

Is there anyway I can reconfigure my speedometer myself?
Or do I need to take it to a professional for that?

[2004NBTURBOS]

Not worth it for a difference that small.
Most cars will have a small difference between what the needle states and what a gps or radar gun says.
If your getting a good deal on the rims, figure the tires came free. So run "em till ya need a new set, then get the proper size.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Connelly

That's very interesting! That's super helpful since I always like to push my bug 10km/h over the speed limit! Now it's going to be even more!

Is there anyway I can reconfigure my speedometer myself?
Or do I need to take it to a professional for that?

Sounds like you are in Canada. So in your case it will be 5.5 km higher than what the speedo shows.
I think if you know someone with a Vag com they might be able to adjust the speedo for you. Or you can just compansate and instead of 10km higher than the speed limit you can just go 5km over the speed limit and still be okay.