Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

They are silly cash. My choice is still Work Meister for same reason...

I’m in this world of pain at the moment with wheel offsets and backspacing.

I need to fill the arches a bit more and also gain some brake clearance so I’m looking at a 7” rim at ET15 (from an ET35)

Aforementioned rich pal has HREs on his M5 daily driver. Amazing wheels. A lot of money.

As someone's who's ignorant about these sorts of things, whats the advantage with more expensive wheels on cars? Is it 99% aesthetics, of is there an aerodynamic/stiffness/weight advantage?

Yep - looks. The 0.1% of the time that anyone needs the 1% advantages of lightness and more rubber to kick in is negligible

Majority is looks, but I’d say you can feel putting 2” of additional width on each tyre.

The accident is much bigger, for example.

100% looks, unless you're racing.

Steels the same dimensions are often lighter. But theres some rigidity /stiffness differences between wheels as well.
Wouldn't take some cheap ebay wheels on a rally stage for example, or tbh even some fast road driving the state of how some are made.

Lighter wheels definitely make a difference. Mostly noticeable on smaller cars though.

On the subject of hre wheels... There's a plain looking grey Passat that lives near work. Lowered by an inch or two and rolling on 19" hre wheels... Transforms the car, looks good.

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Often also practical concerns if you are upgrading other things like brakes, then you need to have wheels which won't foul the calipers.

996 platform was never built with 19’s in mind, but they would solve the brake issue.

The Lobster Claws from the 997 are 19" :)

You've probably already mentioned it before somewhere but what are you building? What is the base engine and who's building it?

Fine line on so many aftermarket components whether they improve looks or not. I think the wrong side of tasteful on this.

Ha. The beer holder.

They might solve the brake issue but for fast road/track would they solve the tyre issue? Would you bet better off with a 17" or 18" with a decent profile tyre?

Not sure.

In other news, set cross-overs at 200 Hertz, will see how that goes.

We may be looking to move our car on.
It’s a ‘64 Reg white golf TSI (dual supercharger, ULEZ compliant, surprisingly cheap insurance, never goes wrong ). Heated seats, all kinds of info-tech as well.
We’re the only owner and we barely use it (think it’s done 15k miles).
It fits a ridiculous amount of stuff in it, and is just so comfortable on long drives- It’s most regular use is to leave at 0400 to get to Devon for a morning surf and you climb out feeling lithe enough to get in some freezing water.
Guess it’s value is around the £12k mark (1k off webuy estimate...)
So yeah, if you’re interested... let’s chat.
We/ I don’t get enough use, and when we start driving again will be looking electric.

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‘Screen and hardtop fitted today. Five fucking hours. A bastard of a job involving straps, jacks, mallets you name. Been putting it off but it is done.

Also trial fitted the roll cage.

Starting to look like an actual racing car now...

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I’ll am a bit worried that I am not going to fit in it.

My update is rather less hirsute.

Behold! Music:

Hirsute?

Nice wiring by the way.

A synonym for manly, which one might suggest motorsport activities to be, and installing amplifiers to be rather less so.

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Hirsute

Hair shirt

I know the word, just don't think it means manly. Just hairy.