[PacNWStateofMind]

Has anyone had a chance to actually drive the vehicle on both options of wheels (and would care to share their impressions)?

We had our first test drive this weekend, but every vehicle within 60 miles is a 1st edition and while we are 99% sure we are going to be pursuing an ID4 for our family we really want to do our due diligence and find exactly what we want.

As you all know, the ride was very comfortable and easy to adapt to, but I was surprised that I didn't have the guttural "yes" feeling I was hoping to get, at least in terms of ride feel. We took a spin out for an exit at highway speeds as well as around the neighborhood and the experience was absolutely positive, but if there is a modicum more compliance over the city roads and a noticeable reduction in road noise at high speed it may sway us more towards ordering a Pro S vs. pushing to capture one of the 1st's around for sale (as long as you like the color blue as that seems to be all that is on lots right now).

I appreciate any feedback.

 

[Nai3t]

I can't, not with the ID.4, but based on two of my recent cars I think you'll notice.

But! I can almost certainly guarantee that if you buy a 1st, and offer your 20s for trade, you'll quickly get a taker, and maybe even a little cash in your pocket.

 

[PacNWStateofMind]

I can't, not with the ID.4, but based on two of my recent cars I think you'll notice.

But! I can almost certainly guarantee that if you buy a 1st, and offer your 20s for trade, you'll quickly get a taker, and maybe even a little cash in your pocket.

Yeah, we are leaning towards just pushing for a 1st/ordering a gradient (I like the silver trim and black roof) and either negotiating a wheel swap with the dealer (give us 19s, you can upsell the 20s to someone else, split the upgrade cost -i.e. take $750 off- and give me some sexy mats and we're square) or hunting down a person to person transaction.

 

[Huey52]

I too was in this 19"/20" relative comfort quandary and initially ordered a Pro S without the Gradient to get the 19" rims. At the end of the decision process day I'm typically [sometimes alas] a brain over heart guy.

But as it turned out ... not this time! A fairly short period after my order I saw some Euro photo's of the ID.4 with 20" wheels and I was hooked, soon thereafter adding the Gradient. Then I opted for the 2nd chance FE order with of course 20".

I've driven a fair amount now over our tar-patched/potholed roads and the 20" comfort level is just fine by me and my wife. We find it on par with her Benz GLA 18" wheels in this regard (albeit run-flats in that case), which we thoroughly test drove principally for this factor.

Related: I don't think the US FE's suspension is at all affected by its Sport vs. Comfort settings (lacking hardware?) so I'm now exclusively in Sport.

 

[Nai3t]

I agree with your assessment that the 20s ride fine on this car. The previous two cars I referred to both were harsh on 20s.

But also, I entered the tires of all three cars in a tire comparator, and although these numbers don't tell the whole story, my i3 gained 16% more sidewalk by reducing to 19s, my Flex gained 13%, and the ID.4 gains only 10% with the same 20" to 19" change.

In fact, the Flex and ID.4 run the identical size 19" tires, weigh about the same, and the Flex runs at 36 PSI.

 

[gcrone-wayback]

I test drove two FEs (one at the roadshow event and one at the dealer) and now own a Pro S. From my experience, the 20" wheels had more of a feel similar to how my Fusion drove, it was comfortable but you still felt more of the road than compared to my wife's SUV. My Pro S with 19" wheels feels just like her SUV to me, and that is more of what I was looking for. Both rides were very comfortable, so it just matters if you want more of that SUV/truck tire feel or not.

 

[PacNWStateofMind]

Thanks Huey,
Here's my history.
My first car was a hand-me-down early '90s crown Victoria, so my original baseline for "comfort" is the big, squishy, boat. With that car the vehicle movement was all about body roll and secondary reflections and vibrations. I'm not delusional, and that is not what I am expecting or hunting for here, just putting context to the range of my experience.

For the last 12 years my life has been with my spouse's Toyota matrix (basically a Corolla). It's light, fwd, not exactly nimble, and tiring to drive long distances/on the highway.

I don't need to tell you that the ID4 is worlds better.
It's more than a class above, confident, and direct. The only thing I am still mentally masticating is whether the 19s are going to shift enough of the dials towards my preferred experience (smoother over bumps, quieter on the highway) to make me feel that I have checked all my boxes. (That was way too many metaphors and idiums for one statement, I would have made my English teachers blush).

I'm calling around today to try and get the local dealerships to ping me when their non- first shipments come in.

 

[PacNWStateofMind]

Ok,
So we were lucky enough to be able to get another test drive today, this time closer to home and on the 19"s and what a difference.
The vehicle was suddenly right in the sweet spot of what I was hoping to feel.

So here's my question to the forum:
We really prefer the black roof/silver trim that the gradient package brings - do you think that a dealer will actually negotiate with us on a swap to the 19s for some $ off and throw in the mats and hopefully matching tint in the front windows if we place an order for a gradient? Or are they not going to be motivated by having a spare set of 20s they can upsell to someone else and we're going to have to hunt for someone local who wants a swap after the fact?

Should I shop around that this is what we want to do with the local dealers and see who will agree to it in writing prior to placing the order or just get the process rolling and pursue it only once we are at the OTD negotiation stage?

 

[Nai3t]

Here's the problem as I see it. I don't think the dealer can legally take the 19s off of a new car they have for sale. I believe they're legally obligated to sell what's listed on the Monroney sticker. They can ask the buyer of a car with the 19s if they'd like to trade. How to go about making that happen is going to entail a conversation with the dealer.

 

[Lxtruong]

Ok,
So we were lucky enough to be able to get another test drive today, this time closer to home and on the 19"s and what a difference.
The vehicle was suddenly right in the sweet spot of what I was hoping to feel.

So here's my question to the forum:
We really prefer the black roof/silver trim that the gradient package brings - do you think that a dealer will actually negotiate with us on a swap to the 19s for some $ off and throw in the mats and hopefully matching tint in the front windows if we place an order for a gradient? Or are they not going to be motivated by having a spare set of 20s they can upsell to someone else and we're going to have to hunt for someone local who wants a swap after the fact?

Should I shop around that this is what we want to do with the local dealers and see who will agree to it in writing prior to placing the order or just get the process rolling and pursue it only once we are at the OTD negotiation stage?

Good luck with that. My dealer wouldn't even swap out one type of rubber mat for a different one, so I don't think you'll find many willing to do a whole wheel swap.

 

[PacNWStateofMind]

Here's the problem as I see it. I don't think the dealer can legally take the 19s off of a new car they have for sale. I believe they're legally obligated to sell what's listed on the Monroney sticker. They can ask the buyer of a car with the 19s if they'd like to trade. How to go about making that happen is going to entail a conversation with the dealer.

That makes a bunch of sense... I didn't think of the Maroney sticker implications.

Hmmm... Time for a conversation with my wife

 

[Nai3t]

I think you'd have a better chance putting it out there on the forum and on FB. I'm sure there are more than a few Pro owners who would be happy to drive 500 miles and do all the work while you sit back and drink an iced tea. Not being facetious. I've seen it (well, read it)!

 

[DitchingTheTiguanLol]

That makes a bunch of sense... I didn't think of the Maroney sticker implications.

Hmmm... Time for a conversation with my wife

My wife's Tiguan has upgraded wheels from another Tiguan. That's how it was purchased. No the Maroney sticker doesn't reflect that fact. But such is life.
Did the dealer break the law? I doubt it.

 

[Huey52]

My wife's Benz GLA came with 19" black rims (on Monroney) and we requested 18" silver before it was transferred from one of their other dealerships and they accommodated at no add'l charge (of course they did as the black was a significant cost bearing option).
We may have had to sign something but I really don't remember doing so and don't see any such in my records.

Here's the problem as I see it. I don't think the dealer can legally take the 19s off of a new car they have for sale. I believe they're legally obligated to sell what's listed on the Monroney sticker. They can ask the buyer of a car with the 19s if they'd like to trade. How to go about making that happen is going to entail a conversation with the dealer.

 

[Nai3t]

It's not the installation of the smaller wheels on the purchased car I see as the hang up, but the removal of them from the unsold car.

But I suppose you guys are right, the dealer could add an addendum to the window sticker — they manage to do that with vinyl door protection and VIN etching — and list the 20" wheel as a dealer-installed upgrade on a Pro.

Never hurts to ask.

 

[Huey52]

In my Benz case the dealership may have procured a set of 18" knowing they could easily sell the 19" at least at parity or likely more? Or a relatively small price for them to pay to make a new car sale? 🤷‍♂️ Anyway, it obviously can be done.

 

[krusshall]

Here's the problem as I see it. I don't think the dealer can legally take the 19s off of a new car they have for sale. I believe they're legally obligated to sell what's listed on the Monroney sticker. They can ask the buyer of a car with the 19s if they'd like to trade. How to go about making that happen is going to entail a conversation with the dealer.

I asked the dealer if they could switch identical wheels using different tire brands on identical minivans other than exterior color. I wanted the Michelin over Kumho. The response is we can't/don't do that.

 

[fiehlsport]

Related: I don't think the US FE's suspension is at all affected by its Sport vs. Comfort settings (lacking hardware?) so I'm now exclusively in Sport.

I don't think you're wrong. I looked at the top of my front struts from the frunk and there are no wires going to them, so no computer-control of the body at all. Hopefully that feature gets removed from the software in the next update - it must've been a carryover from the Euro models.

 

[ExCivilian]

I asked the dealer if they could switch identical wheels using different tire brands on identical minivans other than exterior color. I wanted the Michelin over Kumho. The response is we can't/don't do that.

Well of course they "can't" do that.

We're talking about allowing them to uncharge another customer after a FE buyer has already been upcharged--essentially double dipping. VW has always been willing to do that in my experience.

There would probably be a problem if they were trying to sell FEs with 19's but there won't be any legal issues from them "upgrading" a Pro, for example.

There's no incentive for them to do an even swap though.

 

[Electric Driver]

Is the 19 inch also staggered like the 20s? I have the FE with 20s and I'd be interested in switching to 19s assuming they ride softer and has more sidewall from the rims.