Scraping the nose on driveways : (

[bluey]

Our driveway is a normal one - not particularly steep or tall at all, small step up from the gutter (measures 50mm). No other car has ever scraped its nose on the driveway, but Polo does. Also scrapes reversing out at snails pace. Also scrapes on shopping centre driveway. No problems with various speed bumps.

Ground clearance to the under-nose black plastic air dam is 155mm. Clearance to painted chin is 215mm.

So the 185/60 R15 tyres are probably about 578-580mm diameter, whereas the 215/40 R17 are probably 608-610mm (Continental doesn't provide specs but got from another manufacturer). If the suspension is the same, then there could be 15mm more ground clearance in the Sport pack or GTI. If the suspension is lowered for those, then they might be the same.

Interested to know the nose clearance (esp to black under-nose air dam) of Polos with 17inch wheels.

[Guest001]

Just drive across on a bit of an angle and it wont scrape as much. Our standard one rubs the rear mudflaps on gutters when exiting shopping centre More so if a couple of slabs in the boot LOL

[Umai Naa!!]

Yep, as above.

Hit it with one front wheel at a time.

[awdmoke]

The wife has partially detached the lip three times on shopping centre car park kerbs.
It just clips in and is held by a few aluminium rivets.
I drilled out the rivets & secured it with panel screws. Easy to repair then.

Unfortunately she seems to have lost it altogether now, so looking at an aftermarket alternative.

[Guest001]

The wife has partially detached the lip three times on shopping centre car park kerbs.
It just clips in and is held by a few aluminium rivets.
I drilled out the rivets & secured it with panel screws. Easy to repair then.

Unfortunately she seems to have lost it altogether now, so looking at an aftermarket alternative.

Needs a stern talking to. Mine did it twice, wont do it again. Car is small enough that it doesnt need to be driven right up to the stops in a park. It is unfortunately low enough that the lip on the undertray hits on the higher ones.

[bluey]

Not sure there is an aftermarket alternative, apart from a chin spoiler. A chin spoiler would hit the ground more but work better aerodynamically.

When we are up for new tyres, planning to upsize a bit. 205/50 R15 should fit on the 6x15 wheels and increase the diameter a few mm to 589mm. Alternatively the 17inch wheels with 215/40R17 tyres should be about 608mm, so maybe 10-15mm more ground clearance over stock 185/60 R15. (Cant find a diameter spec for the standard Conti's.)

[bluey]

Unfortunately she seems to have lost it altogether now, so looking at an aftermarket alternative.

According to this thread, the genuine part could be not much more than $60.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f128/plastic-lip-under-lower-front-bumper-62885.html

I see you are already looking for a spoiler with better aero. Google "Polo front bumper lip spoiler". the problem is that there may be shape variations between 6R and 6C and GTIs or both models.

See for example:
VW Polo Mk 4 AutoTechnics

[kaanage]

So the 185/60 R15 tyres are probably about 578-580mm diameter, whereas the 215/40 R17 are probably 608-610mm (Continental doesn't provide specs but got from another manufacturer)

When we are up for new tyres, planning to upsize a bit. 205/50 R15 should fit on the 6x15 wheels and increase the diameter a few mm to 589mm. Alternatively the 17inch wheels with 215/40R17 tyres should be about 608mm, so maybe 10-15mm more ground clearance over stock 185/60 R15. (Cant find a diameter spec for the standard Conti's.)

Are you sure your stock tyres are 185/60R15? The older 9N3's had stock tyres of 185/60R14

185/60R15 have a diameter of 603mm while 185/60R14 are 578mm.
And 205/50R15 are 586mm while the other 15" stock option for the Polo is 195/55R15 has a diameter of 596mm.
215/40R17 are 604mm.

Tirerack and 1010tires have calculators that will give you the sizings (all the different brands won't vary much)

[bluey]

The brochure spec is the same as the real tyres. 185/60 R15 is standard. Our late 9N3 2008 had 195/55R15 standard. So looks like changing tyres won't make any difference.

[kaanage]

Ah. So they changed the standard model tyre sizing with the update.

I knew the older Comfortlines came with the same tyres as my 9N3 TDi (195/55R15) and the Trendline came with 175/70R14.

You won't be able to get significantly more clearance without breaking the law on rolling diameter changes or else by raising the suspension - VWs seem to have a long front overhang as our Golf scrapes on parking barriers too

[bluey]

VWs have had well filled wheel arches for a long time. I wonder if the apparently low approach angle caused by the low airdam under the nose is a feature of trying to optimise aero for autobahns.

[Guest001]

Not sure there is an aftermarket alternative, apart from a chin spoiler. A chin spoiler would hit the ground more but work better aerodynamically.

When we are up for new tyres, planning to upsize a bit. 205/50 R15 should fit on the 6x15 wheels and increase the diameter a few mm to 589mm. Alternatively the 17inch wheels with 215/40R17 tyres should be about 608mm, so maybe 10-15mm more ground clearance over stock 185/60 R15. (Cant find a diameter spec for the standard Conti's.)

Work out sizes here

Custom rims, wheel tire packages for your ride - RIMSnTIRES.com