As much as I like the simplicity of the stock 15" steelies the Golf comes with...

...I'd like to upgrade. I don't want to upgrade to the 15" AVUS alloys...

...because I want a larger wheel diameter. However, I've never been interested in "bling bling"-grade rims that demand the attention of potential car thieves and their lesser (though no less vile) siblings, car accessory thieves. So, I want to stick with OEM wheels, offered by Volkswagen. The choices, narrowed down after hours of painstakingly Googling and IrfanView-ing my ass off:

Bravo 17"

Long Beach 17"

Montreal 17"

Rave 16"

Reggae 16"

Siata 17"

Tocatta 17"

I like the Bravos, Long Beaches, Montreals, and Tocattas the most. They go for about $200, $195, $155, and $195 respectfully...and that's a non-dealer rate. Therefore, I can expect the rims alone to cost somewhere between $620 and $800 for a set of four. Not including shipping and handling or a father- and common sense-mandated fifth for a spare.

Then there are the tires. Part of the reason why I want to upgrade is to slap on lower-profile tires to lessen the amount of sidewall and increase my traction, so I can't just keep those old Continental Tourings, can I? However, the tire I end up with depends on the rim I choose, and I haven't gotten that far yet. Perusing Tirerack has helped out a lot and I'll probably call Erik who moderates the Wheel and Tire Forum at VWVortex.com if I need further assistance.