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Are Larger Wheels and Tires a Waste of Money? - READ ONLY

59 messages,  Last post on Dec 04, 2008 at 1:23 PM

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Messages Page 3 of 6

#20 of 59 Re: What do you get for the money? [oldfarmer50] by boaz47

Jul 17, 2007 (7:00 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jul 17, 2007 3:16 am)
You would notice the difference but it is much more noticeable if you go from a 16 inch set to a 18 inch set. In my experience the low profile tires will grip better because they don't tend to have much side wall flex. At least they feel more secure if you are using them on a car rather than a truck. But they give a harsher ride as well. They will wear faster but that might be because they tend to be made of a softer compound to provide more grip.

#21 of 59 Do you feel the difference?... by 1racefan

Jul 17, 2007 (7:10 am)

I think it depends on the vehicle.
 
A lot of sports cars have stiffer suspensions to begin with (rougher ride), so going to a smaller sidewall wouldn't make a difference in overall ride quality. The smaller sidewall may help in cornering situations, but I would guess you wouldn't be able to detect a huge difference when hitting bumps during straight line driving.
 
My friends went from 16" to 17" (and smaller side wall) wheels on a Chevy HHR. On this vehicle, you can feel the bumps more during straight line driving with the 17" wheels, and smaller side walls.

#22 of 59 Thanks for the input... by oldfarmer50

Jul 17, 2007 (7:57 am)

I always wondered about that.
 
You see car reviews from time to time that lament "if only this car had sticker tire it would handle better." Perhaps they aren't talking about larger tires or lower profile tires but rather ones with a "sticky" compound in the rubber.

#23 of 59 Re: Thanks for the input... [oldfarmer50] by robertsmx

Jul 17, 2007 (8:17 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jul 17, 2007 7:57 am)
If it is about grip, stickier tires help. Stickiness is a function of the compound the tire is made of. Rim size, on the other hand, can dictate tire profile. If a car is offered with base 16" rims and 17" is offered as an upgrade, latter will result in a lower profile (in an effort to keep the diameter of the tire same). This helps in improving cornering abilities (less sidewall flex).

#24 of 59 Re: Thanks for the input... [robertsmx] by oldfarmer50

Jul 17, 2007 (9:52 am)

Replying to: robertsmx (Jul 17, 2007 8:17 am)
So, the ideal combo would be a low profile tire with a stickier rubber rather than larger wheels?

#25 of 59 Re: Thanks for the input... [oldfarmer50] by robertsmx

Jul 17, 2007 (10:18 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jul 17, 2007 9:52 am)
...and lighter wheels.
 
Although, with wheel size, we must also consider brake rotor diameter.
 
For most part, rims are getting larger mostly for cosmetic purpose. People seem to demand it. Ten years ago, Accord sedan did fine with 14" (DX) and 15" (LX/EX/V6). Now, that would be the size one gets with Fit.
 
Civic has moved on to 15" for the very basic DX trim, while the more mainstream LX/EX get 16". The Si trim gets 17". And if one chooses to go with HFP package, 18" rims.
 
Compare that to the fact that the high performance 2000 Integra Type-R used 15 inch rims.

#26 of 59 Re: Thanks for the input... [robertsmx] by habitat1

Jul 17, 2007 (2:18 pm)

Replying to: robertsmx (Jul 17, 2007 10:18 am)
Compare that to the fact that the high performance 2000 Integra Type-R used 15 inch rims
 
As did the Ferrari 308, if I'm not mistaken.
 
My 1984 Toyota Supra (sport version) came standard with 225/60's on 14" rims. The "L" luxury version had 205/70's on narrower 14" rims.

#27 of 59 Re: Thanks for the input... [habitat1] by robertsmx

Jul 17, 2007 (2:29 pm)

Replying to: habitat1 (Jul 17, 2007 2:18 pm)
When NSX first arrived, it had 15" (front) and 16" (rear) rims. IIRC, when it departed couple of years ago, it was still at 16" (front) and 17" (rear). Now even Civic matches it (and beats it with HFP package).
 
Just wait until we see 19" rims in the next Tiburon. (Rumor is, that will be an option on top of 18" standard rims). I might not even consider it for that reason alone.

#28 of 59 Re: Thanks for the input... [robertsmx] by habitat1

Jul 17, 2007 (2:38 pm)

Replying to: robertsmx (Jul 17, 2007 2:29 pm)
And I was wrong about the Ferrari 308. In 1981, it came standard with 205/70's on 14" wheels!!
 
What a sissy Magnum PI was. Or did he drive a 328?

#29 of 59 What about wheel spin? by oldfarmer50

Jul 18, 2007 (12:07 pm)

Here's a thought. Do the larger wheels limit wheel spin on high power FWD cars? I seem to remember a review of the Chrysler Crossfire a few years back which mentioned that the 19" rear wheels were so big that the motor didn't have enough power to spin the wheels. Would larger wheels control wheel spin on these FWD sport coupes like the new Altima?

Messages Page 3 of 6

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