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Need opinions.. 17's or 18's

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Old 11-21-2004, 01:50 PM
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Need opinions.. 17's or 18's

I'm just trying to figure out if there will really be a big difference if I choose 18's over 17's. If it's a noticeable difference, what kind of difference is it? I'll just be able to feel potholes more, and have a greater chance at poppin a tire? I just put on the Tokico suspension kit with the tokico springs/illumina struts.

Couldn't I just get larger tires to go well with 18's? Looking for as much advice I can get, thanks a lot.

Dan

BTW, the rims I'm looking at getting are Enkie RPM2's:
http://www.streetdreams.org/display....supplier=Enkei
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Old 11-21-2004, 02:41 PM
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IMO, I'd go for 17's and 50 series tires. You'll feel the bumps less and it won't throw off your speedo much. Go with 18's and you will have to go with shorter tires for clearance and speedo accuracy reasons, the bumps will be way more. If all you want is looks, 18's will be the best.
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Old 11-21-2004, 02:50 PM
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With that style wheel, I'd go with an 18. Enkei is a quality name so I wouldn't worry about wheel damage. Unless you have potholes or sewer caps at least a few inches deep, it'll survive.

I think you can run a 45 series on an 18.
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Old 11-21-2004, 03:02 PM
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18's for the road, 15s for the track. my friend's 1/4 mile time went up about .5 of a sec when he changed from his stock 98 wheels to his 18" rotas.
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Old 11-21-2004, 03:12 PM
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i had 17's RSS Kama(looked good but bad quality) so then changed to enkie rs6 18".....i like the 18"s better cause it gives more of a tucked look. I have ground controles with tokico blues
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Old 11-21-2004, 04:51 PM
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It probably depends on the kind of roads you have. Where I live, I wouldn't want 18s with all the potholes. I try to avoid all the potholes that I can but sometimes I hit them. I'm happy with a taller sidewall and my 17s.
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Old 11-21-2004, 05:23 PM
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I had stock 15 on my GXE and i feel a little slower off the line and I barely chirp into second gear like i used to. but passing gears on the highway with my new 17 on 50 series are pretty good, gas mileage is better as well.
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Old 11-21-2004, 05:52 PM
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cough: 19's cough:
Go with the 18's man.
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Old 11-21-2004, 07:21 PM
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Originally Posted by 97WhtSE
cough: 19's cough:
Go with the 18's man.
i say 19s if you are goin for looks. I have 18s on mine and the max is just so big the 18s look like 17s. But if its performance your looking for maybe some light weight 17s or even 16s. Its all personal prefence.
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Old 11-21-2004, 07:27 PM
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Originally Posted by MaximaConvert
18's for the road, 15s for the track. my friend's 1/4 mile time went up about .5 of a sec when he changed from his stock 98 wheels to his 18" rotas.
It was actually .7 secs (9.5's to 10.2's in the 1/8) and they were 99 SE-L's...

the whole reason behind that is my tire size... i'm running on a 245/40 18 whereas i used to be on 225/50-16's... there's a little over an inch difference in height...
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Old 11-21-2004, 07:27 PM
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Looks like I may choose 18's.. I don't know crap about tires though.. can anyone point me in the right direction.

Thanks for the help so far.

Dan
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Old 11-21-2004, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Mad-MAX_SE
It was actually .7 secs (9.5's to 10.2's in the 1/8) and they were 99 SE-L's...

the whole reason behind that is my tire size... i'm running on a 245/40 18 whereas i used to be on 225/50-16's... there's a little over an inch difference in height...

makin me look bad; lol
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Old 11-21-2004, 08:28 PM
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i went with 17x7.5 all the way around. lite wieght and i put some nitto neo gen's on them 225 45 17 put im lowering it as soon as my tein basic dampers get in. adn i love them
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Old 11-21-2004, 08:31 PM
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17s........hell i even like 16s.....but the problem with 16s is u can only find so many tires that will work...17s there are an abondance
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Old 11-21-2004, 08:57 PM
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go 18" with a 245/40/18 tire........i'm on S.Tech's and have never rubbed


now bumpstops......that's another story

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Old 11-21-2004, 09:02 PM
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Sorry for being such a nub, but rubbed what? The tire and the part of the car above the tire? Is that why on larger tires it seem sas though there's so much less tire?

Originally Posted by A Flood99
go 18" with a 245/40/18 tire........i'm on S.Tech's and have never rubbed


now bumpstops......that's another story

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Old 11-21-2004, 09:05 PM
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i have 17". im going for 18's next. Like a fiend told me, "You dont want to be caught rolling on minors"
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Old 11-21-2004, 11:11 PM
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Go with 18's
had 17's, too small on the max
had 19's, look great but not worth the ride
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Old 11-22-2004, 03:44 AM
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if you're going all show -- get the biggest rims u can fit... if you still want some go, get 17's
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Old 11-22-2004, 07:21 AM
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For Looks=18
For performance=light 17's
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Old 11-22-2004, 09:44 AM
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I prefer staying with the 17's because when it comes to tires replacement they are still cheaper then the 18's or 19's but that just my opinion, good luck with your decision
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Old 11-22-2004, 10:55 AM
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17's i think ride better but 18's look better only if they have a lip.
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Old 11-22-2004, 03:03 PM
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i got 17s, 235/45 on Konig Imagines, 45lbs ... i have bad gas mileage, wonder if my wheels and tire size are the reason?
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Old 11-29-2004, 08:55 AM
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I just picked up a set of 2k SE wheels and tires over the weekend and I love um!



More photos in my cardomain page.
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Old 11-29-2004, 09:27 AM
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I have 17"s but wish I would have gotten 18"s... I know 18s kill performance but they look sooooo good.
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Old 11-29-2004, 09:52 AM
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I have 18's and i can still burn my tires into second. I bought the car with these 18's on it though, and i'd definitely rather switch to 17's for ride quality, plus i'm all about performance not show, I know 15's are better in the 1/4 but i think 17's give you the best balance of handling and Performance, although in a recenty motortrend (i believe) study where they tested tire sizes 15-19 the 18's performed the best overall and this was on an acura rsx. The track 1/4 time with the 18's was within .2 seconds of the 17's but the autocross time was way better (don't remember how much) with the 18's. I know from personal experience that this max GXE with 18's outhandles the hell out of my SE max with stock 15's and is faster (but its a 5 speed whereas the se was an auto). Hope that info helps, to confuses you more lol.
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Old 11-29-2004, 09:58 AM
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Since going up to 17s, I noticed that my car has been able to get up to fwy speeds quicker than when I had 16s. I guess because of the diameter of the wheel/tire combo which covers more ground at one full turn. So one might think, bigger is better performance/looks. But then there's the factor of weight. I think when you go bigger than 18s, that's where the weight factor goes against you. There are many lightweight 18s in the market, only they aren't cheap.

Originally Posted by TonyGotSkilz
I have 18's and i can still burn my tires into second. I bought the car with these 18's on it though, and i'd definitely rather switch to 17's for ride quality, plus i'm all about performance not show, I know 15's are better in the 1/4 but i think 17's give you the best balance of handling and Performance, although in a recenty motortrend (i believe) study where they tested tire sizes 15-19 the 18's performed the best overall and this was on an acura rsx. The track 1/4 time with the 18's was within .2 seconds of the 17's but the autocross time was way better (don't remember how much) with the 18's. I know from personal experience that this max GXE with 18's outhandles the hell out of my SE max with stock 15's and is faster (but its a 5 speed whereas the se was an auto). Hope that info helps, to confuses you more lol.
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