I have a 95 with the steel wheels (i know..they're beyond hideous) and I want to get some good handling. I'm on a limited budget. Should i
1)Save up for some 17" wheels which would help handling some and cosmetics a ton. They're so much money though.
or
2)Go ahead and spend about 200 and get the Rear Sway Bar and Front Strut Bar?
I can't decide what to do?

I don't know what to do--my current wheels are soooo ugly that it's hard to pass on the wheels
But how good will my handling be if I keep the 15's and get the Bars??-- I guess that the real question.
Thanks

 

Get the RSB and FSTB. I have all 3 and believe me these help the most (even more than lowering).
-Cyrus

 

Personally, my vote is for wheels & tires upgrade -(handling & cosmetic improvent). The FSTB; RSB won't even address the cosmetic aspect. When you save some more $, add those later.

(Anyone who races will tell you that the single greatest improvement in handling you can make on any car is in the tires).

Since you mentioned that you want a handling improvement & also humbly admitted your 15" stockers are, shall we say. . .less than stunning, wheels/tires is the most logical improvement you can make.

If you buy right, you don't have to spend a fortune on wheels/tires. There are lots of good deals in the used market - you just have to keep your eyes peeled. I bought my Katana K6 17"s with P235/45 rubber for just over $600. Both were "mint" - wheels & tires had only 500 mi's on them & tires still had the molding nubs on the outside tread blocks!

If you're on a tight budget, this is the way to go.

 

Thanks-
Wheels is what I really want--but I've been having trouble finding some like you did (good price-good condition) I'll just keep my eyes open for a deal and then get the bars later.

 

Where did you get that deal--is the best place to look ebay?--where else should I look?
thanks

 

Private, local sale - found it through www.recycler.com (CA-based weekly want-ad paper). Check the same type of thing in your local area, EBay, and frankly, right here on the .org in the For Sale Forum. You could also place a WTB: (Want To Buy) ad in the For Sale Forum. Verify bolt patterns & offset before buying.

Bolt pattern: 5 x 114.3 or 5 x 4 1/2
Offset: OEM is +40mm (Most people stay within +35mm -> +40mm)

I prefer to buy wheels locally, rather than ship, because you lose so much $ in shipping costs & you don't have a chance to visually inspect the wheels, but if you get good photos from a seller, & you feel like you can trust them, I guess it would be worth shipping for the right deal.

I'll admit - the price/deal I got is the exception rather than the rule, but if you're patient, you can do just as well.

Good luck!

 

Sorry bro but I have to disagree. Tires I agree with you make a HUGE difference in a car's handling (that's why I have Yokos ), but wheels do not. And trust me I have very lightweight 17" wheels and they don't make any difference except I can spin my tires longer
The main reason people buy wheels is for the look, and its an especially large jump from hubs (which I had )
The FSTB and RSB is definitely the way to go, ESPECIALLY if you looking for value for money. Do a search and look in the 4th GEN FAQs, they should answer your questions. And don't get me wrong I think wheels look great and all, and they're definitely in the right direction, the FSTB and RSB are regarded much more as suspension mods then wheels and tires are.
However I also noticed that there's a huge price gap between the two packages you're disputing over. Under $200 vs. $600+. If you have $600, you can buy the FSTB, RSB, CAI, & Y Pipe. This will give you much improved handling and another 20hp. Or if you want to spend that extra $400 on handling mods get aftermarket struts and you will also notice a huge improvement.
But if you're looking for wheels, I don't want to stop you. To each his own.
-Cyrus

 

It is true that wheels and tires will improve handling IF the suspension is ready for them. 17's are normally quite a bit heavier than what you have now and the additional unsprung (not supported by the suspension) weight will offset any advantage you get with the (possably) grippier tires. Not to mention what they can do to your 0 to 60 time but we are talking about handling...

Body roll and flex are the ENEMY of good handling and the FSTB (stops flex) and RSB (stops roll) will address both of these issues. Wheels wont. Your best bet is to compromise for now. Get the bars to stiffen the crappy suspension and put some good 215/60's on your wheels. After this you could/should upgrade your struts (and springs if you want to lower it but you dont need them just for handling). This will make you very happy. It will make the wait to decide on/save up for wheels you want instead of buying some someone else didnt want worth it.

I recently did this upgrade on a '95 GLE (which still has wheels uglier than yours) along with KYB AGX's and H&R's and love it. And I have the same old worn out Michelin X-ONE's with 45,000 miles on them that I had before the upgrade. The LAST thing I am doing to upgrade my suspension (and am saving for now) is wheels. OZ Supperleggera's (17 pounds, lighter than stock) with 235/45-17 Bridgestone Potenza RE950's. I dont plan on going faster than 130 MPH and H-rated tires ride better than Z's because the sidewalls flex a little more.

I don't think anyone who really knows what makes a car handle well would disagree with anything that I have said and I really hope this helps you decide.

Good Luck...

 

yeah do rsb & fstb, those u can feel rims u won't make that much of a difference unless yr tires tread are like completely gone

 

. . .but it seems like you guys are missing a big part of the point, HE DISLIKES HIS WHEELS & wants a cosmetic as well as handling improvement.

Why would he invest $ into brand new rubber to put on wheels that he doesn't like? That was part of his point, remember? If he does that, he's stuck with those wheels for at least another 25k mi.

All I know is I was in the same situation & I chose used wheels & tires (killed two birds with 1 stone). If I had just done replacement tires on my OEM 15" alloys, I would have spent $500+ after all expenses for the tires I considered. I spent just a little more than that & got tires & wheels at the same time.

And, I'll respectfully disagree that a 17" wheel with a 40 or 45 series tire will not substantially improve handling over a 15" wheel shod with the exact same tire in a 60 series sidewall. The same exact car equipped with the lower profile tire will always turn quicker lap times than if equipped w/ the higher profile tire - I'd bet the bank on it.

I do agree, if his suspension is shot, then that would have to be addressed as well, but he made no mention of this.

While all the suggestions made so far are good ones, and all should be done in due time, none of them except wheels addresses the cosmetic issue. The fact is, tires are an item you have no choice but to replace every now and then. If you're at that juncture, and you're looking for an improvement in both looks & handling, then a wheel/tire combo is worth consideration.

If you need time to save up for wheels & tires, buying other suspension components isn't going to put you closer to that goal - quite the opposite.

My .02 cents.