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Alright physics and engineering people out there. Aside from looks and price what are the pros and cons of small (14") wheels vs larger wheels. I'm definitely getting new tires and I'm really debating about getting new wheels. I want to know the cold hard facts about wheels and tires and how they affect handling and acceleration. Obviously the larger the wheel, generally the greater the weight. But maybe larger wheels help with accelerating?? Thanks for any help.

 
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yes you're right, the larger the wheel, the more weight. which will add a tiny bit of time to the 1/4 mile, but probaly not that noticable. The wider the wheel, the car will handle better around turns. Ex: 17"x7" will handle better than the stock wheels which i belive are 6.5" wide. And larger wheels look better.[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] that's about all i can think of.

 
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In general, yes, bigger weighs more. There are exceptions, but the HX rims on your car weigh something like 12 lbs... so anything you put on them are going to be heavier unless you have some desire to drop 500 or so on forged rims. Bigger rims will make your car handle better, and will also look better than huge sidewalls on little rims. Find the ones you're interested in, then look them up on www.wheelweights.net The weight gained is the front rims x4 and the back rims x2 (unsprung weight acts like more weight than it is). When you put bigger ones on, you'll also have to deal with the added inertia. The weight of the rim will be concentrated farther from the center of the hub, so it will be harder to get them rolling (the car should still have no problem). If you plan on racing, keep them 17 or smaller, if your going all for looks, 18's or 19's, I don't think dubs will fit.

 
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Thanks for the responses. Very informative! I appreciate it.

 
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for the most part, 16's are a safe bet for light weight, but . this is right. youll be hard pressed to find ones lighter. and when you do theyll be the likes of spoon or buddy club, which each weigh about 8-9 pounds, but if you wnat them, you can get those for $400+. more weight also means longer braking distances.