Steve777

iTrader: (8)

Why do Subaru fit 17" wheels to there cars when everyone wants at least 18's

All UK models except the UK300 come with 17's

I've heard it is something to do with snow chain regs in the EU? Also with Brembo's I've heard that there is only certain 18's that fit

I just think its a rip off so that you have to spend another grand

What do you lot think ??



[Edited by Steve777 - 12/16/2002 9:41:26 PM]

naturbo2000

I think this thread is even more ridiculous than the "I hate my STi7" ones...

Chip

Most guys would want an extra inch wouldnt they.

Chip.

Steve777

iTrader: (8)

Don't be ridiculous, I like my Scooby just think that they should all come with 18's.

It's time Subaru woke up to it thats all

Knight Rider

Well that list could go on for ever.....

Why don´t Subaru offer a proper spoiler for the WRX?
Why don´t Subaru offer a proper spoiler as standard for the WRX?
Why don´t Subaru offer Brembo brakes as standard?
Why don´t Subaru offer gaugepod as standard?
Why don´t Subaru offer FMIC as standard?
And why is the WRX only 218 bhp?

And why hasn´t Kylie Minogue returned any of my calls?

Tone Loc

iTrader: (1)

I too would like 18" as standard............. as well as Ledas, FMIC, programmable ecu, water injection, AP brakes and clutch, decat exhaust, equal length headers, a £1500 ICE install etc. For god's sake Subaru wake up......

Tony.

Steve777

iTrader: (8)

Nice one Tone, every concievable mod should be standard and for 20K

Phil

Rear Wiper on a UK spec Saloon

Phil

Steve777

iTrader: (8)

Sooner have DCCD button as standard.

Anyway this thread was about having decent 18" wheels on the car not every other mod in the book

Lets face it standard 17's are really pretty aren't they ? apart from when its a special edition and that one reason to put 18's on. The Uk300 is the only one to come standard and thats cos it wnet thorugh Proddrive first

Diesel

Truth is they all handle and ride better on 16" wheels. Sometimes I hate the laws of physics

bug-eyed wonder

What a load of bollox!

00 with 16s so everyone goes to 17s. 01 with 17s and up we go to 18s. Half the fun/pain of these cars is that we want to upgrade as much as we can afford.
If they came as standard with all the bits added for the same price WTF would we spend/waste our money on?

FASTER MIKE!!

beer

Stupid Questions

Steve, what planet are you from?

"I think everyone really wants 18's" WTF get a life...

I suppose you agree with the ads selling cleaning fluids and toilet roll, being the most important things to worry about in life.

Go join your friends at the Max Power parade.
[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Steve777

iTrader: (8)

Look I've had cars on 16's,17's & 18's and the 18's Oz's are far better. The only way 16's would be better was if they were being compared to wheels weighing half a ton .The lighter the wheel the easier it is to drive them

I guess if they put 18's on the everyone would then want 19's. Still think its a subaru rip off. I mean it would probably not cost them anything as they will get huge discounts anyway

midlife-crisis-scooby

FASTER MIKE

If you had larger wheels your spoiler would be a serious hazard to low flying aircraft.

As it is the expeled air from dump valve has hospitalized many OAP's.

Serious question now from a tart....I was at TSL having lowered suspension last weekend and I asked about 18" wheels (next mod) and they said that the total size of the wheel/tyre does not change just that the wheel gets bigger and the tyre gets smaller!!

Is this about right !!

Midlife....

rich uk300

and your car goes slower

Steve777

iTrader: (8)

Yeah not far off. Weight still has an effect.

I think it is called the gyroscopic effect.

20years since I've been to school. LOL

FASTER MIKE!!

faster top speed slower acceleration techincally

johnfelstead

not if you size the tyres right!

the bigger the wheel, the smaller the sidewall profile to give the same rolling radius.

If you go to bigger wheels, the ride quality suffers due to a lack of movement in the sidewall of the tyre, but response can improve in the dry. You will get less grip on a rough road and posibly in the wet. This is why gravel rally tyres are fitted to 16" wheels with big sidewalls, whilst tarmac rally tyres are 18" and small sidewalls.

you dont get something for nothing.

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Rear wash wipe all they rest you do because you make it your own

Tony

FASTER MIKE!!

what happens if you go from a 15inch (early classic) to a 18
argument mode on
would this not change things?

rich uk300

surely the revolution of the 15" compared to the 18" wheel would enable you to accelerate faster?

midlife-crisis-scooby

FASTER MIKE

18" wheels slower off the mark then. Big wheels equals beaten by the Mondeo's at lights !

MY02 Fugly struggling to keep up with classics on meets !! how about me putting on old minilite 12" wheels from my first mini van(brown, hand painted, MBT 135F registration...... how old is that ??) fitted with crossply remoulds to keep up.

Midlife.....

BOB.T

That's superbikes Car suffer more from excessive unsprung weight. To be honest I don't think you notice much difference between a 17" and an 18", except in the price of tyres If any diffrence was noticed it would mainly be due to the tyres, as JF has mentioned.

FASTER MIKE!!

rich thats my twisted point

Tim Caddick

I'm sure I saw a thread similar to this during the past 18 months - Someone took the trouble of asking Prodrive their opinion, & despite them having larger wheels on their product list, 16" was considered the optimum diameter with regards to overall performance & handling, which, don't forget, is the reason why most people buy this type of car. If Imprezas came with 18/19/20 inch wheels as standard, it would be guaranteed that they'd get slated in the press for poor ride quality & being over-tyred. I've seen magazines write cars off for that (XKR being one example).

Toonman1

The 02 WRX dem car I tried had 18" rims. They just seemed to make it tramline more. I stayed with the 17" rims.

jeremy

Tim,

Actually Mike Wood of prodrive wrote that (at least for the P1) that the Impreza handled best on 18's. Why he would feel this way is a big question, because I too believe in the smaller wheel higher profile tire concept?????

ed_the_duck

fookin ell two pages on wheels!!! bttt.

well for those who are not in the know...... if you change the rolling radius of your wheels you in affect change the gearing. if the overall size is bigger (wheel and tyre profile together)your acceleration looses and your top end gains and for smaller wheel is the other way round.....the profile of a tyre is worked out as a percentage of the width. for example 205/50/16s the profile will be 50% of 205 to fit a 16" rim so if you put a 205/45/16 on you profile will be lower making the wheel smaller overall. so the idea is if you fit a 17" or an 18" wheel you select a profile and width that will keep the origal roling radius as near as possible.
as standards are 205/50/16s for the scoob, if you fit a 17" rim, to keep roling radius the same (or as near as possible you go 215/40/17 and that will make your diameter approx 6mm smaller, if you go 215/45/17 you make it 11mm larger if you go 205/45/17 it will be around 7mm larger than original.....also different tyre manufacturers profiles vary. many people prefer the more wheel and less tyre look....lets face it, a car with baloons on is not cool
look on www.tyresave.co.uk/tyreinfo.html....there is a tyre size calculater on there somewhere, but it is not an exact science more a guide
cheers all

ed

LB4

Deisel was actually right, the best handling / ride compromise is on 16s, with 50% profile tyres.