Please Help! Which Wheels-17 Or 18s?

[hokiruu]

Okay, I know threads like this are kinda stupid. But seriously, I can't decide which to get 17 or 18s? Either way, I am going 8.5 front and 9.5 rear, so i guess traction won't be affected that much. I am dying to finally buy some really nice wheels, and now am stuck. MY CAR IS DAILY DRIVEN on mediocre roads. Some say 17s are practical and have all the benefits of an 18 without its downsides, other say 18s are really not that big a deal, especially on a Silvia. There are many reasons 17s are more appealing, but I want to hear it from the horses mouth. What are your experiences and thoughts? Here's what I can come up with:
17s: good handling, good pickup and traction, tolerable ride, bigger contact patch, good looks, cheaper to replace tires, minimal decease in gas mileage
vs.
18s: good handling, some loss of pickup, great traction, rougher ride, huge contact patch, awesome looks, very expensice to replace tires, significant decrease in gas mileage.
Do 18s really bog you down enough on pickup and decrease gas mileage to justify 17s?
Which is true in regards to drifting? 17s spin easier because less diameter/ 18s break traction easier because of lower sidewall. Most drifters in s14s seems to have 18s?

Aargh! Help!

[RedlineRacer]

Originally posted by hokiruu
very expensice to replace tires

I think that is the main reason why I will never go higher than 17's. I think 17 look just as good as 18's.

[Roly]

17's.. better selection of wheels with more reasonable pricing.

[hokiruu]

I am not questioning your opinion, but how do you think there are better wheel selections for 17"? Many of the high end wheels I want are only available in 18". But I guess it is often the other way around, too. Most I like are avaiable in both sizes, and that is the root of my dillemma. The main wheels I fell in love with are the brand new Volk Gram Lights 57F (sooooo light!), Volk CE28N, Volk GTC, and Work Meister S2. In addition to my size confusion I am also presented with the choice of bling bling deep dish fat lip (always classic) look, or the subtle, esoteric race look of one piece forged in bronze without lips (CE28N), which would look almost painfully good with my "fool's gold" paint. Decisions, decisions...

[adey]

The fact that you ahve to say "this is for RACERS" in the topic just yells rice. :o So I chose 18s. If you're a 'racer', it's a no-brainer question; unless your brakes don't fit under 17s, then you will have no use for 18s.
They will offer no benefit to you.

I am the horse.
The talking horse.

If your brakes don't fit with 17s, then you're obviously making the power to require that big of a brake, which means you have enough to spin the 18s.

[hokiruu]

There are alot of "non-rice" Silvia owners making under 325hp who have 18s. Now if I were asking about 19s it would be different. But if that's your opinion, you are entitled to it, and thanks for your input. I just don't think that your opinion is justified in saying anyone with 18s who can fit their brakes under 17s is a ricer.

[adey]

Originally posted by hokiruu
There are alot of "non-rice" Silvia owners No, there aren't, at least not in the US! Anyone who calls their 240sx a "silvia" is a supa-big-time ricer!! :o Looks like you just got PWNED by a talking horse! :D
Of course, this is all my own ass hole (read: opinion)... I'm just letting you know "what's up".

[hokiruu]

:rolleyes: Well its not really racing, but for argument's sake, pretty much any drift Silvia (yes-the REAL Silvia, in JAPAN even!) seems to be on 18s. They need to keep the wheels spinning, and 17s might make that easier, whereas 18s might break traction easier. But now you are probably gonna bust on drifting, because it is kind of "rice" in its own way. Sorry, but yes, there ARE many *Silvias*(I define as SR20DET powered 240sx-what I am currently building, so too bad if you were hoping I was a 240sx owner with an intake calling my car a silvia!) on 18s in the US and Japan. Take the Signal s15, JIC D1GP s15, GPsports s15.... for example. Or do you think that is rice too?

[Dousan_PG]

drifting is rice

go 17/18 setup

17s front, 18s back
best of both worlds

[Dousan_PG]

Originally posted by hokiruu
:rolleyes: Well its not really racing, but for argument's sake, pretty much any drift Silvia (yes-the REAL Silvia, in JAPAN even!) seems to be on 18s. They need to keep the wheels spinning, and 17s might make that easier, whereas 18s might break traction easier.

actually its style.

back in the day 15s, 16s, 17s then 18s and now it getting a lot into 19s and 20s (yes, 20s)

its style more then anything.

[hokiruu]

OK. Thanks. I guess 17" is it. Drifting on 20's! That's crazy! I'd love to see that. Like on Chasers or what? I guess they do get judged on looks huh? When I first learned about drifting I thought it was all 15" wheels, but its funny to hear about 20s now.

[Dousan_PG]

ive seen very few 20s, but here and there

go 17/18 setup, believe me, it looks SIIICK
here's a thread i posted a bunch of pics

http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27640


if i get the money, i'd go 17/18 model 5s for daily drive :p

[hokiruu]

OK. Yeah, after looking into this a bit more, I am thinking I might get a set of 17s for daily driving, and then get a pair of 18s for the rear for drift. Oops, I sound like a ricer! For now I am just focusing on my SR swap and am dumping all my money into that, but immediately afterward I am buying something round, sexy, and staggered.

[hookedup240]

I have 18's if you want to see them check out the sig, and the link.

[ruudbwoy]

get the 17's

[syco3d]

fuck it...go 20in. :rolleyes:

[s13Steve]

I have 17's
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p932609a605085ab19beeab576be023c8/fbcb0a7f.jpg
The car is to high with 18's in my opinion. Unless you slam it

[Carisma•FR]

IMHO 18" look better on a S14 with bodykit, 17" look better on a stock body.

[CrispMofo]

If it's for an s14, go 18's!
but a shorter/smaller car, the s13, 17's on a bodykitted car still looks hot.
I prefer 17's for light weight and keeping my tranny alive:D

[hondaguy]

it depends if you get a bodykit or not,w/ a bodykit 18s will look fine but ona stock body 240 naw go for 17, or 17 in front and 18 in back.

[CleanS14]

I don't know if you have an s14... but it kinda depends on the wheel... here's some pics

17's
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/padd5232482780aba5cf6622c192c098c/faebfa27.jpg
18's
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/pe57bb053e90f5049adf43b225a0caf9d/faee1b42.jpg

Personally I'm starting to like 17's... just my $.02

[ICKY]

Screw all those other rims, get GT-R Rims!! :rawk:

[MadScientist]

OK so you have 320+ HP and Huge Brakes to hold the power... good deal! 18s offer a lower profile tire, and personally are almost to much on S14.
17s may be smaller but more trackable and also you can get a nice beefy tire to fill the void and have a very very agressive look.

Ings Dspec w/ 17s and a healty dose of Beef!! (http://www.ings-net.com/products/d-spec/index.html)

[lilredstiffy]

18s are the future

[Spuds]

The future looks kinda shitty right now...I say go for 17's. Better performance, better looks, cheaper.