It's astounding how much of a difference wheel/tire size makes

"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
03/04/2017 at 08:53 • Filed to: None

I put my summer wheels on, and my god does it kill ride quality

I feel every bump, and bad roads are BAD. With the stock 18's and their massive sidewall it’s actually a comfortable ride, not luxury car soft but at least dampened a bit. Plus these wider tires really like to follow the road, so steering takes a lot more attention.

They sure grip like a mofo, tho

DISCUSSION (18)

wafflesnfalafel > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 08:58

the flag looks great in that shot

Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 09:07

I’m thinking about downsizing from 17 to 15 to make the ride a bit better. The previous owner put the 17s on, and they do look nice... My cheapness is the only reason holding me back :)

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 09:10

I’m thinking about dumping the rock hard run flats when I need tires, but of course the car has no spare nor place to store one.

smobgirl > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
03/04/2017 at 09:15

I don’t have run flats or a spare. I figure that’s why I have roadside...but I also won’t drive this car through sketchy parts of the country with hours of no cell service or convenience stores. Thankfully those are few and far between.

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 09:17

I guess I just enjoy the feel of the road with the bigger wheels, though I’ll be honest I never even considered getting the 18's. I do like the look of those PP wheels in silver.

E90M3 > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
03/04/2017 at 09:19

My M3 doesn’t have run flats, none of the M cars do, nor does it have a spare tire. You just get a can of fix a flat and a prayer.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > E90M3
03/04/2017 at 09:46

Just about every time I’ve had a flat, I’ve destroyed the sidewall so I guess I’m no worse off with regular tires good point. Off to check EBay for some M5 wheels.

Jayhawk Jake > E90M3
03/04/2017 at 10:04

Ford gave me fix a flat, a compressor, and a sticker for my steering wheel

Jayhawk Jake > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
03/04/2017 at 10:05

Feel of the road is great. Feel of the cracks and bumps is not. The road following of a wider tire is just something that takes some time to adjust to when I’ve been on skinny tires for 6 months

Jayhawk Jake > wafflesnfalafel
03/04/2017 at 10:05

Thanks! When the light is at the right angle it lights up

Master Cylinder > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
03/04/2017 at 10:09

I don’t carry a spare in my 944 (not that I’d trust the 30+ year old collapsible spare it came with), I have a plug kit, a can of fix-a-flat, an air compressor, and a AAA card.

Knock on wood, I’ve been OK so far, but I’m confident I could at least slowly limp back to civilization following anything short of a cracked wheel or failed sidewall.

E90M3 > My X-type is too a real Jaguar
03/04/2017 at 10:11

Do it

thefinalmonster > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 10:25

Where did you get the flag? Looks awesome.

Jayhawk Jake > thefinalmonster
03/04/2017 at 11:06

I had a local vinyl guy cut it for me. There are some options around the internet, but they are all ‘distressed’ and I wanted a clean look. There are clean options too, but I couldn’t find the right size because the window is long. It takes about 11" X 22"

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 11:28

I can’t wait until next weekend when I can get off my 15" winters and back onto my 16" summers. The 15"s completely ruin the handling of my car.

jimz > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 12:19

I remember the first year I put Blizzaks on my SRT-4. That car came with BFG KDW2s (summer tires.) I hadn’t even driven 10 feet before I was wondering “are these goddamned things marshmallows or something?”

those tall, squishy tread blocks are impossible to miss.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Jayhawk Jake
03/04/2017 at 17:08

I find wider is better as long as you have enough sidewall. The extra width sometimes helps to bridge over potholes and such.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Jayhawk Jake
03/06/2017 at 09:41

Yeah, my summer set is 19s, too, and the roads on my new commute are much harsher than what I was used to for a decade. Probably going to end up getting new 18s (Apex - lighter, wider and square, so I can rotate).