Advantages\disadvantages to larger wheels

wrt40

I'm hoping to buy a new car next year and getting the research done early. I think nice wheels are essential, but apart from the aesthetics what are the advantages and disadvantages of going for larger wheels over stock wheels? I would have thought that stock wheels are designed perfectly for the car, so is changing the wheels always going to have a negative impact?

At the moment I have my eye on an Audi A3 Saloon. I have seen a couple of reviews mention excessive tyre noise (due to the fact that everything else is so quiet, the tyre noise stands out more). So I'm wondering if adding the 17" wheels will make it noisier and what other aspects of the drive change due to wheel size? Or is it all down to what tyres you use?

johnny_adidas

One disadvantage is a lot of the cheaper aftermarket alloys use heavier metals which obviously makes the car heavier but also can put extra stress the steering components.

Larger alloys can also affect the speedo reading vs actual speed

Anjobe

Larger wheels are purely aesthetic. Besides that the downsides are:

1. Firmer ride, which is already pretty stiff in an A3
2. A lifetime of more expensive replacement tyres
3. More road noise, although this is somewhat dependent on tyre brand & type
4. Less steering feel, especially if the tyres are wider too, which is perhaps not too much to worry about on an A3 as you can't have less than none!

mickdw

The stock wheels may well be designed for the car but if you give audi more cash they will also sell you a larger genuine wheel from the factory so it cannot be said it's not designed for the car.
Larger wheels with low profile tyres will generally give much more direct steering feel for cornering. The roll in the tyre wall will be much less, certainly going from a 55 profile to a 40 or 45 profile makes a high difference in my opinion.
If you go wider, you will get more noise.
disadvantages I would say are more expensive tyres, less forgiving on rough and uneven roads giving less comfort and possibly steering pull on very uneven surfaces given the tighter side wall.
In my opinion, if you keep your overall rolling radius correct and don't go lower than 40 profile, you will be fine.

wrt40

johnny_adidas wrote: »

One disadvantage is a lot of the cheaper aftermarket alloys use heavier metals which obviously makes the car heavier but also can put extra stress the steering components.

Larger alloys can also affect the speedo reading vs actual speed

But factory fitted larger wheels would be ok in this regard? I mean if buying brand new and choose an optional larger wheel setup.

wrt40

mickdw wrote: »

if you keep your overall rolling radius correct and don't go lower than 40 profile, you will be fine.

Thanks, no idea what that means but I'll add it to the research list!

Anjobe

Larger alloys will inevitably be heavier.

CJhaughey

40 series on any kind of potholed road (All Irish roads) is asking for sidewall punctures.
I wouldn't go under 50 series if you intend on being on any kind of road that isn't super smooth.
Go into any tyre dealer and see the amount of low profile tyres that have been ruined by hitting potholes and you will be amazed people use them at all.
IMHO we just don't have the roads suitable for Low profile tyres here.

Anjobe

mickdw wrote: »

The roll in the tyre wall will be much less, certainly going from a 55 profile to a 40 or 45 profile makes a high difference in my opinion.

Maybe on a race track, not really sure you should be cornering hard enough on a public road to notice any difference in lower profile tyres.

wrt40

Ok so options I'm considering on the A3 are:

7.5J x 17, with 225/45 R17 tyres

versus the stock:

size 7J x 16, with 205/55 R 16 tyres

So the 17" give wider tyres = more noise,
lower profile = rough ride on Irish bumpy roads

Might just stick with the stock 16". Pity they don't give a choice in spokes though.

MuppetCheck

The tyres will probably be the usual VAG 225/45/17 size. It will be a little less forgiving than the standard 16s but nothing too drastic. Road noise can be a little more but this can be remedied by choosing a quieter tyre when it comes time to replace them. I don't think you will have any issues with that sort of profile. I haven't had a single issue and have been driving on that profile or less the last 8 years. Don't aim for the potholes and you'll be fine.

Given the aesthetic benefits they are worth the very slightly firmer ride.

mickdw

Anjobe wrote: »

Maybe on a race track, not really sure you should be cornering hard enough on a public road to notice any difference in lower profile tyres.

Well it's night and day difference to me at any speed really. Then again, I tend to notice a couple of pounds of pressure messing whereas alot of drivers could happily run around all day without noticing.

CiniO

wrt40 wrote: »

Ok so options I'm considering on the A3 are:

7.5J x 17, with 225/45 R17 tyres

versus the stock:

size 7J x 16, with 205/55 R 16 tyres

So the 17" give wider tyres = more noise,
lower profile = rough ride on Irish bumpy roads

Might just stick with the stock 16". Pity they don't give a choice in spokes though.

I have two set of wheels in exact sizes you mentioned on my civic.

17" give much better ride on bends and are generally nicer on good roads and during fast cornering. Car seems to react faster for steering wheel movements and seems to hold better grip when cornering. It's bit harder on speed bumps and not great on roads with potholes.

16" feel much softer and are more wobbly during turning and cornering.

Generally I got car with 17" and though about changing to 16" f.e. to save on cost of tyres. But difference in driving made me keep 17" as everyday driver, and I fitted winter tyres to 16" which I used in the winter mostly for driving on the snow.

mickdw

CJhaughey wrote: »

40 series on any kind of potholed road (All Irish roads) is asking for sidewall punctures.
I wouldn't go under 50 series if you intend on being on any kind of road that isn't super smooth.
Go into any tyre dealer and see the amount of low profile tyres that have been ruined by hitting potholes and you will be amazed people use them at all.
IMHO we just don't have the roads suitable for Low profile tyres here.

I'm driving 40 profile for up on nine years and ive not damaged a tyre or wheel in that time.
I live in the arse end of mayo and I drive fast as anyone but with fair mechanical sympathy.
The only wheel I ever damaged was hitting a hidden pothole in the snow and strangely that was at about 30 Mph with 55 profile tyres about 12 years ago.

mickdw

CiniO wrote: »

I have two set of wheels in exact sizes you mentioned on my civic.

17" give much better ride on bends and are generally nicer on good roads and during fast cornering. Car seems to react faster for steering wheel movements and seems to hold better grip when cornering. It's bit harder on speed bumps and not great on roads with potholes.

16" feel much softer and are more wobbly during turning and cornering.

Generally I got car with 17" and though about changing to 16" f.e. to save on cost of tyres. But difference in driving made me keep 17" as everyday driver, and I fitted winter tyres to 16" which I used in the winter mostly for driving on the snow.

Couldn't agree more.
You don't have to be hammering it to feel the difference either.

tossy

Anjobe wrote: »

Larger wheels are purely aesthetic.

Is that only reason for larger wheels yeah? :rolleyes: lovely list too lol

mickdw wrote: »

I'm driving 40 profile for up on nine years and ive not damaged a tyre or wheel in that time.

I echo that,driving on mostly 40 profile tyres for the las 12 years.

One piece of advice i would give if going 17 or larger is always use Audi wheels or reputable aftermarket wheels from a company like BBS,OZ,Ronal etc (Audi wheels will most likely be made by one of these anyway) and always use premium tyres, the decent quality wheels married with the decent quality tyres will mean you are highly unlikely to damage either while driving.

Anjobe

mickdw wrote: »

Well it's night and day difference to me at any speed really. Then again, I tend to notice a couple of pounds of pressure messing whereas alot of drivers could happily run around all day without noticing.

On an A3? The steering is so numb I'd be surprised if you could tell when the tyres were completely flat.

tossy wrote: »

Is that only reason for larger wheels yeah?.

Can't think of any others - can you?

hi_im_fil

Allows you to fit bigger brakes, allows wider tyres to be fitted

Anjobe

hi_im_fil wrote: »

Allows you to fit bigger brakes, allows wider tyres to be fitted

Hmmm, not much point uprating the brakes unless you are modifying the engine for extra power, and there are disadvantages as well as advantages to wider tyres.

fmcg_scribe

On performance or track cars, the usual "justification" for fitting larger wheels is that larger wheels enable you to fit larger brakes, which is an important consideration.

An additional reason if the wheels and tyres are wide is better traction/grip in the dry.

For ordinary cars, assuming that wheels are after market and perhaps not made or approved by car maker, the motivation may be more cosmetic.

As has been pointed out already in this discussion, there are potentially a lot of downsides with larger wheels, such as more "road roar" from the tyres, aquaplaning in the wet if wheels and tyres are wide, and higher tyre costs.

Some less obvious downside to consider are whether the speedometer readings will be affected by moving to larger wheels, especially sizes larger than recommended by the car maker. Equally, if your car has factory fitted satnav and/or an on-board computer, the ability of those systems to measure distance accurately might be compromised.

It's also possible that a set of large aftermarket wheels will not fit within the wheel arches properly, so you may hear scuffing noises when you turn the steering wheel or go over any speed bumps. The only workaround for that is to "roll the arches" or else get rid of the wheels.

A useful link:
http://www.willtheyfit.com/

As with choice of car, choice of wheels can be a personal thing but we've all seen cars with ridiculous after market wheels that often hurt the overall aesthetics and probably handling of the car.

endacl

mickdw wrote: »

Well it's night and day difference to me at any speed really. Then again, I tend to notice a couple of pounds of pressure messing whereas alot of drivers could happily run around all day without noticing.

Without caring...

wrt40

This calculator came up on a couple of other forums:

http://www.club80-90syncro.co.uk/Syncro_website/TechnicalPages/TRC%20calculator.htm

Based on this the main difference would be the comfort value:

6.5 (205/55 R16)
4.7 (225/45 R17)

Values go from 0-10, with zero being very bad and 10 being very good.

So the decision boils down to a comfort drop of 18% for better aesthetics and arguably better handling.

tossy

Anjobe wrote: »

Can't think of any others - can you?

Yup.

Anjobe

tossy wrote: »

Yup.

Good for you!

tossy

Anjobe wrote: »

Good for you!

Thanks i was feeling quite proud anyway

R.O.R

The OP is looking at ordering a new car with the factory option 17" wheels - he's not fitting a set of Halfords specials, so the difference in rolling radius etc. doesn't come in to the equation.

OP - the 16" wheels look totally lost on the A3 Saloon, and it needs at least the 17" wheel option in my opinion. Even the 17's look a touch on the small side, but don't look too bad, and will strike a balance between looks and comfort.

I'd say you'll also get a better trade in value down the line for a car with the wheel upgrade - not the €1,000 it costs, but still more than you'd get for the standard wheels.


For most people, on most roads, you'll notice little difference in the ride quality. There will be higher replacement tyre costs, but it's not going to be a massive difference.

mickdw

R.O.R wrote: »

The OP is looking at ordering a new car with the factory option 17" wheels - he's not fitting a set of Halfords specials, so the difference in rolling radius etc. doesn't come in to the equation.

OP - the 16" wheels look totally lost on the A3 Saloon, and it needs at least the 17" wheel option in my opinion. Even the 17's look a touch on the small side, but don't look too bad, and will strike a balance between looks and comfort.

I'd say you'll also get a better trade in value down the line for a car with the wheel upgrade - not the €1,000 it costs, but still more than you'd get for the standard wheels.


For most people, on most roads, you'll notice little difference in the ride quality. There will be higher replacement tyre costs, but it's not going to be a massive difference.

It wasn't 100% clear that the op was buying new. It certainly wasn't clear that they were buying factory option wheels given the various questions.

tossy

I wouldn't put it past a main dealer to charge factory prices for upgraded wheels and supply reps. If i was ordering a new car with upgraded wheels i'd be removing one in the showroom before leaving to check lol.

Neilw

tossy wrote: »

I wouldn't put it past a main dealer to charge factory prices for upgraded wheels and supply reps. If i was ordering a new car with upgraded wheels i'd be removing one in the showroom before leaving to check lol.

I saw that happen with a new A5

bazz26

I wouldn't deem 17" rims as large, they are quite common these days. I've been driving on 18" rims for the last 4 years or so and only managed to loose one tyre and that was my fault having an altercation with a curb rather than loosing a tyre in a pothole or bad road. As long as you have a decent tyre wall on them then there should be no issue and should still have a comfortable ride.

mickdw

Neilw wrote: »

I saw that happen with a new A5

I saw that happen with my new A5! Partially my fault but dealer charged as per brochure and eventually replaced them with audi rims and brands new tyres.

Comhrá

This is my A3 Saloon 1.4 TFSI and I got it with the Audi 17" 10-spoke wheels.

I can't say the road noise is very apparent - at least if it's there it doesn't bother me, and the ride while firm, is not harsh.

Go for the 17's, they'll definitely make the car look nicer.

[IMG][/img]Audi A3 Saloon 006 by Tipp55, on Flickr

mickdw

tippman1 wrote: »

This is my A3 Saloon 1.4 TFSI and I got it with the Audi 17" 10-spoke wheels.

I can't say the road noise is very apparent - at least if it's there it doesn't bother me, and the ride while firm, is not harsh.

Go for the 17's, they'll definitely make the car look nicer.

[IMG][/img]Audi A3 Saloon 006 by Tipp55, on Flickr

Certainly needs that size.

Comhrá

Certainly needs that size.

Definitely agree. The 18's look even nicer than the 17's but cost + very hard ride kept me with the 17's.

dr.fuzzenstein

Anjobe wrote: »

Good for you!

:rolleyes:^^^^^

wrt40

tippman1 wrote: »

This is my A3 Saloon 1.4 TFSI and I got it with the Audi 17" 10-spoke wheels.

I can't say the road noise is very apparent - at least if it's there it doesn't bother me, and the ride while firm, is not harsh.

Go for the 17's, they'll definitely make the car look nicer.

[IMG][/img]Audi A3 Saloon 006 by Tipp55, on Flickr

Thanks, Good to hear first hand. Car looks great, how do you find it? Am considering the 1.4 TFSI as well.

Voodoomelon

I think if your driving/commute consists of half decent roads and dual carriageway/motorway, always go with the biggest wheel you can.

A smaller sidewall will make little difference to road noise/comfort on those kinds of roads and lets face it, bigger wheels are a necessity in the looks department on nearly all new cars due to the bulking up of all models across the industry.

I thought no car would ever need a 21" wheel, but sometimes I think mine is left wanting with the factory 20"s. A subtle drop all round and some 10mm spacers might sort me out instead.

Comhrá

Thanks, Good to hear first hand. Car looks great, how do you find it? Am considering the 1.4 TFSI as well.

Pretty happy with it. Nice and nippy. Good acceleration. Very economical too - almost as much so as my prevoius car, a VW Jetta 1.6 Diesel.

Only thing I find about the 1.4 TFSI unit is the lack of torque at low speeds (At least I think it's lack of torque) as I find you have to work the gears a bit too much for my liking. I mean, it won't potter around town at 40kph in 5th gear like a bigger engined car might do. Otherwise it seems to be a lovely engine.

There's a nice feel of quality about the cabin and cruising on the motorway, it's a very nice experience overall. I got the Audi Sound System which ensures fairly decent sound and the MMI is great to use and very easy to get used to.

I love Audi's multi-function steering wheel too, much better design than the Jetta.