rim and tire advise anyone?

[BSGCORP]

i haven’t ever upgraded rims on a car before and I just don’t want to make a wrong decision so thanks ahead of time for your reply’s and opinions!

I have a nissan sentra SE-R and it has 16in rims stock.. Like anyone else I want the car to look good that’s why i was hoping to stick 18's under it but my biggest concern is the ride & handling of the car.

1.Does quality of rim matter as must as quality of the tires?

2.is an 18in rim to big for the small sentra?

3.what kind of tires should i get for top notch handling? i dont drive in the snow and very little rain because i live in the desert.

4.is there some brands that are better then others?

5.Also where am I gunna find the best deal? Is there a standard for rim quality that I should look out for?

Thanks

[lgtspecb]

I would recommend spending some time on one of the nissan forums, a quick google search turns up many. You can browse pictures of other people wheels or request pics from members. Wheel appearance is very subjective, so you want a wheel that performs good but also looks good to you. When looking for wheels, you want something lightweight and forged.

Looks like an 18 with a low profile tire will look good and fill up the wheel gap nicely, as well as give you better road handling. However, if you are serious about handling, you may be looking for some struts and springs or coilovers later. A drop in the cars ride height may cause rubbing with 18's, so a 17 might be a better option. Check the nissan forums for best size to go with, also the depth (7", 7.5", 8") and the correct offset. Once you know what you need, check out Tire Rack for a good wheel and tire combo deal.

Dunlop, Bridgestone, Pirelli and Kuhmo all make good mid-level performance tires that offer good road handling, long life and cheap price. If you want a summer ultra high performance tire, be ready to spend $1000+ on tires alone and they will wear very quickly. A SE-R is a nice car (I thought about buying one before), but not really a likely candidate for such a tire. You can do tires and all the suspension mods you want, but it will still be front wheel drive.

[YankeeFan]

I agree you should hit Nissan and tech forums to find out about rims. Been looking for a while too just getting into this area and, of course, there is a lot to digest. Between painted, chrome, aluminum cast or forged, too light/too heavy, etc. Too large may rub against car parts, etc.

Be nice to hear what others have to say since I assume many have non-plastic rims since there are so many questions out there on how to safely clean them.

Howard

[ehuth1]

Cardomain.com

[killrflake]

Don't forget to keep in mind when the wheels get bigger the sidewalls get
smaller, and smaller sidewalls tend to make the tire/wheel gap to appear bigger then it is. Small side walls open you up to wheel and tire damage if you were to hit a pot hole or curb. If you lower your car more then an inch,
you'll have to buy caster/camber kits in order to keep the car in the factory specs. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but sometimes you do one thing and your required to do the next step. Whatever you chose, good luck.

[lgtspecb]

Just don't do this...


So lancers can fit 20's - evolutionm.net

[killrwheels@autogeek]

I have upgraded wheels and tires on every car I have had since the 80's. More than 10 sets and in some cases I changed them twice on same car while owning. Here is what I know ...

1. Your best quality wheel is going to be one that is custom made for your car from a well known company. (Fikse, HRE, Iforged, Momo, Weld) These are usually forged and not cheap.

2. Always play with +1 or plus2 sizing. What this means is for every size you go up you must go down with the tire exactly. This will keep speedo and cars electronics all in proper working order.

3. The larger you go in wheels, usually the better the handling as the tires get smaller. That said the ride is harsher on plain commutes and really can pickup potholes and ruts in the road. (trade off)

4. Try not to purchase Cast wheels as the cheapest variety. These are commonly the low priced Costgo, Pepboys deals.

5. There are many different finishes to consider. Chrome (heaviest), polished uncoated (full time work to shine), painted (reasonable like OEM), or powdercoated (stronger finish using paint with powder).

In closing, dont skimp on pricing. If you cannot afford exactly what you want and including tires, mounting and such at once, then save further.

[lgtspecb]

...

except chrome is never an option for a car you are looking to get some extra performance out of.