Does 1 Inch Really Make a Difference?

[Gordz]

I currently have 15" alloys on my Leon, which I actually quite like the look of and don't look that small!

Been looking at some 16" alloys I like the look of though, but is there much point?

Will 1 inch make much difference to looks and/or performance?

(and don't say just get 17's or 18's, can't afford tyres for them and don't like the crashy ride of little rubber on the wheel, especially on country roads by me!)

 

[daboy3000]

Get 19's!

It will make a little difference but probably not worth it, unless you get a cracking deal.

 

[adam cupra 20vt]

If your short of cash I'd stay with 15's as 16" tyres are not really any cheaper than 17 or 18" as there a very popular size.

 

[DannyC87]

I currently have 15" alloys on my Leon, which I actually quite like the look of and don't look that small!

Been looking at some 16" alloys I like the look of though, but is there much point?

Will 1 inch make much difference to looks and/or performance?

(and don't say just get 17's or 18's, can't afford tyres for them and don't like the crashy ride of little rubber on the wheel, especially on country roads by me!)

I put 16" cupra alloys on my old 1.4s leon which came with 15" alloys. This made a big difference, but mainly due to increasing the width of tyre by ~2cm!

 

[gemini]

I put 16" cupra alloys on my old 1.4s leon which came with 15" alloys. This made a big difference, but mainly due to increasing the width of tyre by ~2cm!

should be only one, as you probably switched from 195/65 R15 to 205/55 R16

 

[DannyC87]

should be only one, as you probably switched from 195/65 R15 to 205/55 R16

it was 3 years ago I did this!! my memory is failing at the age of 22.. bad times ahead!!

 

[JamJay]

Does 1 Inch Really Make a Difference?

Most women will tell you so.

 

[evokid]

I currently have 15" alloys on my Leon, which I actually quite like the look of and don't look that small!

Been looking at some 16" alloys I like the look of though, but is there much point?

Will 1 inch make much difference to looks and/or performance?

(and don't say just get 17's or 18's, can't afford tyres for them and don't like the crashy ride of little rubber on the wheel, especially on country roads by me!)

If your happy with the 15"s then id stay with them, me personally would go 17 or 18 from there, purely on looks of the car. But as you say cost is factor, then personally stay with 15's.
You can buy Audi TT mk1 genuine ronal alloys on ebay for not much money used? which are 17's and most have decent tyres. Performance better with lower profile, but depends how enthusiastically your driving

 

[Gooner_Mike]

Most women will tell you so.

 

[Gordz]

If your short of cash I'd stay with 15's as 16" tyres are not really any cheaper than 17 or 18" as there a very popular size.

When looking at Black Circles etc. 16s are around a few quid more, but 17s and 18s seem to be a good ten quid + more!

Most women will tell you so.

I wondered who'd be the first to crack that joke

If your happy with the 15"s then id stay with them, me personally would go 17 or 18 from there, purely on looks of the car. But as you say cost is factor, then personally stay with 15's.
You can buy Audi TT mk1 genuine ronal alloys on ebay for not much money used? which are 17's and most have decent tyres. Performance better with lower profile, but depends how enthusiastically your driving

Well my driving is fairly enthusiastic when going for good mountain road blast

But most of my miles in a year is done on dual carriageways / motorways, so also would like the extra rubber 15s and 16s give!

I may give 17s a go and if I don't like them just sell them. But if got 17s would also mean I'd more than likely have to lower the car too as it would just look like a 4x4!

 

[8bit]

Most women will tell you so.

Are we talking length or girth here?

 

[warren_cox]

If you look at a lot of the high performance rice wagons (like the old integras and evo's), they were sat on 16's as this wheel size offered a blend of performance, weight savings and better handling over massive heavy wheels. The more weight you have to set rolling, the more power it needs to get it going.

 

[JamJay]

Are we talking length or girth here?

That's a whole different debate

 

[wayne lcr]

i was going to quote that jay lol will it knock the speedo out as well?because its set to 15 and not 16

 

[DannyC87]

i was going to quote that jay lol will it knock the speedo out as well?because its set to 15 and not 16

No, it is overall rolling diameter that matters. A lower profile tyre is used with a 16" when changing from a 15" to keep the rolling diameter with 3%

 

[Ptar64]

I have the same car as you Gordz and gone from 15 to 17 FR Wheels.

195/65/15 to 225/45/17 has got the same rolling diameter apparently?

Holds the road so much better and I personally think that my handling over bumps is better and less crashy! Thats on the standard TDI suspension, will be putting in some FR suspension at some time as I have speed bumps on the road to my house.

Last time I looked, it was £65 a pop for falkens which I didnt think was too bad .

 

[LEE69]

Tyre size calculator

http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html

 

[Ptar64]

Tyre size calculator

http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html

Cheers Lee .

Yeah, I have no change in my rolling diameter.

 

[Gordz]

If you look at a lot of the high performance rice wagons (like the old integras and evo's), they were sat on 16's as this wheel size offered a blend of performance, weight savings and better handling over massive heavy wheels. The more weight you have to set rolling, the more power it needs to get it going.

Good point, I forgot about bigger the wheel the more weight to lug around! I think I may weight till I get few more horses under the bonnett from remap before looking at larger wheels.

For now I think I'll stick with my good old 15's, I really like the look of them anyway, just wish I could get same style but a little bigger

Holds the road so much better and I personally think that my handling over bumps is better and less crashy! Thats on the standard TDI suspension, will be putting in some FR suspension at some time as I have speed bumps on the road to my house.

Hmmm, let me know when you've got the FR suspension on I've consider this on quite a few occasions, but been unsure if it would make much difference in looks & handling!

 

[gemini]

If you look at a lot of the high performance rice wagons (like the old integras and evo's), they were sat on 16's as this wheel size offered a blend of performance, weight savings and better handling over massive heavy wheels. The more weight you have to set rolling, the more power it needs to get it going.

have you any weight info's? I'm kinda lazy searching around, but you found some intresting stuff with this. I am about to buy 17" starfish alloys for my Leon, but I will consider 16" vw wheels instead of them if the setup (17" wheel+tire vs. the 16" wheel+tire) is noticeably lighter. rolling resistance will also decrease I suppose with the 205mm tires on the 16's against the 225's on the 17's