The Copy/Paste feature can be awful. Make the same "typo" once, and it just keeps repeating itself on every paste. I usually do not run the spelling-checker on my quick posts, and I've done the same thing.

--Spike

 

Tucked tire in fender-well + rim protector definitely helps you bounce off them curbs without damage or if the slammage was drastic, very very minimal damage.

The only rims Ive curbed was the 1st ones I ever bought, and Ive had several different rim/tire combos. You won't even believe how much a rim-protector helps.

 

what? you're getting rid of the g-games? hrmm.. i'll forgive you since you look my lil' sister out for sushi once.

 

I share your experience and agree with your comments.

After installing a tire with a rim-protector, even my wife can't easily "curb-rash" my wheels.

"Tucked-in" vs. "offset-out" is just a few millimeters, but what a difference a few millimeters makes. And, the rim-protector adds significantly to protecting the wheel rim from scrapes.

--Spike

 

I tend to agree that wheels really do make a huge diff, and I'm an old guy. Go with lightweight and good looks at the same time. Then you get both factors working for you.

 

Once you get the z car modding fever you cant get rid of it. It's like a drug,LOL. my works s-1's i am getting will be good enough for me.

 

It worked for his cAn and wAnt!

 

That's much too simple. Can you provide us with some deep psychological insight? Thanks.

 

Ummm I did it for looks, wider tires for cornering grip and larger diamater for a stiffer/lower sidewall for less flexing.

Yes worth it.

But they are not super expensive wheels.

 

IMHO, i'd spend the money on ultra lightweight magnesium rims...(something like $5k a set w/o tires)
if i spent 30k on a car i've wanted for a while, the car deserves it.

lighter weight= less rotating mass, better throttle response, more usable power.

 

before:


after:

 

i know that feeling...i have the itch right now to buy more....

 

This is practically what my friend just told me about wheels on the Z when I called him up asking what he thought about this whole topic. "The problem is that a lot of people are into wider is better because everyone else is doing it, and if not, then its not gonna look great to them. I think its one of those trends that has totally gotten out of control. Im totally going to do the traditional look with "tucked-in" and little higher offset. Its my Z and Im not gonna follow "trends".

 

The stock Track or GT wheels look like they could be offered as an aftermarket Ray's wheel. I know many 240 guys that want my stock tracks, so to the OP, I think its a combo of performace & looks!

 

lol. 1%? i think they were just being nice to you or didn't know anything about anything. stock wheels are nice, but boring at the same time. a nice staggered set will look better. but yeah, if you're old then who really cares. you probably already had your fun when you were younger and can spend the money elsewhere.

 

i dont think its just a trend. most people dont do it bc other people do it, they do it because they think its nice. tucked in looks ok, but i dont think it looks that good on a z. its not only the look, its also what car you're talking about. tucked in looks good on civic hatches, but on a z? idk.

 

I have a lot more discretionary income now than I did when I was younger, and I enjoy the luxury of spending money where I want. It does make my wife a little crazy (she still doesn't get why I bought a Z in the first place, and then plowed more big $$'s into an expensive CES and Navigation system).

I was very close to installing Nismo 18" wheels, springs, swaybars, and 245/40-18 front and 275/40-18 rear tires. An opportunity presented where I was able to drive a Z equipped this way, and I was very impressed. But, I decided to install a "square" setup on my 2003 Performance model that has 18x8" stock wheels. I went with Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires (245/40-18 front and 245/45-18 rear) on the stock Performance model wheels. Honestly, I felt this setup handled as well or better. I really liked the neutral steering and the fact that I could "dig hard" into a corner and expect the rear to come-around without experiencing understeer.

So... I'm thinking if I want to spend thousand$ to get "better looking" wheels and setup, or run what I actually like better driving. The decision was easy. And, I'm not saying appearance isn't important. I love the way my Z looks. I take pride in its appearance and maintain the car so it looks flawless. But... Would I spend $3k for wheels that are easily scratched because a few (but not everyone) might think they look better but offers no improvement in handling and driving? Probably not. But that is my thinking today... who knows what may drive a decision tomorrow when I may think the Nismo configuration is what I really want.

One great feature of the Z is the large selection of custom features you can add to the car. You can do a lot of things that do not cost a lot and change the car significantly so that you feel you have a new ride. That's fun.

--Spike

 

first, the easiest answer is another question. Why buy a nice looking sports car? The answer you get from that is probably the same reason people get after market rims.

1) hells yea!

2) alot of the "expensive" rims like volks/advans offer lightweight rims, so to some extent, you are getting some sort of performance gain. Not to mention extra grip via beefy tires.

3) hells yea! It always hurts the first time, then you realize it's really only an object, so you don't pay much attention to it.

and for the 03-05 owners, the rims look almost exactly the same as the rims on an altima/maxima. Call me elitist, but it was something that I couldn't handle.

 

1. not solely for aesthetics... i see the wheels as a marketing tool of my passion and what the car was intended for.

2. there is some performance related to the wheels. first, reduced unsprung weight helps to free rotational mass for quicker acceleration and deceleration. wider wheels usually yield wider track for a larger patch of road contact for stability, grip, etc. wheel design helps cool brakes under extreme conditions. shorter sidewall for stiffer ride/suspension... etc. lots of small performance reasons that add up fairly nicely.

3. eh.. wheels being scraped is nothing out of the ordinary. to me, wheels are whees... although i try to take care of them as much as i can, only i can do so much.

 

By that logic, the nicer things are never justified. Why get something nice/expensive, if you have to worry about them? Why get a nice tailored suit, when you can get one from Target? Why buy a nice watch? Why buy a nice car? etc.

Also, things like these aren't investments. They are expenses. You don't buy these things so that you can put them in a glass case. You don't buy a nice couch and wrap it up in protective plastic. You worked hard to earn your money, so you deserve to spend some of it for your own personal enjoyment.

Ultimately, it all depends on how it makes you feel. Does it bring you satisfaction? If it doesn't, don't do it.

Looks are a part of it, but so is performance. E.g., for $3K, you could get wheels that are lighter than stock. And since the wheels are constantly rotating, the weight you lose off your wheels will yield a greater benefit than if you lost the same amount of weight off the non-moving parts of the car.