Wheels vs. Upgrades

[frogg]

I am saving up enough money for either some new wheels or some things (intake, blah blah) to increase the performance of my car. What would you guys suggest?

Also post what specific performance upgrade or wheels you would suggest please

[le_the_thriller]

I'm very new to this stuff, but i'm also saving up do make upgrades. Personally, wheels are one of the last things i would change because they seem too expensive when compared to the other things you can do. Correct me if i'm wrong, but I think its possible to lower the car w/out changing the wheels without any problems and it still looks ok.

my newbie opinion: ..engine/exhaust first, wheels/suspension later

[frogg]

If you think about it, the wheels that come stock aren't that bad.
At least they dont come with hubcaps.. *shudders*

[jasestu]

Hmmm, methinks I'd go for wheels. I've still got the stock factory alloys on mine, and there's just way too many Primera's driving round town that look the same as mine. As for performance there's several no - low cost options (especially when your dad is a mechanic ), and since my Primera is a Te it's already a go-er. So yea, wheels... IF I had the money...

[GtRider]

it really depends on YOU.
are you into racing??? or are you in for just lookzz?

[P10DET]

Originally posted by le_the_thriller
I'm very new to this stuff, but i'm also saving up do make upgrades. Personally, wheels are one of the last things i would change because they seem too expensive when compared to the other things you can do. Correct me if i'm wrong, but I think its possible to lower the car w/out changing the wheels without any problems and it still looks ok.

my newbie opinion: ..engine/exhaust first, wheels/suspension later

Well, my slightly more experienced opinion is wheels/tires, suspension, brakes, engine.

Bring all the other systems' performance up before the engine IMHO because you want to have a chassis that can cope with increased power.

Wheels/tires are the single biggest way to improve the performance of your car unless you are just into drag racing. They will usually make more difference than anything else, save a turbo.

[Caribbean NISMO]

Its a personal choice lets face it nothing changes a cars appearance like a wicked set of wheels

I too was faced with the same decision and i decided to go the way of performance .I ordered a hotshot header which I installed today and the Place Racing CAI.
Once i have installed the CAI and i am able to save up enough dinero i will then purchase my 17" wheels which i have already chosen to ride on 215/45 17 tires.

The car is pulling nicely with just the addition of the headers i have not regretted my decision

[atomic-G]

Obviously, this is a personl decision.

I went for the wheels before any performance mods.

The stock wheels are nice, but if you want to turn more heads and make the car look spanky, go for the wheels. But like was asked, what are you into - looks or racing. That's what the pot boils down to.

You'll pay over $1,000 for wheels - so with that money, you could get the pulleys, cai, header and maybe throw in a strut or two. I guess you could get a lot of performance mods done to the car if you decided not to invest in the wheels.

I put $1700 into my wheels/tires - with that I could have covered the majority of performance mods. But I'm not really on a fixed budget, so I'll have enough for those performance mods soon

:flash:

[G22DET]

i would go for chasis parts first, it'll make more difference than all the small stuff you are going to put in the engine.

[P10DET]

Originally posted by atomicfrog
I went for the wheels before any performance mods.

Unless you are buying some heavy wheels (such as chrome wheels), wheels and tires are a performance mod. Grassroots Motorsports did a test of 15", 16", and 17" wheels/tires on a Civic on an autocross course and the car went quicker each time they increase the wheel size.

Y'all have to think beyond only driving in a straight line.

[frogg]

So personally P10DET,
What size of wheels would you get?

[wickedG20]

definately go with the wheels.

save up so you have money for the wheels. If you go with performance, all your gonna wanna do is get one mod after another. like you get an intake and then become broke, then you decide you need an exhaust so you save up for that.

[P10DET]

Originally posted by frogg
So personally P10DET,
What size of wheels would you get?

I have 17" on my P10 and 16" on my B13.

Size is always a trade-off since larger wheels do hurt straight line acceleration, but they tend to help cornering and braking. I would upgrade wheels and tires before anything else, but now I'm repeating myself. It's OK though since I'm old an feeble.

[frogg]

heh
Ok I was planning on getting some 17s .. by maybe Enkei or Konig

Good choice??

[Dillweed]

There is one thing that will really get you motivated and happy about your car is wheels. If you put engine mods, only you, yourself feel it and of course your happy.

BUT...

If you go with wheels, your car will look sweeter, you'll have way more motivation to do more on it (like engine mods), you'll get compliments (more motivation), the girls will dig it (way more motivation).

I just mean that if you start with wheels, you'll see yourself getting somewhere.

But like the rest said, only you can choose.