Why do people opt for 15" wheels?

[Typical Tom]

I thought it could be for performance of a bigger sidewall and less weight. However, the car is already amazing on the stock 17s. Unless you're hardcore into tracking it and shaving tenths of a second off your times, I can't imagine there's any performance benefit for the typical driver.

Then I thought it could simply be that people don't like the look of the almost "rubberband" tire look of a FiST with 17s.

Lastly, I thought maybe people were trying to get a more comfortable ride out of their car because I'm always seeing people complain about the ride quality. Which I personally don't see at all. I am very pleased with the comfort of the car for what it is. Maybe the stock seats (non-Recaros) make it an uncomfortable ride? But my buddy who I had this talk with has the non-Recaro seats and also didn't understand why people complain about the ride comfort.

Now I ask anybody who bought 15" or 16" wheels: What were your reasons for choosing them over 17" wheels? Obviously winter setups don't count here!

This is not a thread to bash people or cars with smaller wheels, just to be clear.

 

[kivnul]

My 15's are for winter, but the ride is a bit softer (though not soft enough for my wife to want to ride in my car). And there is less chance of damage from pot holes.

 

[Truth in Ruin]

Another performance benefit is that it can slightly lower your gear ratio.

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

I like them for the look and slight comfort gained


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[Hijinx]

I like the way it looks... Also, 225/45.

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[re-rx7]

Because racecar! LOL I'm not a fan of the smaller wheels. However, the tire selection is greater than the 17's.

 

[Typical Tom]

Because racecar! LOL I'm not a fan of the smaller wheels. However, the tire selection is greater than the 17's.

That's a great point that I didn't consider; tire selection. That might be the deciding factor when I go after wheels. I'll be looking at 16" and 17" that are at least 7" wide. I'd like to go 8" wide but I'm not sure If I'd have rubbing issues on the H&R Super Sport lowering springs I plan to buy.

 

[adamm]

Having just switched to lighter-weight 16s with 205/45s from the stock 17s, I can tell you that it feels like there's less inertia in the steering wheel when driving over rain grooves or taking off from a stop with the wheel at an angle. I didn't have any qualms with the ride quality on the 17s, but I can say that I hear less dash rattle with the 16s and the 45-sidewall tires. Not generally a fan of black wheels on a black car, but they were available at a decent price and are not heavy. From a cosmetic standpoint, you might say the 16s don't fill the wheel wells as well as the 17s. A slight drop might remedy that, though I can't tell for sure since I'm still on stock suspension until Swift springs aren't on backorder anymore.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I also personally don't get the whole 'ride comfort'/desire for a cushy ride thing, as the car is already too 'cushy' overall for my tastes, and I do NOT live in an area with great, billiard table top smooth roads by ANY means/anyone's judgement!
(I guess coming from a road race type, rod-ended/jointed suspension, solid engine/trans mounted, solid rear axle, 4th gen f body has skewed my opinion on what is, and is not "harsh", compared to most on here?? )

Now yes, the 'rubber band' profile of our factory setup DOES contribute to the increased possibility of wheel damage on these said SHITTY roads, but if the profile is increased too much, the turn-in response HAS TO be decreased somewhat, despite all of the opinions to the contrary on here (and the claims that the lower wheel/tire weights negate/offset this lessened response).

As far as aesthetics go (as well as, and added to, the obvious MANY physics benefits of the lower rotational, un-sprung, and centrifugal weight, of course), the 15" diameter setups CAN look GREAT with a wide enough tire, and at least some properly done lowering.

But of course many on here (myself included) will argue to the death on what constitutes a "good looking" wheel/spoke pattern in a 15" wheel, and our willingness to concede/sacrifice those aesthetic opinions in the name of MAXIMAL/ULTIMATE weight savings.
For some, if the wheel weighs 10 lbs. or less, there is no other choice, for others (like myself) IF I HATE the way my car looks with said 10 pound wheels on it every time I walk up to it, they are just NOT worth the (yes, REAL/ACTUAL physical) benefits.

The same could be said for those not wanting to go through the bother of converting to 4x100 hub drillings just to be able to use those 10# wheels, as it is just not worth it to them.

IF I ever do get serious about open tracking with this car, I will invest in a set of much lighter (while still keeping a 4x108 PCD) 15x8, or 16x8 (IF anyone ever makes them for our app) wheels, with dedicated track tires on them, since they DO make a BIG difference in that scenario.
(And yes, they still make a difference on the street, but I am NOT going 11/10ths on the street at ANY time, and they just would not be enough of an improvement on the street for me to feel/notice at less than anything even close to that level of intensity.)

 

[Fiestarawpower]

Team dynamic 15s!!!!!!!!

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^I know I will get for saying so, but to me at least, those wheels look the absolute BEST in the 15"/16" diameter sizes, DESPITE not being the absolute lightest things out there!
(One also does NOT have to re-drill their hubs, nor use hub-centric rings in order to fit them as well, another benefit! )

 

[Intuit]

You may find the "Meaty Tires" thread interesting.
http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/1691-Meaty-Tires-Thread

Aesthetically, I like the larger wheel, lower profile tires. Presumably there is also some environmental benefit IF less material is being used and dispensed.

I'm sticking with the OEM 17 but have gone with a slightly taller sidewall. 215/45/R17 work well with the car and the circumstantially bouncy suspension continues to stabilize over miles/time. Less bump-steer and a more typical suspension response to the road skillets, craters, waves and wrinkles... and oh yeah the pot holes too. With the stock 205/40/R17, I did manage to literally ring the passenger front wheel (no damage) on a crater in a dark section of the road sometime last year. Not doing anything out of the ordinary, I've managed to bottom-out the front suspension twice just because some of the area roads are that bad. I also have to cross three sets of train tracks on the way to work, and two of the three sets are poorly maintained, one *very* poorly.

 

[FatGuyInALittleCar]

I just downsized to 16 x 7.5 wheels on 205/45 tires.
I changed both wheels and tires, so there are too many variables involved to determine what any one result may be the result of. That said, I lost nearly 5# per wheel and it feels great. Acceleration from take-off, just normal city driving, is improved. Because of the wider wheel, turn-in is immediate. The car rattles less and takes bumps in a quieter, more compliant manner. Another benefit for me is the tire I got is quieter than OEM, adding another improvement to the overall experience, especially on the freeway.
I have a new position requiring moderate travel. If I can drive in 6 hours, I'd rather that than fly. So, these outcomes to me are totally worth the minor loss of fidelity with respect to at-limit performance. Different setups for different people with different goals - that's some of what makes owning this car a fun experience!

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[ron@whoosh]

I just swapped my winter wheel set for the OEM's and the car feels slower/a lot less snappy now so there is definitely a performance benefit
the weight difference between my Team Dynamics 15" and the OEM's is pretty significant

 

[Khill007]

I think 15's and 16's are fugly?!? That's just my opinion. Car looks dated with them mounted...something like a 1999 Miata?!?

 

[A2ST]

[MENTION=5216]Khill007[/MENTION], whats wrong with a 1999 Miata -- I still have one in my garage. It nicely complements my 2015 FiST.

 

[Khill007]

[MENTION=5216]Khill007[/MENTION], whats wrong with a 1999 Miata -- I still have one in my garage. It nicely complements my 2015 FiST.

Ha! No worries man. They are cool cars, just not "my" style. I drive by a business in Garland every day that must hold Miata club meetings once a month so I've see some trick Miatas. I also keep seeing a FiST there that looks just like Ian's Cobb car except it has red TD's on it?!?

: )

 

[M-Sport fan]

I just swapped my winter wheel set for the OEM's and the car feels slower/a lot less snappy now so there is definitely a performance benefit
the weight difference between my Team Dynamics 15" and the OEM's is pretty significant

Are you selling the FiST now that you have the FoRS??

 

[ron@whoosh]

Are you selling the FiST now that you have the FoRS??

no

I'm also picking up a new 2018 Fiesta

good times ahead my friend

 

[Intuit]

Since you're not selling it, can you at least give it away?