Over the winter, I'm going to try and sell my crappy Flik wheels. Come spring, if all goes well, I want these:
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Wheel...All&sort=Brand
But, my question is, do I go with a lighter 16in wheel or go with the 17's and a stiffer sidewall. I do 95% driving around town with the occasional highway sprint. I'd like to do maybe 1 or 2 track days but thats still up in the air. The 16's are hella light but I'll have better tire choices with the 17in. Pricewise, there really is no difference.

 

Those are Enkei RPF1 in 16x7 +43mm offset 13.5 lbs each. Overall a good choice for rims.

By stiffer sidewall you mean 40 or 45 series tires but the 16" rims can be mounted with similar sidewall tires as well so that isn't a problem unless you want comfortable street tires.

For 17" rims you really have just a few sizes that are likely to fit and give you somewhat of the choice of tires useful for street and some track. In that case a Max or Ultra High Performance Summer tire would be a place to look or even Extreme Performance Summer if you don't mind the faster wear. Some sizes 205/45-17, 215/45-17 and 215/40-17 (smaller and stiffer sidewall not as good for bad roads).

For 16" you have many more choices that range from street friendly
205/50-16 or 205/55-16 (taller than stock but comfortable, works with stock suspension and gives larger selection of possible tires) to firmer and more performance oriented- (all will fit 16x7 rim)
205/40-16 22.4" tire diameter
205/45-16 23.1" tire diameter
205/50-16 24.1" tire diameter
215/40-16 23" tire diameter
215/45-16 23.6" tire diameter
215/50-16 24.6" tire diameter
225/45-16 23.7" tire diameter

Smaller than stock tires can be run for street use but you will get a larger wheel gap and slight error on the speedo and odometer, not bad if you are closer to 24" (stock is 24.3").

Bottomline-
Search for both tires and rims, see what tires and sizes might fit your needs first and have in mind what rim you have to work with. Smaller tires will work with lowered suspension and wheel gap won't be as much.

If you do have very poor potholed roads then be careful about using light rims and stiff sidewall tires. Risk for damage would be fairly high if you hit one going fast.

 

My 2 cents:I've always wanted those wheels,they look great and would be easy to clean.I have 215/45-17's on my car which ride smooth over potholes.My wife has an '05 S Cabrio,lots of chrome on black,and she went for looks with 215/40-17.Her car rides a little rougher,but she likes the way it corners on the weekend twisties! So you have to decide:looks,comfort,performance,$$$,mileage,etc.: )

 

I live here in Potholeville, USA aka, Pennsylvania. I need some sidewall to withstand some abuse. I also want to stick as close as possible to factory tire size because I don't like having to think about how far off my speedometer is. Come spring, if the cash is there, I'd also like to drop it a little so I need something that won't rub.

 

Badroads
Close to stock size
Possible lowering
No need to work in the snow (you have snow tires)

What is your budget per tire?
How long do you want them to last? Soft rubber wears fast but gives better handling. Is street comfort of much concern to you? (Noise and ride quality).

17" wheels are still possible but 215/45-17 is taller than stock at 24.7" and has slight risk for rubbing in the rear with lowered suspensions, you'll need the right wheel offset and sometimes more rear negative camber to make it not rub.

215/40-17 is safe but not as comfortable for street use on bad roads, it's smaller than stock size so you get a little speedo error but better performance.

205/45-17 fits well but has limited selection of tires.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...ireSearch=true
Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2
BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDW2
Kumho Ecsta SPT
BF Goodrich g-Force Sport

In 16" look at the sizes about 50 series.
205/50-16
215/50-16
For example Avon Tech M500 Ultra High Performance Summer tire 280 treadwear ($86 and $89 respectively for those sizes)

 

I'm planing on purchasing the same wheel next Spring (16x7), to go with my new Hankook R-S2 (205/50-16). I have R-S2s on my monster Miata, and I love them.