Hey guys and gals,

I have read a few posts regarding factory and/ or aftermarket wheels but haven't seen anything on 18" wheels, particularly the 18" JCW wheel sets.

What are the pros and cons of using 18's?

Any personal experience with the JCW wheels (18's)?

What should one expect to see (pros or cons) by going with an 18" wheel set?

Thanks in advance.

 

Pros: Look really cool, maybe better handling.
Cons: Not so good in winter you'll probably have to swap them out, rougher ride, they're heavier so the engine will have to work harder, although you can find 18s that weigh a little over 16lb for around $200 if you look around.

 

Winters are in Florida so that is not a concern.

Engine working harder . . . does anyone know what this means in terms of performance (slows accelleration by how much? etc.)?

thanks

 

I don't think you'll find exact numbers anywhere since there are so many different types of wheels. It does slow acceleration by a little bit, but if you get light weight wheels you probably won't notice, actually will probably even be an improvement over stock wheels, so go with what you think looks best. Oh and get some good non run flat tires, you'll notice quite a bit more difference with those.

 

Unless you are doing autocross you will probably never notice that the lighter wheels accelerate faster. Lighter wheels also allow the suspension to move faster giving you better contact with the road. Handling with 18s - well everybody seems to think they handle better but when push came to shove in the discussions here it seems 6 of one, half doze of the other. 18s will give you better road feel because the short sidewall transmits more info back through to the wheel. I may feel more responsive because it has less sidewall flex - when you turn the wheel your steering input reaches the road faster because the sidewall is deflects less than a smaller wheel with a larger sidewall tire. But you also have to watch for pot holes and bumps and you are more at risk for rim damage. Some think big rims thin sidewalls look cool, others like meatier tires as it compliments the proportion of the R56 better.

All stuff I've read kicked around here. Let us know what you decide.

 

Thanks all.

Already ordered the JCW 18" bushed aluminum double spoke wheel sets that will arrive with my car.

I read a few posts here and wanted to be sure I wasn't significantly compromising performance for cosemtics. Sounds like I probably won't notice the difference.

This does mean I have 17" sport wheel sets (brand new) that are available if anyone is interested.

 

I'm sure you'll enjoy this:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=90326

 

wow. sweet. thanks again.