oem struts and the smallest wheels that fit

 

I put Koni Frequency-Selective Dampers (FSDs) on my 2000 3-series, and liked them so much that my 2011 3-series got their direct replacement, Koni Special Active. Very happy after ~1.5 years.

 

I'm planning to get Bilstein B14s for my 335i, to me, they're so crazy affordable ($800's).

I got Bilstein B6's for my wife's GM SUV, car rides awesomely and they don't even cost more than OE--fronts made in Germany rear in USA.

If Bilstein makes products for Lexus, I'd recommend them. They don't for the LS430, which is why I say Bilstein is relatively cheap, and superior quality over OE.

edit ps low pro tires are only a pita for parallel parking, other than that imho it's a myth to get small wheels and large sidewalls. just remember 18 v. 19, the 18 has 1 more inch of sidewall, and 1 less inch of rim. Now you go 19, 20, 21, 22, apply the same principal. Sometimes I think what is missing in the concept, is that the overall diameter and namely circumference or revs/mile is the same. Contrast this to the 80's where bigger tires meant just bigger period.

To me it's more about the rim. there can likely be proof that the performance sweet spot is less rim due to unsprung weight. 20 years ago there was a test 15/16/17/18 same car, and 17 was optimal. Maybe this has changed. But going 20+ is looks imho, and if you want the look, that's ok. I'd probably get 22's on a new SUV, but only if factory.

 

I have plus-sized a couple of vehicles over the years. I love the handling improvement, but hate the cost, harsh ride, and the propensity for wheel damage. I doubt I'll ever plus-size again as the older I get, the more interested I am in comfort over handling. I actually minus-sized my SC430 by 1 (18" to 17") to improve a harsh factory ride, and I have no regrets. The smaller wheels don't look as good, but I'm old and married, so, not out to impress anyone!

 

My worst experience with low pros is when i hit a pothole at around midnight and instantly lost all tire pressure. No spare and had to get towed. And i missed work in the morning lol.

 

I guess since we seem to have revived this thread... I lost 3 different tires and one wheel to potholes on my 2016 IS 300 AWD F Sport. The wheel was a pretty extreme case where I had both a tire bubble and a bent wheel. But other miscellaneous potholes gave me two other tire bubbles. Since I've gotten my GTI I've also gotten one tire bubble. In all cases, on both cars, I was running the same tire size: 225/40R18 (on the IS, I only had issues with front tires).




However, it does look the part for a sporty sedan/hatch to have skinny tires. Also I have to be fair to the Lexus AND the VW. In each incident, I knew as soon as I hit the pothole that there was going to be an issue because of just how harsh the impact felt and sounded. There were a few times where it sounded really bad, but then I checked the tires and found nothing wrong. But again, I think for the additional handling benefits (less tire squirm and quicker responses) and aesthetics, it can be nice to have low-profile tires - to a point, obviously. I don't think I'd want to run 19-inch wheels on either of these cars unless I lived in an area with really nice roads.