can i have anyones opinion on what size rim i should purchase? i know for sure that i want to run widths of 8.5 in the front and 10 in the rear. should i get 18's or 19's? i know the 19's look better but is it worth the money and does the ride quality suffer too much?
thanks

 

19's look great however you may want to use good judgement before making the decision. Balance all the tradeoffs before going 19.

18's
Better ride
More Avail Tires
Considerably Less Expensive Tires
More wheels and width avail
Less likely to bend a rim on a pothole

19's
LOOK KILLER
Fills the fender very well.

 

i also am getting some new rims for my gs4....going w/ 18's though. 8.5" width seems to be the most common for front and back...would anyone have input on the best widths based upon thier experience.....

 

18x8.5+9.5 or 18x8.5+10, or 18x9+10...all good..depends on your budget...18x8+9 would work too on the wheels you like but no 8.5 or 9.5s...

if tire rotation is a factor for you, then 18x8.5 f+r...

 

On a SC, 18's look ok...19" look PERFECT. If you have decent roads, I would do 19's...the ride quality from 18" to 19" isn't very different...

 

what about tire sizes? could i run 275's in the rear without tucking the fender?

 

HEY G,
my research into tire size (i'm getting Yokahama AVS db) is as follows for 18" wheels.
245-40 front
275-35 rear
these wheels will fit w/o issues w/ the wheelwell according to lexus guidelines.

regarding 18" vs 19", my understanding (based upon a lot of forum reading) is that you sacrifice performance for looks the larger the wheels. its a form vs. function dilema. the larger wheels negatively affect the softness of your ride, the performance of your tire in high speed turns, and FOR SURE, the lifespan of your tires (which in my case are about $225 a pop. I am not an expert, but this is what i've established based upon others advice. This is why i've chosen 18's over 19's.

i was wondering though if anyone has input on the advantages/disadvantages to the staggered setup.

 

Honestly, the only real disadvantage of 19" vs. 18" is the cost of tires are little more...and the intial cost to get into the wheels are a little more....performance wise, there are way more factors than just diameter...even the design of the wheel can affect it's "performance".

As for tirewear, in my experience, 18" tires do NOT last any longer than 19" tires...I have had the SAME brand tire and same MODEL of tire with the SAME ratings (ZR, 300 Treadwear) and they last the same amount of time. I have over 10K miles on a set of 20" Nitto NT-555R's and they look as good as new...of course, I'm not doing 100 ft burnouts or donuts...

Now if you're running low treadwear tires (like 200), then expect to go through tires quickly regardless of diameter. If cost is a concern, buy some long lasting tires. The Nittos last a long time and they're good tires (IMO...some may disagree) and they're relatively inexpensive.

Also, to save money on tires, buy the same size wheel (width) and tires so you can rotate....19x8.5 or 19x9 all around with 245/35-19 and you'll be fine. Don't make the mistake of buying wheels that are too small the first time just to regret it later....however, 18" on the SC isn't horrible...just that 19" is so much better...