15" vs 17" Performance

[smokeysworld]

just curious to know what sort of difference in performance (0-60) you get when you switch to 17" alloys?
will it have a big impact on a GT/HGT?

 

[simon_16vpunto1]

well, for my puny wee 1.2 monster, the only difference i can see is the top speed

 

[imported_Voodoo]

There will be a reduction in top speed and acceleration but it won't be hugely notice able unless you are trying shave off seconds on your 1/4 mile times

 

[FS Guest]

well, for my puny wee 1.2 monster, the only difference i can see is the top speed

Thats down to the diameter of the wheel will be greater than the standard wheel so your speedo will be reading different to standard.

If you want looks go for 17's but if you want to keep performance and some ride quality, then stick with a lightweight set of 15's such as o.z racing wheels.

 

[fannon]

Iv got a set of 15's. I didnt wanna lose speed, and i read that it puts strain on the gearbox etc, maybe bullshit..but im hapy with my 15's

 

[smokeysworld]

so 17s wont slow the 0-60 to a huge degree then?
and are we talking drivetrain repair every 2000 miles or 20000?
ie how severe is it?

 

[FS Guest]

I think big wheels generally cause parts to wear or break quicker than they would if kept standard, as the car has probably not been designed to take the stresses of the extra weight and width a bigger wheel offers, i put 16" coupe wheels on my 1.1 and noticed it lost a bit of its acceleration, not that it was great to start with but it just didnt feel as nippy, i also had to replace my balljoints, rear suspension arms, a shock absorber and some bushes since i put the wheels on, might be a coincidence that these all went when the wheels were put on but i dont think they helped. My advice after putting the 16's on my car would be to stick to 15's if you want to have a car that still rides ok and retains its acceleration

 

[smokeysworld]

unfortunately not what I was hoping to hear but am thankful for the honesty, was it a new car you put the 16s on?
Looks like I'll be sticking to 15s though!

 

[simon_16vpunto1]

see, im not bothered about performance. At the end of the day its a 1242cc Punto so its not exactly quick anyway.

I just put the 17s on purely for looks

 

[smokeysworld]

yeah, this is not for my current punto as I agree with no point on a 1.2 but I'm making plans for my HGT when I get it...

 

[FS Guest]

mine has 16s on it, but ive only ever driven it with 16s. i have also had to replace parts in the rear suspension and had to fix the steering too, but it looks much better i think with thjem on

 

[housty]

see, im not bothered about performance. At the end of the day its a 1242cc Punto so its not exactly quick anyway.

I just put the 17s on purely for looks

hee hee hee lol

depends ive u wanna go race every tom dick & harry mate. i share the same view as simon, purely for the looks, the 50mm drop also helps :roll:

 

[mickmartin16]

go for the 17's............they fill the arches 10 times better

 

[FS Guest]

unfortunately not what I was hoping to hear but am thankful for the honesty, was it a new car you put the 16s on?
Looks like I'll be sticking to 15s though!

No it wasnt a new car, it was a very low mileage mk1 that had had an easy life with its previous owners being elderly, they only used it at the weekends for shopping.

 

[smokeysworld]

well the dilemma still stands, good arguments for both.... will probably be last minute when I decide!

 

[simon_16vpunto1]

at the end of the day, my 17's were only a few mm bigger in height than the standard 15's (although they have gone from 185- 205 width), so i find very little difference in performance if any!

They also weigh roughly the same so i cant see any problems, after all its not as if you are going from 13's to 17's

If you put 17's on an HGT i doubt you will either cos it has the same size alloys as my originals.

 

[smokeysworld]

I see your point simon, swaying me again....your right though the HGT comes with the same alloys as you had so when I get mine I'll check up on your list of repairs

 

[simon_16vpunto1]

well its about to hit 10,000 miles and so far, nothing has gone wrong that wasnt my fault. :lol:

Also, whether you go fot the 1.8 petrol, or 1.9 multijet, the HGT is a quick car, so if you do lose a bit of performance, will it matter that much?

 

[housty]

at the end of the day, my 17's were only a few mm bigger in height than the standard 15's

here's a wee calculator for you to see the difference in circumference mate

http://www.rochfordtyres.co.uk/TyreCalc.asp

 

[simon_16vpunto1]

ok, 15" standard Fiat alloys in height are 584.5mm
205/40 17's which i have on my car are 595.8mm

so only 11.3mm difference

And cheers housty for thre link