madkeen73

I'm pretty close to getting an RX8, and am keen to pop some different wheels on it.

Plenty of wheel shops are happy to stick 20 inch wheels on there (they aren;t too pricey really either.) ...but the problem is getting tyres that fit! Man...you either seem to be able to get 20" Yokahamas for about $900 each (Eeek!) or have to go for something like a cheap Taiwan 'Nananko' brand 20"/30/245 tyre.

One guy told me NANANKO are dangerous CRAP tyres that should bot even be sold as 20"..but they cater to the Holden/Ford market who want bigger bling wheels and won;t pay for pricey tyres to match. He said could sell them to me, but he would not recommend them at all! I have also read a few articles saying cheap tyres - mainly from China - are total ****.

That same guy recommended I go for 19 inch wheels, as good tyres are more readily available. he suggested I stick on some quality Japanese Falken FK452's (245/35/19). According to him they are LIGHTYEARS ahead of Nananko and Co.

I have no idea on such matters. Has anyone had some experience in choosing not only tyres, but understanding whether 20" wheels mess up or enhance the ride in an RX8.

ta

nananko

madkeen73

Oops...I forgot to mention prices...

NANANKO 245/30/20 - $330 each

FALKEN FK452's 245/35/19 - $270 each

auzoom

nananko = nankang. I wouldn't say they are ****, but you get what you pay for. Personally I have just ordered a set of 265/40/R18 Nankang NS2 at $190/tyre

20" rims are going to mess with your ride as you are going to have to go for lower profile tyre which gives you a harsher ride (you feel bumps/potholes more). Again personally I have just sold my 19" rims to go back to 18's as I think it looks better and is better ride quality.

Its a much discussed topic and the search option at the top will return you a lot of reading material.

Cheers

Andrew

quick_dry

I'd say go for something with a smaller diamater - but if all your car is doing is cruising and george st happy laps then it won't be such an issue. It depends on how you plan on driving it. I don't think 20s would be good if you plan on spirited driving - particularly if the roads aren't perfectly smooth.

Your tyres are what connects you with the road, so thats what stops your pride and joy skittering all over the place and getting busted up. IMO it is worth it to get the best road tyres you can afford.

I am quite happy with my Bridgestone S03s, a bit pricey, but I'd rather spend a few dollars now and ensure traction - than skimp on it and have the back end step out in the wet.

madkeen73

Thnks for the thoughts so far. I have searched teh thread but have found littel with reference to 19inch tyres on tke market other than the Pirellis. Has anyone got the Falken FK452 19's on their RX8?

auzoom

tyres are tyres. If you want to know what a tyre is like dont worry about size, just the brand. If you are worried about size tyen dont worry about brand.

From what I can tell you have 2 concerns. Both are not a concern limited to the RX-8.

1. Which brand
Search Google. I did ->Nankang NS2 review<- and came back with some pretty good results. Some info from people who have ACTUALLY used them and able to compare them to other tyres on a variety of different cars.

2. Affects of large rims
Also did a search of Google ->effect of large rims on handling<- and got some great info.

Cheers

Andrew

Black-8

what do you really want out of your wheels? if you want just pure look, then yeah, go ahead and put 20" with nankang tyres, just remember not to push hard during corners

but if you want performance/handling/driveability, get lightweight 18" or 19" (if you must) with good tyres wrapped around them.

takahashi

Beware of potholes with low profile tyres... that is all I would say.

auzoom

OK here is a point I just came up against. Ensure the tyres you are getting adhere to the speed and load ratings required by law. I went in to get my new tyres fitted today and had to stop them as the nankangs are only H rated (need to be W rated). Ended up ordering some Toyo Proxies 4 for $240/tyre. They are 97W.

Cheers

Andrew

HYR12K

im rolling on 20 inch wheels, Toyo Proxie 4 tyres & Tein S-tech lowering springs

Car looks great .. ride quality not harsh and handling not much difference on the road.

RNE515

i think what you will end up finding is that at the end of the day there are limited options for tyres for the 19/20's to ensure your speedo and load ratings are correct...then it comes down to price

personally i like the 19/20" look

DrewMan

i got rid of my 20s because they slowed the car down.

e5cape

i got rid of my 19" wheel and went back to 18" .

takahashi

downsiding sounds good. From the price I am getting for the 17" ... I may do it eventually.

jayrite

Do not put 20's on, i repeat do not put them on, you will regret it. Get something nice in 18".There are plenty of rims out there to choose from. With 20's on you will feel as if your driving a different car altogether, handling is sacrificed greatly.

Gibbo

I can not emphasise also that you should not get the 20's. I had them and it was the worst decision I ever made. The only tyres that fit the 20's well are the 235/30/20 nitto extremes and they are junk.
You will sacrafice handling, performance and all the things that made the RX-8 great.
Maybe the 19s, but never ever the 20's. The tyre choice is so small and the difference it makes to the dynamics of the car is astounding. Astounding in the most negative way. I am convinced that if I did not get the 20's then I may have kept the car as my track toy. I lost the love for the car after tracking it with the 20's, worst mistake ever.

Revolver

Was thinking of you when I saw this thread previously Gibbo.

How's the 335i going?

Revolver

I agree with that Kall.

I think it really comes down to what your priorities for the car are.

If you want a certain look and aren't much fussed about the dynamic and ride compromises, then go for it and be happy.

However, if you place a priority on handling, etc, I reckon 20's are a poor choice and a lighter 18 inch rim is the way to go.

19's are a bet each way, I guess.

Ottog

I can't comment on the 20's other than (from my perspective) they look ridiculaous on most cars that I see them on as they are just too big proportionally to the rest of the car.

I have recently fitted 19's on mine and don't think that it has had a negative impact on performance. Road grip has changed as I don't have the semi slicks on anymore. I'll revert back to the original rims when hitting the track.

Cheers... Otto