best wheels / tyres for st Options

[bananaface]

hello,
I recently bought my first celica, here it is below - 1.8st.
Been having a few problems with the wheels, I thought the wheels looked nice, they had a few curb marks, but I have since found a large split on the inside of one, and I think 2 are buckled with a 2cm wobble.

What would be the best wheel size for this car - meaning wheels & tyres, currently they are 215 45 r17, which seem very heavy/large to me.
& what is the advantage of alloys over steels? (I know alloys look better, but they are expensive and appear to break easily)
thanks for any help

Chris

[netrata]

The difference between alloy vs. steel is that alloy is lighter and is great for use as a tuner wheel. Steel on the other hand is heavy but is alot more durable against damage from potholes, curbs, etc. I prefer having alloy rims. I have 18" rims on my ST and it uses 215/35/18 tires. I like the way it looks, but you can feel alot of the imperfections on the road. I would go bigger like 225/40/18 since it looks more flush in the wheel well and gives a better ride feel. So get either 17 or 18" alloy wheels with maybe Kunho Ecstas tires or BF Goodrich.

[uberschall]

i'm not sure about uk specs, but the stickers in the driver's side door jamb will tell you what the original wheel/tyre size were.

running bigger wheels has pros and cons. bigger, heavier wheels are unsprung weight that can compromise your handling and ride quality, but having a shorter sidewall and wider contact patch can improve your handling alot. alloys reduce the unsprung weight, which is important for a performance car. unfortunately, they are expensive and cannot be mended like a steel wheel if they get damaged. bigger wheels tend to ride rougher, too...like netrata said.

i would scroll through the member's rides here and find a wheel you like the looks of, and go from there. the stock size in the us is 15"...so anything other than that is an upgrade. most people opt for 16's or 17's because once you get to 18" wheels, tires start getting pretty expensive, and depending on the offset of the wheel and your suspension setup, you might also have clearance issues.

nice car btw, and good luck finding some new rolling stock!

[pure_dx]

^whatcha smoking mang, stock size for the ST is 14" here in the States

there is NO "best" size for ANY car, its all taste and preferences , but IMHO 17s or 18s looks good with the 6gc

[malpaso]

I have 205/50 R16 recommended and legal size from Toyota (not too wide but still looking cool )

[jc47]

I'd get some 15 or 16 inch wheels (probably 15). The larger rims are more expensive (actually it is the tires for the larger wheels that will really set you back). The 215/45/r17 tires that you have don't have very much cushion to protect the wheels, this is probably why they are bent. Go with a tire like 205/55/r15, or even 205/50 R16 like recommended above. These tires are much more reasonably priced, you will get a smoother ride, the wheels will be less likely to bend, and you should still get decent handling.

[vg30dett93]

Can you guys post pics of your rims?

[malpaso]

... Go with a tire like 205/55/r15, or even 205/50 R16 like recommended above. These tires are much more reasonably priced, you will get a smoother ride, the wheels will be less likely to bend, ...

That's true. Don't know how in your place, but here are 55's more expensive than 50's. That's one of reasons I have chosen 205/50 R16. (lower price, not too wide and still looking good)

Can you guys post pics of your rims?

see my profile pics where are rims and tires visible: