Wheel sizes for 98 Boxter

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

It all depends upon what your objective is. For performance and ride quality, stay with 18's and under. Add to this that Cheating Death isn't an issue with the '98s, but despite those daring few, is a real issue on the '97s (Porsche didn't retool for all that rear chassis reinforcement for frivolity's sake).

Going bigger than 18" is purely for the aesthetic value and braggin' rights. And, if these are your thing - Go for It!...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[David_J]

I've been running 19s since 1 week after purchasing my car. I am glad I went that route. I didn't notice that much of a rougher ride with 19s. I just have to pay close attention to the road looking for hazards. But I'm use to that as I run 22s on my Denali.

If I had to do it all over again, I would go with 19s. I debated a long time over 18s or 19s. The roads in my area are not too bad so that helped in the decision.

For the track or autocross events, I use my stock 17s with MPSC tires on them. The 19s are for around town driving.



-David

[z12358]

1. A friend drives a MB CLS500 with 19" wheels in NYC. He has replaced three tires and one wheel in six months.
2. A NYC Bentley dealer discourages buyers from the 20" wheel option but most of them still get it. He claims they get an average of one destroyed 20" wheel per car per month.

Anything larger than 18" wheels is purely for looks -- it does nothing for performance, and if anything it deteriorates it at the extremes. People who extrapolate the trend from 15" to 18" wheels over the last couple of decades, need to ask themselves at what point bigger eventually stops meaning better. After all, Formula One doesn't drive on 26" wheels.

Z.

[Boxter]

"z12358"

Your talking about NYC...those roads are the absolute extreme conditions for any roads...I am in there quite often on business in my company car and I would bet that better than 95% of the owners here do not drive in conditions like that ever, let alone on a regular basis.

That said I have heard that the 19"s do not enhance performance in any way but i have not heard anything to substantiate that ever. Nothing to back that up...

Does anyone have first hand knowledge of this?

Regarding the Formula 1 tire comparison... I am not running nitrogen mixed air either so I do not think that point is relevant at all...but Heck, look at their overall tire sizes...you were right on! They are 26" almost on the nose. Ha Ha!

Fronts are 10.0w/25.8H and 10.0w/25.8h
Rears are 14.0w/26.8H 14.0W/27.0H

[David_J]

I did mine solely for the looks. On the street, I don't think you would even notice a difference between 18s and 19s as far as performance goes. On the track, yes. But that is why you keep your stock wheels around and put some good track tires on them.

[Boxter]

thanks for the feedback...

[Grizzly]

Jeez, where have I been all day?

I put 19s on ours purely for the aesthetics. Our car is a cruiser, though I drive the crap out of it whenever I'm left alone with it. I don't plan to race it, but if I do, I'll get a proper wheel/tire combo for the track. When I bought the car it had some hideous aftermarket 18s on it. I couldn't get them off fast enough! I pored over this board looking at every photo I could find. To me, the 19s are just tougher looking and fill the wheel wells better. Despite my joking about the cheating death issue, I did a fair amount of research and was satisfactorily assured that the rear suspension would survive the 19s on a street car. I've noticed zero change in ride quality or handling on the 19s over the 18s. I will say, however, that the roads here are pretty good. My opinion on ride quality might change if I had to routinely drive through NYC or Jersey City.

If I didn't have such close adult supervision I'd lower the car, as well. Check out David J's car with the 19" GT3s and lowered suspension. That thing just looks like all business. ("My God David! What...are...you...doing?" )

Your original question was about wheel and tire sizes. My fronts are 19x8 with 235s. The rears are 19x9.5 (though 19x10s will fit) with 275s. I have no spacers and no rubbing anywhere.