The ever popular question...

[Madman]

...I know it would be in my best interest to lower my car, but is it a necessity to lower it if I want to put 18's or 19's on my Vibe? I mean looks wise. Neither myself or my wife really want to lower the car, but would like to swap out the rims.Obviously the handling benefits are a positive, but I have had many lowered vehicles and don't care for another. Our Vibe GT handles great as it is and perfect for the amount driving we do with it.Any comments of putting bigger wheels on stock suspension? Pics?Thanks.

[goodvibe]

I would consider a small drop. Bigger wheels and smaller sidewall tires will make that gap very obvoius. ProKit/ TRD aren't bad but do ride little firmer than stock. Nice even gap all the way around and doesn't look dropped, just sporty.

[Sub-Vibe-R]

You can put some 182on your car without lower it, but IMHO, it will look weird.Take a look here, drw2514 puts 17" with stock coil and this is how it looks.It is your's to take de decisionhttp://forums.genvibe.com/zero...3.JPGhttp://forums.genvibe.com/zero...6.JPG

[AKLGT]

i also have the trd springs. only about a 1.5" drop, nothing drastic. looks much better and i feel the ride is smoother. i have the factory 17" on mine and the wheel gap isn't bad. the stock ride height left a good size gap, so can't imagine what the wheel gap looks like w/ 16's. but 18's would look great and maybe 19's, but i'd worry about wheel rub. i'm no tire expert, so best to ask some of the techies

[Madman]

Quote, originally posted by Sub-Vibe-R »You can put some 182on your car without lower it, but IMHO, it will look weird.Take a look here, drw2514 puts 17" with stock coil and this is how it looks.Yeah, I saw those pictures before and noted how it looked....not what I want.I wonder if 19's would look as much out of place.

[goodvibe]

I think the larger you go, the worse it will look.

[GT_03]

i might be selling my TRD springs, if your interested

[goodvibe]

I hate to disagree with trdvibe but TRD springs do ride firmer than stock. The rears are 20% stiffer and not progressive. Fronts are progressive but don't start softer than stock either and stiffen quickly. They barely look progressive coming out of the carton. That said, the ride is fine, not that different, handles great (get a progress too), and there are no problems with hauling, bumps, snow, or parking curbs so if these were conserns don't let it stop you. I remember that when I first put them on, I also thought the ride may have improved until the shocks seemed to 'break in' to their new position over the next few days and firmed up again.

[AKLGT]

they may be firmer or what not, but i feel the ride is much better than stock. don't ask me to get technical because i can't. i can say that i drive a lot since i am outside sales. driving around town, the ride just seems better.. on my (removed). so if you want to call that smoother, stiffer, better, etc, doesn't matter.

[goodvibe]

OK, we don't agree on this one. Like I said earlier in this thread it rides a little worse to me but I prefer the better handling. Fair trade. I was just trying to explain.

[Madman]

OK, so the concensus is that without lowering the car, bigger wheels will look goofy.Although, the factory 17's don't look out of place like the previous pictures do. The tires must be a lower profile on that car and I'm guessing the diameter is smaller than the stock ones.

[AKLGT]

Quote, originally posted by goodvibe »OK, we don't agree on this one. Like I said earlier in this thread it rides a little worse to me but I prefer the better handling. Fair trade. I was just trying to explain. no prob honestly, since it's been so long since i changed out the springs, i really don't remember what the stock felt like! just remember thinking to myself, ya, this is better.

[ballrub]

Quote, originally posted by Madman »Yeah, I saw those pictures before and noted how it looked....not what I want.I wonder if 19's would look as much out of place.Here's a shot of my car w/19's on prior to getting lowered...you be the judge!

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[ballrub]

Quote, originally posted by Madman »OK, so the concensus is that without lowering the car, bigger wheels will look goofy.Although, the factory 17's don't look out of place like the previous pictures do. The tires must be a lower profile on that car and I'm guessing the diameter is smaller than the stock ones.If done correctly, going "plus-one", or in my case "plus-two" (my Vibe came with the optional 17"'s) on your tire/wheel combination, shouldn't change the outside rolling diameter of your tire. If it did, it would throw off your speedometer (and also in my case, the GPS navigation, which partly relies on mileage to maintain accuracy).As far as goofy looking....here's a close-up of my 19"x 8" Axis wheels with Bridgestone 245/35/ZR19 S-03's before it got lowered, and you decide! Me...it just looked like there was too much space between the tire and fender to make me happy (but then again...I'm a crazy car nut, and have to modify just about everything!)

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[Stang2Vibe]

Quote, originally posted by ballrub »If done correctly, going "plus-one", or in my case "plus-two" on your tire/wheel combination, shouldn't change the outside rolling diameter of your tire.Yeah, so what I see happening is that the wheel gets bigger, the tire sidewall gets smaller, but the overall diameter is about the same as stock. It looks a bit goofy because there is so much wheel in the wheelwell and then the body gap appears to be exaggerated. I'd have to lower it a bit if it was me. But that's just my opinion.