Question
 

Hello, I need help with some simple stuff, I'm a newbie when it comes to cars but I want to get into them. Anyway I bought an FR-S 2 months ago its stock everything and I wanna get some new rims on it but my friend who's really into cars told me that I got to buy some coilovers before I get my rims or else it would look stupid but I don't wanna lower it since I'm a full time student and my school got hella bumps so it defeats the purpose of going low. Anyway He also told me that I gotta buy some new tires if I want new rims but Why? is there anyway I can keep the same tires and buy rims, like my tires are still brand new and I don't wanna spend extra money. So my question is can I buy rims without having to buy tires?

You are "limited" to 17'' wheels only as that's what came with the car.

You can always paint the wheels and go with adjustable coilovers.

As an answer to all of your friend's suggestions: he's a dumbass. You don't have to do any of that, he just wants to live vicariously.

You don't need to lower the car to put new wheels on it and you don't need to buy new tires with new wheels. However, your new wheels need to be appropriately sized for the OEM tires, if you're planning on keeping them. Which is why most people usually get wheels and tires at the same time. Also, coilovers are expensive. Springs are cheaper, if you just wanted to drop it a little.

The first question anyone new to cars should be asked is, "What do you want to do with it?" Show car? Track car? Pretty daily driver? Be specific when you answer this.

Why do you want "rims" on an frs?

Hey now, don't knock it before you try it. Getting rimmed ain't half bad

BTW, I agree with your friend. New wheels at stock height looks weird, IMO.

It's your car, though.

^This

Let us know what your goals are and we can help you out better. With such a wide array of owners here, we can certainly put together a plan to get you where you want to be.

Your friend is right, a car at stock height with wheels, or even any mods looks weird. Springs are one of the very first things you should do.

Get Eibach Pro Kit or some other spring that is only a 1" drop. They cost around $200, and you can use your stock shocks with them since it's a minor drop. It's a relatively easy do-it-yourself install too. I run the Pro Kit springs and have no clearance issues.

To answer your question, yes, you can simply buy 17" rims, slip on your stock tires, and put them on. Like others have said, they look a bit silly.

I don't recommend buying rims that are the same size to fit your stock tires. People buy bigger and wider rims so they can put on some fat tires. That way you get better looking wheels that fill up more of the wheel-gap and higher performing tires. If you get rims the same size as your stock rims, you aren't getting the full value of buying new rims.

It sounds like you just want to have better looking wheels. In that case, I recommend you plastidip your stock rims. Check out this thread: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32410 to see examples of how they look. It'll cost you maybe $50, and you can do it yourself without even taking the wheel off. I would also get lowering springs (~$200) with the money you save like many others have already recommended. They only give you a small 1" drop, so you won't have many issues.

Its gonna be my Daily driver

Thanks for the help, I will look into that! And if there's any chance can you show me how your car lookin like with the Eibach Kit?

No, when I bought the car the only thing I didn't like was the wheels that's why I wanna buy some new ones, I just never been a big fan of them. I wanted to put something like BBS's on it

well if your not interested in performance then buy some rotas from wheeldude and put your stock stock tires on. Rota copies other designes and generally look good, but weigh a little more and you wont cry when you curb them. Then drop it on some used eibachs. Cheapest way to make it look better. Used eibachs are everywhere since a lot of us bough them to hold us over until the coilover market grew. I think I got mine for 180$ shipped. Then I blew all my money on turbo stuff and now I cant put the power down.