New wheels or suspension first?

[Diode Dynamics]

Coilovers first, then wheels

Your car will look better lowered with stock wheels

Nick C.

[nick_318is]

Originally Posted by Reaper

TIRES then everything else.

This. If you have to pick one thing, better tires will improve acceleration/braking and grip. Since I assume you'll get new tires with your wheels that's my choice.

I haven't had my BRZ to the track yet but based on my experience the one thing I think the car needs right away is a better tire. The car is very capable stock and would be even more so with a set of real performance tires.

[janitor]

Originally Posted by nick_318is

This. If you have to pick one thing, better tires will improve acceleration/braking and grip. Since I assume you'll get new tires with your wheels that's my choice.

I haven't had my BRZ to the track yet but based on my experience the one thing I think the car needs right away is a better tire. The car is very capable stock and would be even more so with a set of real performance tires.

Do you mean to buy tires, mount them on the stock wheels, and dismount, mount again onto the new wheels? Assuming you decide to go with a 225/45 or 235/40 (might be a bit tough squeezing a 255/40 on a 17x7). Or do you mean try out different tires in the stock (or similar) sizing until you find one that you like? The same tire in different sizes tires will generally handle heat differently so this may not be as effective as it sounds on paper.

Working under the premise that all three cannot be purchased at the same time, I personally prefer to install coilovers, then wheels with the stock tires (assuming you choose a 17" wheel) then tires.

Of course, this is a bit of a stretch and purely hypothetical as most people would at least buy wheels and tires together.

[Reaper]

Stock tires suck. Stock tires on nice upgraded stiff suspension will have LESS grip than stock. Stock tires with stiff suspension on too wide wheels will be stupid performance wise.

[Dipstik-sportech]

Hey hey now @Reaper the stock tires have there uses ie rolling burnouts and drifting lol

[Reaper]

Aaaaannd that's it. Well and I was surprise how they did in snow at 9, 000psi

[AC13_JohnG]

Originally Posted by Reaper

TIRES then everything else.

Yes yes yes yes! I could not possibly agree any more.

[nick_318is]

Originally Posted by janitor

Do you mean to buy tires, mount them on the stock wheels, and dismount, mount again onto the new wheels? Assuming you decide to go with a 225/45 or 235/40 (might be a bit tough squeezing a 255/40 on a 17x7). Or do you mean try out different tires in the stock (or similar) sizing until you find one that you like? The same tire in different sizes tires will generally handle heat differently so this may not be as effective as it sounds on paper.

Working under the premise that all three cannot be purchased at the same time, I personally prefer to install coilovers, then wheels with the stock tires (assuming you choose a 17" wheel) then tires.

Of course, this is a bit of a stretch and purely hypothetical as most people would at least buy wheels and tires together.

I said "Since I assume you'll get new tires with your wheels that's my choice." So I'm saying buy new wheels and get better tires at the same time.

[Vracer111]

2 years of ownership and still on stock suspension here, no need to touch the phenomenal factory suspension setup until it becomes a limitation...and I see it wearing out before it becomes a limitation. And it's probably only a true limitation to less than 0.5% of the members here... Tires and wheels were the first mod for my FRS however - being the most important part that works with the suspension and the lowest common denominator which will truly make or break how a car behaves.

[Reaper]

Community how about this? Michelin pss tires slightly wider than stock, spacer for stock wheels and cheap springs if the wheel gap visible bugs you then save for coilovers and look for used wheels. ? If you notice I was the first poster to suggest tires so dont flame this I'm trying to be realistic for the op.

[Vracer111]

And for ~5.5k I would do the following:

1. ESSEX AP Racing Sprint brake setup for front (drop 20lbs unsprung mass off the front and upgrade your braking system capacity at the same time...sign me up please!) ~$2.1k
2. Bilstein B8 dampers ~$1k on Racecomp Engineering tarmac Springs ~$300
3. Nice set of inexpensive lightweight 17x8 wheels [16lbs or less] ~$1k
4. Max Performance category tire in stock 215/45-17 size ~$500
5. Front camber bolts ~$50
6. SPL adjustable rear lower control arms ~$540

Then get a nice alignment...

That would be the best use of ~$5.5k for suspension mods...

[DarkSunrise]

The stock suspension on our cars is very good. You can upgrade to max or extreme performance street tires, and the suspension will still feel well matched. Yes there will be some body roll (about 2.6 degrees in a sustained 1.00 g corner), but you sit low enough in these cars where it won't be that noticeable from inside.

If you're looking for performance, I would leave the suspension alone for now and go with tires + wheels first.

[mwjcyber]

There are lots of wheels that wont fit with stock suspension. So if looking to up-size to 9"+ wheels, you'd need to do coil-overs first. Otherwise lots of other good recommendations in this thread