Better tires and wheels = less fun?

[jamal]

With wider wheels and stickier tires you are going much faster at the limit and it can be much less safe to get there on a public road. I found that to be the case with all the suspension parts and bigger/wider wheels and tires on my own car. When I got it it was a blast and I could have the tires making noise at reasonable speeds. Then with better stuff it became a bad idea to push the car on a public road because at the limit of what the car can do I was going REALLY fast.

On the other hand, a wider, grippier tire gives you more grip in the form of a shorter braking distance and better cornering ability which is safer. In my opinion, put better tires on the car. You will have a bigger margin of safety. So what if you can't replicate the scion commercial under the speed limit.

[DarrenDriven]

I define fun a little differently... how about being able to get a little sideways without having to worry about damaging EXPENSIVE wheels. Sure, I love nice wheels, but if I am concerned about a little curb rash then I probably won't really be able to enjoy my car as much. My Rota's aren't the prettiest, or the lightest, or the coolest... but if I wrap one around a curb I won't cry either.

Just my two cents.

[digital_assassin]

Originally Posted by ngabdala

Fun for me would mean it makes it's easier to kick out the rear at lower speeds.

Watch this video. If you want to drift the car here is your recipe. I've taken my spare out and you can make an offer


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPh90yNX-mY"]The Mercedes C63 AMG Experiment - CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS - YouTube[/ame]

[Mitch]

I'm a cone-dodger, so the fun has been greatly amplified with stickier tires. In ten hours I'll start the process of installing KWs. I wouldn't do this if it made the car less fun.

[SUB-FT86]

Its funny how all of you guys didn't buy into the hype that Toyota said all sports cars with sticky tires is boring. I was beginning to think all you guys were gigantic fanboys but its nice to see I was wrong.

[Jordo!]

Originally Posted by SUB-FT86

Its funny how all of you guys didn't buy into the hype that Toyota said all sports cars with sticky tires is boring. I was beginning to think all you guys were gigantic fanboys but its nice to see I was wrong.

No worries. There are plenty of fanboys on here

[ultra]

It's fun for sure on the skinny stock tires. Feeling the car get up on it's toes and feeling the back squirming around a bit when you unload it certainly makes the hairs on the back of my neck stick up.

I put on stickier tires because I don't necessarily want the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up when some fool in a giant sports SUV (think Porache Cayenne) is tailgating me on an onramp or offramp though.

In such situations light weight, grip, balance and the possibility of higher cornering speeds, taken with confidence, give me a bigger smile.

I'll be saving any explorations into the limits of adhesion for the track where there's cones or runoff areas. The higher cornering speed is also nice for that, and I still have the stock rubber as well if I just want to play.

If I had a bunch of isolated winding country lanes on my daily commute or a short drve away on the weekends I might think different but more grip works better for me on the roads I have.