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The phrase “A fool and his/her money are soon parted” comes to mind or are the Gangsta Rapper Wannabee’s moving from HUMMERS to BIMMERS in the interest of economy or street cred?
If the driver of that X5 drives it on the same pothole infested roads that I cruise every day, those wheels are on borrowed time!
…at least they don’t spin. I never figured out the strange love of those things.
Like all trends, when it finally reaches the “level of the absurd,” it’s over. I think we are getting close to that point with the massive yet pointless rim craze. I personally love the $400 car with $3000+ rims. They tend to be attached to the car with two rows of fake fender vents.
I guess the clueless make me laugh!
Over the last few years I have seen a huge reduction in aftermarket rims, and that has made me happy.
My last car had a sport package (the only way to get stick) with factory 18s that I had to swap down to the standard factory 17s because the ride sucked.
This guy’s ride must be horrible (although probably better than with the original BMW run-flats).
Unsprung weight and rotational inertia are not your friends.
Those wheels are kind of ugly too. Of course I’m not a huge fan of 6 spoke wheels. I like 3 or 4 myself (Saab has a really nice looking split 3 spoke on the turbo X, and the Saturn ion has a nice 4 spoke).
@arapaima:
Yeah, the ION has great rims. Right …Talk about Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
@farago:
You Can’t Lose on 22s.
They look better than those up there. Or plastic Walmart spinners on a ford aerostar.
Stupidly massive rims don’t look half-bad on a lowered car. They’re still ostentatious, but they’re part of a look. Granted, you can’t turn more than five degrees, but hey, at least it looks neat. Now, rubber-band tires on stock-ride-height trucklet is just trashy. It’s akin to, well, wearing clothes a little too revealing given the state of one’s physique.
I don’t really mind that large rims on modern cars, but the steadfast refusal to address the wheelwell gap puzzles me. Why spend all this money shoeing a midsize sedan in 18″ wheels only to leave a 1-2″ gap?
And here I thought TTAC was going to get into a discussion of varmint hunting rifles :).
I concur with flyersfan. My fellow E 28ers favor 17s to support upgraded brakes. The extra unsprung weight chews up the already delicate front end. I ride on the stock 195 70 14s and still bend wheeels.
Car suspensions are engineered to handle a specified unsprung weight. Big wheels are messing with mounts welded to folded sheetmetal. It fatigues over time.
And here I thought TTAC was going to get into a discussion of varmint hunting rifles :).”
The neighbor boy asked me that exact same question Sunday regarding coyotes, so that’s what I was expecting too! He’s not getting my coyote caller with a .22!
I hate spinners.
Someone around where I live has rims that size on an 80s-era Cadillac sedan. I’m not sure what they did to the suspension to make them fit, but in any case it looks completely ludicrous.
Wow… remember curb feelers? This, in my mind, is no different. Well, actually this is worse since it really impacts the ride.
Big rims I think may seem to reflect competence and confidence. I think of big rims as an unconventional to measure the abilities of a suspension system. I mean if all road were glass smooth big rims would not do much for comfort. Under not so good roads though a car will not be so much fun. Interestingly enough new cars can boast about having a compliant and even sporty demeanor even with confronted with big wheels. Also they can look good. I believe the term is “make it look easy”. Although its also an unconventional way of seeing what works out to pretty and does not clearer. I remember reading, its our unconventionality (imperfections) that makes us unique. Also, wisdom is neither created, nor made, nor born, it is proceeding. If big rims do not embody the substance of proceeding it self, I dunno what does. Although I do not see enough reason to put big rims on my car, I like to see others try something so um….unconventional.
There’s a white 6-series in my neighborhood sporting deep-dish 22 or 23 inch rims, the lip and rim of which are painted white, and the face is painted black. The tires are unbelievably thin. I believe they’re now called “Bladez”.
Let me know if you want a picture…it almost makes this X5 look tame in comparison.
Are you kidding me, you all should see some of the cars driving around up here. Imagine the most beat up ’80s Caprice lifted 6″ with 26″ rims. Or my personal favorite, a late model Caviler sedan with 22s, orange and black two tone paint and Lamborghini doors. Icing on the cake if you ask me.
Anyone that loves a 22, try a 17HRM. Wow does it reach out to prairie dogs much better. ;)
FWIW, it’s still more “low-key” than most Hummers look right off the lot…
When you put big rims on, doesn’t that affect the odometer ?
We have tons of old (sub $1k cars) with big bling rims. I think they are the stupidest fad ever.
Gotta love those owners who outfit their car with 50+lb gangsta wheels and notice that they can’t accelerate or brake as quickly b/c they substantially outweigh the stock wheels. In fact if you cruise Craigslist and other used car ads you’ll see a very large number of slightly new gangsta wheels for sale b/c owners get rid of them quickly b/c the ride sucks or they need that $2-$3k they spent back to pay rent or gas.
Buddy of mine used these idiots to his advantages. Bought a used 300 with 20’s at a discount from the dealer (sine no one wanted a used 300 with rims anymore). Drove it until the tread on the thin profile tires was worn down, and bought a pair of stock 300 rims with stock, unused tires, off of craigslist from some idiot who had just ‘upgraded’ his 300.
Best part is his selling the 20’s with no profile/no tread right back on craigslist.
Does anybody remember that the original purpose of oversize wheels was to fit around oversize brakes? I’m always amused to see cars with huge wheels and through the spokes you see brake rotors that now appear to be about the size of coffee saucers.
What are we looking at and why is it newsworthy? I don’t see extremely oversized wheels…
These rims may go out with bang…literally.
Shortly before I stopped turning wrenches for a BMW dealer (2004, if memory serves), we were getting reports of X5s with the Sport Package (rims ‘only’ 19 inches) that would fire off the airbags if they hit a pothole too hard.
Me either, Buick61. Those are tame. Go to youtube and look up the 40″ wheels. Yes, forty freaking inch wheels. The tires (sic.) look like rubber bands.
The reason why you see all of those old cars with large wheels, called “donks,” “box” or “bubbles,” started with old school drug dealers. They would purchase an inexpensive car with cash and customize the hell out of it. So sure you may have a 1988 Caprice (“box Chevy”), but it has a 454 under the hood, 24″ wheels, cammed, headers, exhaust, fully custom interior, stereo system, and an exotic “candy” paint job. The insurance costs are low, but the credibility and originality are HIGH.
However, the kids today are doing it wrong. They’re getting Bubbles (1994-up Caprices) with horrible paint jobs, no interior work, etc., but are still installing the 24’s and up. They are, ahem, “half-stepping.”
Are you kidding me, you all should see some of the cars driving around up here. Imagine the most beat up ’80s Caprice lifted 6″ with 26″ rims. Or my personal favorite, a late model Caviler sedan with 22s, orange and black two tone paint and Lamborghini doors. Icing on the cake if you ask me.
That’s different. If the workmanship is done well, it’s just the latest in the long tradition of automotive art. It’s tacky, but so were chop-n-dropped ’34 Fords.
I’ve seen some admittedly eyeball-searing Cavaliers that, when I got up close, really did show good attention to detail and workmanship. The cars were their owners’ canvases, and in that light I can respect them.
Does anybody remember that the original purpose of oversize wheels was to fit around oversize brakes? I’m always amused to see cars with huge wheels and through the spokes you see brake rotors that now appear to be about the size of coffee saucers.
The worst is people who paint the stock drums. As above, I can respect a car that, while tacky, is well-crafted. Painting the drums is like buying an expensive suit and wearing scuffed shoes and mismatched socks.
Even OEMs are following this trend. The Toyota Venza V6 will come stock with 20″ wheels. It’s a family station wagon!
The potholes in the street just bent ya rims, man whatchu gonna do? ACT A FOOL!
While I would not personally outfit my cars* with 20+ wheels, I am not going to begrudge anyone that does. Some people like the color orange, others detest it. It is a matter of personal preference and expression. They are personalizing their car so that it stands out from the crowd.
Tires this size are outrageously expensive too. Most people buy them new as a tire and rim package. As soon as they have to replace the tires, though, the wheels go up for sale.
* I do think that a Charger or (especially) a 300C does look good lowered with the right 20s.
The three measurements involving tire/wheel sizes are not unlike the three measurements applied to human females: There are a range of values that are considered “attractive”, and this varies between cultures.
But at some point, all cultures must agree – “WHOA!”
Personally, I prefer 16-inchers….
That’s nothing. In my old neighborhood, east harlem, that was just average. Most people went bigger with a lower profile. I wish I had taken pictures of the Aztec with chrome rims on my block. That always made me chuckle. I think the owner was half joking. Puerto Ricans have more of a sense of humor when they pimp their rides. There was also a 1980 something Trans Am spray painted silver with flame decals and stick on scoops everywhere. That was an insane eyesore. I don’t know how people ride on lo-pros in nyc. I have 17″s on my car and hitting a hole would feel like the rim was bent in half. They held up pretty well though. I certainly wouldn’t want any thinner.
As long as I’m not bailing him out b/c he’s upside down (and then some) on a vehicle he’s driving with $2K of rims then I can successfully ignore his bad taste.
Yeah, I’m a little sensitive about the Wal-Street debacle. No, not a typo in my mind…
Seriously I find 15s and 16s to be plenty of wheel. Pick a tire and offset that fits the fender then.
OMG… if you think this is bad, how about that ‘boxing’ craze?? You know where they take s-10 spindles and put them on old caprice’s so they can fit 30’s and what not???
http://www.rides-mag.com/online/?p=1023
ugh. Ridiculous to the infinity power!
BBMgnt,
LOL, it’s not called “boxing,” it’s a “BOX.”
Old Caprices that didn’t have curves are known to look like a BOX, hence the name BOX CHEVY. The rounded, mid 90’s version with curves is called a BUBBLE.
LOL…boxing wish it could be as famous as a donk right now.
Johnson….I’m familiar with the name and the concept, clearly not the conjugation of the word!!
Thanks!