Hi, I have a twinair 500C on order and it comes standard with black 15 inch wheels that I like a lot. I've noticed that the 500 twinair has a plus variant that comes with 16 inch wheels that look great too. I'm tempted to try and change my order to include the 16 inch wheels as they are not much more cash. I really don't want to hurt the ride or handling though, will the bigger wheels make much difference?
General 15 or 16 inch wheels
- Thread starter Nick600
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General 15 or 16 inch wheels
On a 500c you should be fine. But then again it's all down to opinion, what's fine for someone else might be backbreaking for you. Best to try for yourself.
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My girlfriend has 15 inch on her 500 twinair and we really enjoy the driving characteristics of the car. The ride comfort is a lot better with 15 inch and the handling is still very good. I wouldn't even consider fitting 16 inch.
In fact on my moms Mini Cooper we are switching from 18 inch to 15 for ride quality. Small size wheels rock!
In fact on my moms Mini Cooper we are switching from 18 inch to 15 for ride quality. Small size wheels rock!
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I haven't driven a car on 15s enough to really compare with my car which is on 16s, but I wouldn't say the ride is 'bad' at all on my car - it's perfectly compliant. Reasonable amount of road noise though, which others have commented is not so bad on a car with 15" (or 14") wheels.
Good advice. It's the only way to get what is right for you, rather than what someone else thinks would be right for them.
I'll just add that if such things matter to you, remember the true cost of ownership of larger, wider wheels, over the life of the car, is significantly greater than the up-front price difference.
ahmett
Prominent member
On British Roads 16 inch is fine!
On Greek roads 15 inch!I have barely seen any 16 inch wheels in Greece for a reason!
When I visited the UK a few months ago, 16s were quite common compared to Greece and with those roads why not it does make the car look better! Just PLEASE dont kerb them as it ruins the look!
On Greek roads 15 inch!I have barely seen any 16 inch wheels in Greece for a reason!
When I visited the UK a few months ago, 16s were quite common compared to Greece and with those roads why not it does make the car look better! Just PLEASE dont kerb them as it ruins the look!
17 inch
ahmett
Prominent member
The 21 inch tires on I saw on a Bentley Continental look pretty good I must say. Must be easy to kerb them though = )
Thing is, other people's tastes are different hence my saying that the OP really should testdrive a car himself and make his own decision
What is bad for one person is great for another. Whilst the ride is not good on the old suspension (which I have), I love the look of the wheels and the extra grip afforded by some wider tyres makes the car muchos grippy in the corners.
Jrkitching is quite correct in talking about the cost. The tyres aren't really too much more expensive to be honest. But you will take at least a 5-10% hit on fuel economy. If you're scraping together every penny to buy your car and fuel economy is going to be a make or break thing then maybe 15" wheels are worth looking at.
Sometimes being a tart is good
The 16" multispokes are the wheels that are seen on the 500 in most publicity shots for a reason 
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Also, Nick, be sure that if you compare 15's with 16's you try both in a 500C as the suspension settings are different to the hard top.
That sorts that out then!
try them as its very subjective and is down to personal taste, ride on my TA on 16s is firm and sporting, in reality the shortfalls in ride quality aren't down to the wheels imho but limitations of donor under pinnings
whether i change my mind on my 14" winter steelis who knows, but 16s suit tha car so much better
whether i change my mind on my 14" winter steelis who knows, but 16s suit tha car so much better
Yes, but the 16" wheel will just make things worse. My car is still bouncy on 14" wheels, but (mostly) gone is the jitteriness. I'm sure over rumble strips (going from 60 to 40 zones and so on) the rear wheels are actually losing contact with the road. The suspension is poor and the 16" wheels only make it worse.
ahmett
Prominent member
You know I had a ride in an '08 Fiat 500 (i have a '10) and I immediately noticed it was much more bouncy! I have no complaints at all with the '10 suspension and Greek roads are ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE
Nope!
