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General 15" or 16" wheels for 500 Lounge

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General 15" or 16" wheels for 500 Lounge

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Lakkabay

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Greetings.
I'm about to pick up a 1.3 Lounge and have the choice of either the 15" or 16" wheels but I can't decide. The car is going to be used mainly for regular commuting and some people have told me that the 16" give a harsher ride so I'm tempted to stick with the 15's (comfort 1st, handling / looks 2nd). However the 16's do look nice!!!! Can anyone offer any advice? Much appreciated.
 
You really need to drive both to find out which best suits you, as you will get as many responses saying 15" are better as 16".

Personally, with the mileage I do (80 mile round trip each day on Motorways) I much prefer the comfort of 15" (which is why my new one is having 16" :confused: )
 
Lakkabay said:
Greetings.
I'm about to pick up a 1.3 Lounge and have the choice of either the 15" or 16" wheels but I can't decide. The car is going to be used mainly for regular commuting and some people have told me that the 16" give a harsher ride so I'm tempted to stick with the 15's (comfort 1st, handling / looks 2nd). However the 16's do look nice!!!! Can anyone offer any advice? Much appreciated.
Click to expand...

Lots of people have come on here and asked the same question, a quick search will show - in summary

16" harsher ride than 15"

15" in my opinion
 
Thanks for the prompt response. I think it'll be the 15's then and given the state of the roads around us after the winter thaw and pot holes, I don't fancy the idea of knocking hell out of a lovely set of 16's with rubber band tryes!
 
....tyres I mean. Have seen some of the other threads re wheels so ta for the advice.
 
Lakkabay said:
(comfort 1st, handling / looks 2nd)
Click to expand...

You've answered your own question there, 15" it has to be. :)

I just want to rebound on the following comments, there seems to be a lot of overreaction regarding the difference between 15 and 16. Yes 15s are less bumpy and more comfy, but it doesn't make the 500 with 16s a Panzer tank nor the 500 with 15s a floating carpet! The difference is certainly not as wide as some would suggest. And since the 500 is a city car, mostly used between traffic lights, then if someone chooses a 16 for the look then he/she doesn't lose out that much on comfort.

(Do not jump on me all at once, it is my little an honest opinion ;):eek: )
 
Cucciolotto said:
You've answered your own question there, 15" it has to be. :)

I just want to rebound on the following comments, there seems to be a lot of overreaction regarding the difference between 15 and 16. Yes 15s are less bumpy and more comfy, but it doesn't make the 500 with 16s a Panzer tank nor the 500 with 15s a floating carpet! The difference is certainly not as wide as some would suggest. And since the 500 is a city car, mostly used between traffic lights, then if someone chooses a 16 for the look then he/she doesn't lose out that much on comfort.

(Do not jump on me all at once, it is my little an honest opinion ;):eek: )
Click to expand...

I have a 1.2 Pop - and changed from 14" steel wheels to 15" alloys - and even then the tyre noise was very noticeable -I am talking with 10 metres of driving. Also, fuel economy was down.

I agree 500 was designed as a City Car - but you want a car that you can use for more than just the city - I use mine 20% city car, 60% national speed limit A-roads, and 20% motorway driving.
 
I have 16" because of looks and can't remember what the 15" felt like. However Mark is right I have gone through a few potholes and thought I had damaged the alloy.

In fact everyone who has seen the car say the rims really make it.

sam
 
sams500 said:
I have 16" because of looks and can't remember what the 15" felt like. However Mark is right I have gone through a few potholes and thought I had damaged the alloy.

In fact everyone who has seen the car say the rims really make it.

sam
Click to expand...


Generally bigger rims do look better, but sometimes they are too big - which I think the 16" are - but as you mentioned, each to their own.

Your comments about the potholes makes me laugh - as my other half had a go at me for driving over one - this is somewhere where the potholes stretched right across the road!
 
I bought my lounge with 16". I also bought a set of 15" alloys for trackdays. I find myself not bothering to put the 16" back on. The 15" are much lighter, the ride is leaps and bounds ahead of the craptacular crashiness of the 16"s and they look good :)

Mind you I'm fitting coilovers soon so I might revert to 16"s just to see what difference it makes.
 
I have had 16" alloys for nearly two years and have found them very bouncy, hard and noisy. Now that the front tyres have nearly gone I picked up a set of 15" with nearly new tyres tyres on and the difference is amazing. Much more comfortable, the ride is a lot better and road noise is improved. This might be fom going from conti's to bridgestones, I'm not sure. For the time been I've kept hold of my 16" multispokes because I think they look a lot better than the 15" wheels.
 
nebrog23 said:
I have had 16" alloys for nearly two years and have found them very bouncy, hard and noisy. Now that the front tyres have nearly gone I picked up a set of 15" with nearly new tyres tyres on and the difference is amazing. Much more comfortable, the ride is a lot better and road noise is improved. This might be fom going from conti's to bridgestones, I'm not sure. For the time been I've kept hold of my 16" multispokes because I think they look a lot better than the 15" wheels.
Click to expand...


Age old debate - form over function? or function over form.

IMO I think the 15" provide the best looks whilst maintaining a decent quality ride.
 
given everyone has a set of 15' where is the best place to pick up a set from?

tx

sam
 
I specced the 16" O-spokes and i'm happy with them. Ride is a little more fidgety than i remember from the demo car, but I've just spent seven years driving a series six Smart - now THAT ride was harsh! (although in its defence the actual seats were the best I've ever had, and I'm 6'2".) You pays yer money.....!
 
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