Convince me to change tire size, please!
 

So i'm currently running 18x9.5 with 245/40 all the way around but it's time for me to get new tires. I've entertained the idea of 265/35's but don't see a enough pros to make the change. The way i see it 245/40's are a more common size thus they are usually cheaper to buy then 265/35's. The biggest reason i would change is because 265/35 wouldn't have the "stretched" look that 245/40's do, and really i don't mind the stretched look. Are their any performance benefits to the wider tread? I don't track the car, at most i drive aggressive through some canyons in my area.



One other thing i have to consider is my winter wheels. I will be upgrading to coil-overs here in the next month or so because my stock suspension is worn out and I'd like to lower the car an inch or so. In doing so though when it becomes winter time and i switch back to my stock wheels that have my snow tires on them, which are 225/45 i don't want to have to raise my car back up every season change and get an alignment as well. I figure 245/40 are closer in diameter to 225/45 then the 265/35's would be thus when i do lower it i shouldn't have to take into consideration my winter wheels too much.


So someone try to show me the error of my ways please! Would any of you change? and why?

Lowering and raising the car has nothing to do with the wheels. If you're not racing, there is no real reason to go 265. The car is neither powerful enough nor heavy enough to needs 265s either. Also that's a lot of tire, if you go 265 AND lower the car, you could get into rubbing problems.

On the other hand 245 on a 9.5 wheel isn't the best idea. Can you just swap for correct width wheels?

^ This.

If you get the kind of tire you should be getting, you could have it in the stock width and you'd still run out of balls WAY before you run out of grip on the street. No point accepting the worse noise, ride quality, hydroplaning resistance, tramlining, rolling resistance, feel, and limit behavior of a wider tire.

For winter, you want to go narrower than stock if anything. Your tires need to cut through the snow and slush, not ride on top of it. I've been running 205/55R17 in the winter, which is a hair smaller than stock OD.

As for lowering: if you're lowering the car far enough that you have to worry about tiny tire size differences causing rubbing or not, you're doing it wrong IMO.

Why do you say 245 on a 9.5 isn't the best idea? It isn't much of a stretch at all. 265/35 is a smaller diameter tire then 245/40 so their shouldn't be any rubbing problems at all, in fact they're recommended if you're going to lower your car a lot in this thread - https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-whe...ls-rx8-232206/


The biggest reason i'm even contemplating going with a wider tire tread is to have a more vertical sidewall.

I sense cognitive dissonance.

Sorry let me clarify, 245/40 isn't much of a stretch compared to say a 225 or less. What I mean by my statement is that when considering the 265 the only advantage i see is having no stretch and thus some would consider a "better" looking tire.

If you're not doing autocross/competitive driving, there's no advantage to switching to larger or wider tires. Unless you just think they look cool. If anything, I'd go to smaller, lighter wheels and tires. Smaller and lighter than the stock 18s it came with. Reducing unsprung weight is maybe the single best thing you can do to improve your car's handling and performance.

Why are you sticking with 9.5" wide wheels, Aweaver2112?

Looks lol they're 18x9.5 +25 so they are pretty much flush with the fenders and have a really nice concave lip.

Then your best bet is to stick with 245/40, no question. Anything wider will just be worse.

When you get coilovers and lower your car, I'd imagine that if you make sure those wheels don't rub, your winter wheels won't, either. Their overall diameter will be a hair bigger but the offset will be much higher.

Go with 245s. 265s on your rims will look like muffin tops. They will also be more expensive, heavier, and louder.

Fixed crummy stock suspension on 07 GT with Bilsein B12 kit with Height of 14.25 inches.

Wheels are 19# Enkei GF-1 in 7.5 x18Et 38 and 215/40r18 PSs so weight is 42# per assembly, and track wider by about 1 inch.

I can't slip tires on street which is as good as it gets for me, and notice tire has 5% less rolling diameter for 5% gear down.

Also, when street is wet won't have much worse traction.

I drove approx 15 track days on crummier suspension and tires, so now I have street car that has more control than most cars.

Deleted emotionally loaded word "Super"! :)

I don't super get it, you spent money on coilovers and wheels only to put narrower than stock tires on it? If it fits your use fine, but let's not get carried away with supercar comparisons?

Everybody has to put shocks on when hey get tired of shock bottoming.

I put the kit which had Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs $715.

What I said was More Control on street than nearly most cars.

Supercars are bitch to drive hard on street without trouble, and they better not have all season.

Dealer put those wheels on before I saw it at 650 miles. He claimed I had to buy as new, but Mazda gave $2500 off so ok.

I mirrored what NewYorker said; Light And stickier gives great traction including nearly best rain tire.

Yeah, I rode in RX8with 255/40r17 Toyo R888 with 1.25 side g's, but 1g out of Michelin pss is enough, and when rain comes I can still drive hard.

Also, I ordered 225/40R18 Handcocks since I thought GF- 1's were 8x18.

When putting on found out were 7.5 x18.

I hated tire slop on wheel, and perfect fit is better than bigger and wrong.

I'd never put 245/40r18 on stock 8 x18 wheel.