Jay
Admin
Many owners often ask for opinions on alloy wheel upgrades. Seeing the factory options I don't really blame them but it would be nice to answer a few of the ground rules for future reference.
The stock alloy rims are 14" with an offset of ET37. The PCD is 4x100 so there is a wide choice of aftermarket wheels to choose from. Here's the general consensus on rim sizes:
13" rims will not fit over the front calipers comfortably on a turbo model.
14" wheels offer rapid straightline acceleration but the smaller footprint induces wheelspin and other traction issues.
15" are a well recognised medium between looks and performance. I personally prefer this option but it is important to stick to ET37/38 as your may experience clearance issues.
16" 'fill' the arch well but reduce the straightline performance. As they experience traction issues many high powered starlets utilise this rim size as a good upgrade as the power is put to the ground but on a stock setup such aspects are wasted.
17" rims can fit with minor clearance issues but they tend to sap a lot of power. Not normally fitted as seen as overkill by many unless running the setup to utilise them.
In general, the style of alloys choosen is up to your own personal choice. Many prefer to stick to the Starlet's japanese roots and use rare wheels sourced from Japan. Rule of the thumb is the rarer the better.
The stock alloy rims are 14" with an offset of ET37. The PCD is 4x100 so there is a wide choice of aftermarket wheels to choose from. Here's the general consensus on rim sizes:
13" rims will not fit over the front calipers comfortably on a turbo model.
14" wheels offer rapid straightline acceleration but the smaller footprint induces wheelspin and other traction issues.
15" are a well recognised medium between looks and performance. I personally prefer this option but it is important to stick to ET37/38 as your may experience clearance issues.
16" 'fill' the arch well but reduce the straightline performance. As they experience traction issues many high powered starlets utilise this rim size as a good upgrade as the power is put to the ground but on a stock setup such aspects are wasted.
17" rims can fit with minor clearance issues but they tend to sap a lot of power. Not normally fitted as seen as overkill by many unless running the setup to utilise them.
In general, the style of alloys choosen is up to your own personal choice. Many prefer to stick to the Starlet's japanese roots and use rare wheels sourced from Japan. Rule of the thumb is the rarer the better.
