So... Last summer I bought this 94 del sol dohc from some guy. it's cool but it has 17" rims in the back and 14" rims in the front. I want to buy new rims to match all the wheels.

Here is the wheel and tire stats:

The back has MSR12617sf with 205/40R17 84H Nanking Sport NS-1 tires

The front has basic stock 14" steel rims with a tire size of 185/60R14

I have a bunch of questions...

1.) I want to have the same size rims on all 4 wheels. I will probably either go 17" or back down to 14". What would be the benefits/drawbacks of either move in terms of performance, handling, gas/tire mileage, etc..? how about 16's or 15's?

2.) will the different rim sizes affect my ride height cause the car is already lowered and has a kit so I don't want to sit lower anymore.

3.) What are some good tires if I stick with the 17"? I want tires that are good for street driving in Los Angeles and that will last for a decent amount of time without being super expensive. (If I go stock 14" I will probably just go to costco and buy whatever is cheap and decent since they seem to only offer to sell stock tire sizes for your car.)

4.) Is there any good reason the previous owner would have wanted to have this set up? What are the possible benefits for this type of setup in therms of handling, performance? It doesn't make sense to me as if a car is FWD the bigger wheels should be on the FRONT for traction if anything, right? And it certainly doesn't LOOK good having 2 greasy black wheels on the front. I noticed the tires had been worn down a lot.

Anyways, I am really confused about all these tire/wheel questions. Most important is that I want to make sure my wheels are set up in a way that lets me get the most out of my car in terms of handling and performance for everyday driving. Racing or fwd drifting is not really a priority. Any answers to these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

just get 2 more 14" wheels and scrap the ugly rims, that looks like a clean delsol and with the ugly rims it makes it really shitty looking esp. since you dont even have a full set

 

I'll try to answer all your questions.
1. 15s. You really don't want 17s. They're heavier which means it takes more inertia to turn them, which means less torque at the wheels and worse gas mileage. They look hideous to boot (this is an opinion). If you don't want to spend much cash, just pick up 2 more steelies (14s) and throw them on the back, get some stock sized decent tires and hubcaps. I would recommend getting a set of used OEM aluminum wheels from Honda or Acura on craigslist. I got four nice GSR fat fives with good tires for $250. LS meshes, GSR blades, Si's, HX wheels (they're 14 inches), del sol fat fives... there are plenty of nice options.

2. Your 17s and 14s are keeping the car at the same height. The aspect ration of the 17s is way smaller, thus the wheel is taller but the tire is shorter which equals about the same height. I would recommend 205/50/15 or 195/55/15 if you get 15 inchers like I suggest, or just stock 185/65/14 is you get 14s. I wouldn't go above 15, they're heavier, it's going to handle worse and be slower.

3. Nothing's good on the 17s. I run Fuzion ZRi's, they're affordable and I like them. Kuhmo makes good cheaper tires and Michelin, Pirelli, all the usual brands are generally safe bets. Go with a higher treat rating if you aren't autocrossing or anything.

4. The previous owner was broke.

I hope this helps you out. SOrry for the novel.

 

I vote FN01RC, i put a set on my Subaru, i think they would look good on your car in gunmetal

 

The standard size rim on my '93 is 13". DId they change in 94? When I replace all 4 tires can I fit a standard 13" tire into the spare tire area? Where is the best place to get that rim?