18'' Wheels Boxster
- Thread starter Guest
- Start date
Most reports put the handling as being better on the 17" I'm afraid! 18's are there purely for looks.
At least you can put 18" wheels on your car - they are only permitted from 1998 Model Year onwards - some modifications were needed to the chassis to accomodate the harsher battering it gets with lower tyre sidewalls. These mods were only done from Model year 1998 onwards.
Tyres... What are you looking for? Comfort? Long life? Ultimate grip?
At least you can put 18" wheels on your car - they are only permitted from 1998 Model Year onwards - some modifications were needed to the chassis to accomodate the harsher battering it gets with lower tyre sidewalls. These mods were only done from Model year 1998 onwards.
Tyres... What are you looking for? Comfort? Long life? Ultimate grip?
Carl.Young
New member
I'm with Mark on this one. Next car I get will have standard wheels - the way the engineers designed the car in the first place. I find more downsides to the 18's than benefits - namely harsher ride, decreased wet weather grip, more expense for tyres. They look good though.
I've nothing to compare my 18" wheels to, as the car was shod with them originally by the previous owner, but I don't find any issues with comfort or road noise, and I live in a heavily cobbled city. I do have a hard rear window though, which may make all the difference with road noise. I personally find the handling amazing, I'm on Continental Sport Contacts, I can't imagine how it could be any better but then I haven't hit the track yet. They're certainly seem more than adequate for what you can get up to on public roads without losing your licence. But the 18" wheels change the look of the car completely for the better. When I was looking for the car, I drove the dealer nuts coz I kept rejecting everything he managed to line up, but the 18" wheels were what made me go for this one, it just looked so much better than anything else that was available.
Ivor
New member
Another opinion, just to confuse you!
I have 18" Carreras on my 03 Boxster and love both the looks and the grip that they provide. The ride is definitely firm on some minor roads (the poorly maintained ones with lots of ridges below the surface dressing) so I just keep the speed down. My experience with smaller sizes is limited to the test drives I took when choosing the specification of the car. I was concerned that the ride on 18" wheels would be too harsh so drove a number of different cars with alternative wheels and was pleasantly surprised by the 18"s.
I can only comment on the tyres fitted as original equipment - Michelin Pilot Sports. I have been happy with grip, wet weather performance and wear rate, including the handling and grip on a track day. Road noise is not a problem either.
Good luck in your choice. Make sure they're N rated!
I have 18" Carreras on my 03 Boxster and love both the looks and the grip that they provide. The ride is definitely firm on some minor roads (the poorly maintained ones with lots of ridges below the surface dressing) so I just keep the speed down. My experience with smaller sizes is limited to the test drives I took when choosing the specification of the car. I was concerned that the ride on 18" wheels would be too harsh so drove a number of different cars with alternative wheels and was pleasantly surprised by the 18"s.
I can only comment on the tyres fitted as original equipment - Michelin Pilot Sports. I have been happy with grip, wet weather performance and wear rate, including the handling and grip on a track day. Road noise is not a problem either.
Good luck in your choice. Make sure they're N rated!
Guest
New member
I fitted original Porsche 18" sport design wheels to my 98 Boxster, the ride was harsher than the previous 17" wheels but not uncomfortable.
The biggest problem was the car just didnt handle as well, my wheels are shod with Dunlop SP9090 tyres.
I had my local OPC laser align the suspension to suit the new bigger wheels. When I collected the car its was a different beast, handling was better than the 17" wheels, Tyre noise was no louder.
Hope this helps
The biggest problem was the car just didnt handle as well, my wheels are shod with Dunlop SP9090 tyres.
I had my local OPC laser align the suspension to suit the new bigger wheels. When I collected the car its was a different beast, handling was better than the 17" wheels, Tyre noise was no louder.
Hope this helps
If you have the correct wheels and tyres - then yes.
Rob,
Most speedo's over read. There seems to be a 3mph "error" built into the Boxster speedo. I have 17" wheels and the speedo reads 3mph more than the Road Angel. The Volvo is out by 10%, i.e. 3mph at an indicated 30mph and a somewhat excessive "error" of 7mph at an indicated 70mph!
Andrew
Most speedo's over read. There seems to be a 3mph "error" built into the Boxster speedo. I have 17" wheels and the speedo reads 3mph more than the Road Angel. The Volvo is out by 10%, i.e. 3mph at an indicated 30mph and a somewhat excessive "error" of 7mph at an indicated 70mph!
Andrew
Ivor
New member
A tyre with an N rating has been approved by Porsche for use on its cars after extensive testing. Although dated, this is a link that may be helpful as you are looking at tyres for a 1998 car:
http://p-car.com/technical/tires.htm
Personally, I would not fit tyres that are not N rated. If Porsche has gone to the trouble to check out the suitability and safety of a tyre, it is sensible to make use of that expertise.
http://p-car.com/technical/tires.htm
Personally, I would not fit tyres that are not N rated. If Porsche has gone to the trouble to check out the suitability and safety of a tyre, it is sensible to make use of that expertise.
Guest
New member
I'm not being clear. What I mean is, is there any difference between a Michelin Pilot Sport from Costco that I choose from the Michelin computer system that asks me to specify make (Porsche) and model (Boxster) and year etc, it then prints out the Michelin Pilot Sport or whatever at £105 or so currently and going to the porsche garage.
Is it a different tyre? Surely it's the same tyre, tread, rubber etc that porsche has tested. They haven't after all tested the individual tyre that you fit new to your car even if you buy it from a P garage.
Is there any difference in the MPS N from a P garage and a MPS that is not?
I'm not trying to be difficult I just don't understand.
Thanks for bearing with me!
Is it a different tyre? Surely it's the same tyre, tread, rubber etc that porsche has tested. They haven't after all tested the individual tyre that you fit new to your car even if you buy it from a P garage.
Is there any difference in the MPS N from a P garage and a MPS that is not?
I'm not trying to be difficult I just don't understand.
Thanks for bearing with me!
Fashion seems to dictate bigger wheels.
But, subjectively, I prefer the slightly smaller options. 17" for the 986 and 18" for the 987. The motoring press say the 997 is nicer on 18"s rather than 19"s and the same is true of the BMW E46 M3. The extra rubber should provide more compliance, less road noise and more progressive handling. And, the smaller wheels are also, usually, a bit lighter and less prone to kerb damage.
Of course, the brand of tyre can also make a difference. There is some suggestion that Pirellis (particularly Rossos) are better than Michelins, albeit with slightly higher wear rates.
Incidentally, Caterhams can be specified with wheel sizes from 13" to 16", but all the fastest and most powerful cars (R400, R500. Superlight R etc) run on the 13" wheels.
But, subjectively, I prefer the slightly smaller options. 17" for the 986 and 18" for the 987. The motoring press say the 997 is nicer on 18"s rather than 19"s and the same is true of the BMW E46 M3. The extra rubber should provide more compliance, less road noise and more progressive handling. And, the smaller wheels are also, usually, a bit lighter and less prone to kerb damage.
Of course, the brand of tyre can also make a difference. There is some suggestion that Pirellis (particularly Rossos) are better than Michelins, albeit with slightly higher wear rates.
Incidentally, Caterhams can be specified with wheel sizes from 13" to 16", but all the fastest and most powerful cars (R400, R500. Superlight R etc) run on the 13" wheels.
If you look in the FAQ in this forum, there is an article explaining N-rated tyres.
If Costco (or any other tyre dealer, such as Elite, Micheldever, even Kwick-Fit) can supply the N-rated tyre then no - there is no difference to the ones supplied from Porsche (they get them from a distributor as well).
But do not get the non- N-rated tyre instead. The N-rated tyre IS designed in conjunction with Porsche, and IS different.
Hope that helps...
If Costco (or any other tyre dealer, such as Elite, Micheldever, even Kwick-Fit) can supply the N-rated tyre then no - there is no difference to the ones supplied from Porsche (they get them from a distributor as well).
But do not get the non- N-rated tyre instead. The N-rated tyre IS designed in conjunction with Porsche, and IS different.
Hope that helps...
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