I have always been a body and engine person, never paid much attention to wheels. All my cars have always had "small" wheels like 15 or 17". So now I have a GT with the 19" wheel option and I am not sure why this is a good thing. Other than the tire sidewalls on these wheels is short and gives better handling, anything else good with 19" wheels?

Joe

 

its fashionable?

 

They look better.

 

Really the main advantage to bigger wheels is brake clearance. Anything beyond what is needed for your brake package is purely looks. Bigger wheels equal heavier wheels.

 

They look better and allow for bigger brakes. Bigger wheels are not always heavier, forged 19"s would be lighter than cast 18"

 

It's funny, I remember back in the days with the late 80s and 90s foxbodies, 17" wheels were HUGE! Most of my friends had 15" wheels and loved them.

Times they are a changin'

 

this whole "bigger is better" thing is retarded. bigger wheels cost more and add more weight to your car, which in turn kills fuel economy and performance. there are no benefits to bigger wheels. i don't understand why all the top trim levels force u to go bigger

 

The 19" option is a bargain -- perhaps the highest value one on the option sheet IF you want 19's (esp when you consider the included strut tower brace).

 

Agreeing with what others have said. They do allow for bigger brake clearance. Plus an 18 or 19 inch rim with a good tire will offer better handling than a 15 or 16 inch rim with the same make/model tires. Less sidewall equals less bodyroll. Of course, once you start going bigger than this that advantage starts to disappear.....as the tiny sidewall profile tends to offer lessened lateral traction.

 

I love my 19" wheels, This car handles much better than my 2005 with the 17" wheels. The ride is also much better and I have lowered it already.... Plus hand calculated on my trip to Atlanta from Tampa I averaged 23.7 MPG at 80 MPH and the car has less than 2000 miles on it. Oh, I have the 3:73 rear-end as well so I am not complaining at all about anything with this car