# Wheels+tires make all the difference? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** tires, wheels\ **Created:** [July 29, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363 "2008-07-29T00:31:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sheepsimulator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@sheepsimulator](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sheepsimulator)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/1 "2008-07-29T00:31:42Z")
I have a question. I recently purchased my first new vehicle, a Honda Fit Sport, after driving an 89 Toyota Camry for the last six years. I was planning on saving some money by getting a base model Fit after test driving the Fit Sport and being blown away by it’s tight steering, thinking it would be the same. But sadly, it wasn’t; the base didn’t have the smooth and precise handling of the Sport. There was a lot more play in the steering. The only major difference between the Sport and the Base on the specsheet seemed to be 15" alloy wheels + tires vs. 14" steel wheels + tires. Would that difference alone account for the noticably different handling? -Sheep ---
**Author:** ![dialM4mayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bc8723/32.png) [@dialM4mayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dialM4mayhem)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/2 "2008-07-29T00:41:10Z")
The Sport’s tires are probably wider and have a lower profile thereby providing more steering response. The Sport model could have some suspension tweaks too that are not on the standard model. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/3 "2008-07-29T01:12:28Z")
The Sport has tires that are 20mm wider and are of a lower profile , and are of a higher speed rating. That is probably the only difference. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/4 "2008-07-29T02:03:40Z")
That’s often the major difference with a handling package. You can do the same thing, if you have the $$. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 11:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/5 "2008-07-29T11:02:25Z")
The wheels and tyres are likely the biggest, but not only, difference. Keep in mind that those performance wheel/tyre packages are prone to damage if you live in a pothole area, I would certainly avoid them. ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 12:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/6 "2008-07-29T12:20:35Z")
Simply upgrade your rims/tires and you will get that difference. It may be possible to get high performance or ultra high performance tires for your 14" rims. I forgot to mention modifying the size slightly to 185/60/14 will open you up to more performance choices (Bridgestone RE960 Pole Position) and give you slightly less profile which translates to better handling typically all things being equal. ---
**Author:** ![sheepsimulator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@sheepsimulator](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sheepsimulator)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/7 "2008-07-29T16:14:13Z")
Thanks for the responses. I didn’t know that tires + wheels could possibly make that much of a difference. I guess it makes sense, though, because they are the only parts of the car that effect ground contact the most. I’ll keep that fact in mind when I have to replace my tires + wheels. I sadly live in an area with a lot of potholes, hopefully they will still last a while. Wish I had posted this earlier. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/8 "2008-07-29T16:31:38Z")
I’d take Andrew’s advice - go to [Tirerack.com](http://Tirerack.com) and see if there are high-performance tires in your 14" size. That way you don’t compromise the pothole-handling! ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/wheels-tires-make-all-the-difference/17363/9 "2008-07-29T23:45:53Z")
I already did a quick run though on their site. There is maybe 1 tire that’s halfway decent all around for the all seasons for all 3 sizes for the Fit(14, 15 and 16"). You’ll hafta go aftermarket and get 17 inch to get any decent all season like the 960 pole position or General Altimax HP [http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=Altimax+HP&partnum=04HR7AMAXHP&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=6&speed\_rating=S&speed\_rating=T&speed\_rating=U&speed\_rating=H&speed\_rating=V&speed\_rating=Z&speed\_rating=W&speed\_rating=Y&speed\_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S#Survey](http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=Altimax+HP&partnum=04HR7AMAXHP&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=6&speed_rating=S&speed_rating=T&speed_rating=U&speed_rating=H&speed_rating=V&speed_rating=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S#Survey) [http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE960AS+Pole+Position&partnum=04WR7RE960PPXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=1&speed\_rating=S&speed\_rating=T&speed\_rating=U&speed\_rating=H&speed\_rating=V&speed\_rating=Z&speed\_rating=W&speed\_rating=Y&speed\_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S#Survey](http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE960AS+Pole+Position&partnum=04WR7RE960PPXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=1&speed_rating=S&speed_rating=T&speed_rating=U&speed_rating=H&speed_rating=V&speed_rating=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S#Survey)