My new job is going to require a great deal of driving (25-30K miles/yr). I was just about to pull the trigger on some 19" replacements for my '05 OEM Sport rims, I'm now concerned that 19's won't provide the highway comfort I'll now be seeking.

Should I stick with 18's and even consider 17's for max comfort? Or should I say "WTF" and get some sexy 19's anyway. How big a difference should I expect in comfort from one wheel size to the next? Help?

-T

 

I only drive 10k a year and i still dont want 19's. I'm getting some nice aftermarket 18" wheels just for the comfort of stocks. 17's would look way too small on the the G.

 

Just stick to your 18's bro. 19's are mad sexy...but if you're going to do a lot of driving your really going to feel the difference in comfort on those long stretches.

 

I have 19's and there is a considerable difference from the stock 17's they replaced. If you want to replace the stockers, some nice 18's should be OK.

 

Keep those 18s ... best looking part of the whole car imho

 

Thanks, but I just don't love the '05 Sport wheels. There's just something missing. Plus, they're only 7.5" wide and offer very limited tire options. bye bye.

 

Does your Jobby Job give you cash for driving, or is it just a long commute? Fat rubber on the 19's will likely wear more rapidly.... Not sure if you care about total ownership costs.

 

[QUOTE=mrdwaters]Does your Jobby Job give you cash for driving, or is it just a long commute? Fat rubber on the 19's will likely wear more rapidly.... Not sure if you care about total ownership costs.[/QUOTE

Yeah, there's a decent car allowance, so I'm not too worried about TCO. FYI, it's not just a long commute, it's driving a few hundred miles at a time beteen branch office locations in the midwest.

I notice that the new M35/M45's have 19's as the OEM wheel size (with 245/40/19 tires), and I'm assuming they ride pretty darn smooth. Is there any reason the G35 with 19's and the right rubber shouldn't ride equally well?

-T

 

Get a Civic Hybrid it gets 51 miles to the gallon. The gas you are going to waste driving the G will pay for it. Then you can get the wheels with the allowance money they give you.

 

I would say this is the best advice for a job like yours!

 

[QUOTE=Teeter]Different suspension set-up buddy. Don't expect the ride quality of the M35/45 with 19 to be the same as a G35 with 19's

 

Except that it'll take you years to break even on the initial price in gas savings. A Civic Hybrid goes for full retail, or a markup over, depending on the dealer. A local dealer here is no longer taking deposits, they're sold out through next February. A gas civic gets 30/40mpg, the retail price is less, and you can purchase it at a discount on top of that, and they're in stock.

You've really got to decide what you want. If I had to drive that much, I definately wouldn't want the Civic -- I'd want something a little bigger and more comfortable, since I'd be spending so much time in it.

On your original question, I'd make sure you get a "Touring" or "Grand Touring" class tire, not a performance tire. That will also make a difference in comfort.

 

Even if the economics of the Hybrid appealled to me, I'd die before giving up a fun driving machine like the G - particularly now that I have so much driving to do. Who wants to spend all day in a frickin' Honda Hybrid? -T

 

If you dont want to drive a civic I understand. But they do give discounts on the hybrid because they dont sell them as much. I know I sold Honda's and we would get a bonus if we could sell one. But the cost of gas per 10k is $500. The cost of the G is $1500. Thats with the G getting 19mpg and gas at 2.95. Remember the Hybrid runs on Reg and the G uses super. So if you are going to drive 25k-30k you would be saving 2750-3000 om gas money a year. Plus they are prob going to be paying you per mile. Maybe .50 a mile for gas and wear and tear thats another 12.5k-15k. So thats anywhere from 15k-18k that almost pays for the car in the first year. Dont forget the oil changes you have to do on the G I dont know if you use Synthetic but the Hydrid use reg. thats another $40 you save on each oil change. You can and another $280-$400 for the 7-10 extra oil changes. Your brake warrenty will run out quickly and then you have to pay for pads and rotors. You also have all those nicks and dents from driving on the highway. And the new sets of tires you have to get. The Hybrid has 15in rims those are alot cheaper.

Again I love my G and hate driving other cars but, I wish I had the money to also get a Civic to drive to work because the gas is killing me. Plus all the miles I am putting on the car and my commute is only 25miles a day.

 

Not true. If you drive over 100-120 miles a day and pay for 93 octane gas for $3 bucks. Getting a Hybrid Civic, Preius, Diesel VW or something along the lines you will make it up in a years time.

What you say was true when gas was around 1.50~ but not $3.

One other thing I forgot to mention was that on certain hybrids you get a tax relief of a huge amount for your yearly taxes

Let's see, I went from a G35 to a Nissan Titan, and back. I was paying $400 a month on gas when it was $2 bucks. Now at 3 bucks I would be easily paying $600-700 a month! I am paying about $250 a month for the G35 now.

You calculate that up, its worth getting a hybrid which will pay for itself in no time.