Rim Makeover

By topgearsingapore, 04 October 2021

Rim Makeover at Advanti Centre

We’ve all been there. At some point in a driver's life, one does ponder about getting a new set of rims. It’s an affliction that resonates with every single driver, car enthusiast or not. Either from a cosmetic or performance approach, everyone inevitably thinks to themselves, “I want new wheels”.

However, slapping on a new set of rims isn’t as simple as, say, ordering an upsized meal for takeout. There are intricacies involved and considerations to account for.

Of course, it's hard to deny the appeal of a shiny new set of 20s (or 22s for the really adventurous sort) on their precious rides. They look great and stand out. Stepping into the Advanti Centre only serves to entice drivers with the range of Yokohama tyres and rims on display. 

With the wide array of shimmering wheels from the likes of Enkei, OZ, Konig and Advanti, buyers would be spoilt for choice. Aesthetic appeal aside, there are other benefits of fitting aftermarket rims to your car. Even if you were to switch from stock 18s to aftermarket 18s.

“But what benefits do I get from switching rims of the same size?” asked a VW Golf owner. Well, weight reduction for instance, and the ability to fit wider tyres onto your car for better handling. In our case, switching the stock 18s on the VW Golf to a set of lightweight 18s helps improve performance and fuel economy due to the reduced unsprung weight of your car. “Wow, I never knew the difference lighter rims would make on a car.” says the Golf owner. 

But that’s not to say that getting bigger rims would impede your car’s performance. There are plenty of larger rim options that are significantly lighter than OEM fit wheels. Large diameter alloys that are flow-formed or forged would be lighter and more structurally sound than their stock counterparts.

Conversely, there are several conditions before you go about switching to a shiny new set of 22s. Clearance for one. You can’t fit a ginormous set of wheels if they don’t fit under your wheel arches.

You could fit some low profile tyres to the rim, but you’d best be prepared for a much harsher ride should you go down this road. In most instances, you could comfortably increase your rim size by 2 inches and still have a safe margin for error when it comes to fitment.

Tyre options play a part too when you’re upsizing your rims. Selecting sportier tyre compounds such as the ADVAN A052 or APEX would further benefit the switch to an aftermarket rim set. Alternatively, you could also opt for comfort-tuned compounds like the ADVAN dB range that improve ride harshness but still allows you to drive in style. 

Related Articles