post by: Stef
PSA
date: 03/26/2024
Nothing sets a car off like the right set of wheels! It is my absolute favorite car mod to do. Picking the best wheels for your car is a challenge in itself. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Not only are you reading the right article, but you’re also at the perfect website for buying wheels and tires, MartiniWorks.com! In this article, we’re going to cover what you need to know for the best wheel purchase and ensure you get the results you want!
Just like any other car modification, you need to have a plan in mind. Cars have different requirements for wheels such as bolt patterns, backspacing, and offset. Wheels come in various specs that determine how the wheel will fit on the car and how much modification will be needed to fit the wheel, if any. Wheel specs can be daunting for new enthusiasts, but we will help you through this and get you closer to purchasing the best wheels for your car.
From the factory, manufacturers will have information on the wheel specs for the different options for your car. For example, when I was building my Focus ST, I knew the factory 18 inch wheels were 18×8 and had a +55 offset. This is your baseline for wheel fitment with a stock version of your car. Now, we know that if you’re shopping at MartiniWorks, you aren’t keeping your car stock. Chances are you have some aftermarket coil-over suspension or air bags for your car and you’re putting the finishing touches on your build. Lowering a car affects your options for choosing the best wheels for your car as it takes away space in the wheel well.
Lowering a car improves your vehicle’s handling and makes your car look awesome. Unfortunately, it can start limiting you on options for wheels. The wheels that fit your stock ride height car may not be the best wheels for your lowered car. To combat this, check out the build threads on MartiniWorks to see cars with similar mods and find out what the best wheels or wheel specs for your car may be!
When I was building my Focus ST, I knew that I wanted an OEM+ style of build. I did not want to worry about fender modifications and fitment issues. That’s why I focused on wheel sizes and offsets that were known to fit the ST through trial and error. The Enkei NTO3M wheels I chose were 18×9.5 with a +40 offset. The specs created a perfect fender fitment with the wheel while providing enough room for the lowering springs I installed. Sticking with the OEM wheel diameter will provide the widest array of options for your car. However, for some builds you will want to move up a size or two in diameter for aesthetic purposes. If you are choosing to move up a couple sizes, make sure to offset the size of the wheel with the right tire size.
Most importantly, the best wheels for your car need to be within your budget. Now there are some absolutely insane forged and multi-piece wheels out there. While these wheels are sick and would be a focal point of your build, you’re going to have to pay to play. These high end wheels can sometimes cost over $4000 for a set of four. While I would love to own a set of wheels like that, I know I can’t afford that. Therefore, I typically look at companies like Enkei or Gram Lights. These wheels are renowned in the car community and have tons of style, specs, and finish options suitable for any build!
Offset is the measurement of the distance of the hub from the true center of the wheel. These are usually indicated by a “+” or “-” before the number, ie. 18×8 +45. A positive offset indicates the wheel center will be closer to the outside of the wheel. A negative offset will have the wheel center closer to the brakes, thus creating a wide lip on the wheel. Negative offsets are common in aggressive stance cars like trucks or wide body cars.
Backspacing measures the distance of the hub from the back edge of the wheel mounting surface. While this isn’t a commonly used measurement, it still is used in different builds such as trucks or in the classic car community.
Bolt/Lug pattern is the measurement of an imaginary circle formed by the wheel lug holes. The first number is the number of bolt holes the wheel has. The second measurement is the diameter For example, a common lug pattern on cars is 5×114.3. This measurement indicates there are 5 lug holes with a 114.3 mm diameter. If you purchase wheels with the wrong bolt/lug pattern, they will not be able to be mounted to your car.
The best wheels for your car are right here at MartiniWorks! With a wide range of aftermarket wheels and experts ready to assist, you cannot go wrong here!
Regardless of what route you take for your car, picking the best wheels are going to be a challenge. Do your due diligence and determine the proper lug pattern, optimal wheel specs, and figure out if modification will be needed to fit the wheel size you want. If you take the time to learn about your car and what wheels typically fit, you are sure to have minimal issues with your build. If you have any doubts about your wheel choice, reach out to the team at MartiniWorks and let them guide you in the right direction!
My name is Stef and I am the founder of Powershift Auto, a blog dedicated to car culture and educating the future generation of enthusiasts. Like MartiniWorks, I love cars and the real community that is generated through these amazing machines.
