Sparky
Well-known member
I still have a choice. Need to decide.
Anyone regret getting the 20" wheels?
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ted99
Well-known member
I did not for three reasons:
1) They are summer tires and loose traction below 40 degrees ambient temp
2) There are reports that the 20" wheels have a resonance noise at certain speeds, due to their spoke design
3) The reduced sidewall means greater susceptibility to rim damage from potholes
I've got as Porsche and have 20" wheels and understand their utility for that car. I don't understand the utility of 20" wheels on an i3.
1) They are summer tires and loose traction below 40 degrees ambient temp
2) There are reports that the 20" wheels have a resonance noise at certain speeds, due to their spoke design
3) The reduced sidewall means greater susceptibility to rim damage from potholes
I've got as Porsche and have 20" wheels and understand their utility for that car. I don't understand the utility of 20" wheels on an i3.
juniorbeep
Active member
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I have the 19" wheels and would love the 20s.... I'd do a swap but you live on the other side of the world :-(
websterize
Well-known member
I was reluctant to lease my Mega with the 20s, but the deal was too good to pass up. Instead, I purchased the winter tire package. Driving on tires optimized for seasonal temperatures, while a big upfront cost, gave me piece of mind and trumps all-season tires.
When you think about it, all-season = no season (but that could be me rationalizing spending an extra $1,800 on wheels and tires).
When you think about it, all-season = no season (but that could be me rationalizing spending an extra $1,800 on wheels and tires).
DeafSoundGuy
Well-known member
Absolutely not. Love em. Way over our other choices. I have to admit though that if I knew it was a summer tire at the time of purchase, I may not have bought them. After reading all the posts about how these tires might suck in lower temperatures, all I could do was wait until mother nature delivered a nice cold shock here in the NW.
Okay, so here a few weeks ago, weather dipped to 29 degrees, icicles hanging off my car and gutters, freezing rain. Streets are black and absorbing some trace overcast sun warmth, so the streets don't seem like a silver thaw, but in store parking lots there's slush. I took the torque-mobile out for some cold tire tests. I couldn't believe how great they were! I had no problem I couldn't even make them slip and slide. I was expecting WAY worse but am shocked on how great they performed in that crap. I didn't have a chance yet to snow test them, but so far I'm super happy with them. In the pacific NW, I'm not really sure now if I'm going to be buying the winter tire package as I have a 4wd old Ranger if it snows good.
Probably a bit noisier on crappy worn asphalt or concrete roads, but on good roads they seem to be very quiet
. They have really grown on me, like them more every day.
Okay, so here a few weeks ago, weather dipped to 29 degrees, icicles hanging off my car and gutters, freezing rain. Streets are black and absorbing some trace overcast sun warmth, so the streets don't seem like a silver thaw, but in store parking lots there's slush. I took the torque-mobile out for some cold tire tests. I couldn't believe how great they were! I had no problem I couldn't even make them slip and slide. I was expecting WAY worse but am shocked on how great they performed in that crap. I didn't have a chance yet to snow test them, but so far I'm super happy with them. In the pacific NW, I'm not really sure now if I'm going to be buying the winter tire package as I have a 4wd old Ranger if it snows good.
Probably a bit noisier on crappy worn asphalt or concrete roads, but on good roads they seem to be very quiet
. They have really grown on me, like them more every day.i3atl
Well-known member
No regrets at all, love the 20's. The improvement in grip for the summer tires over the all seasons is very noticeable in moderate temps, and per the earlier comment on this thread, even at 30-40F the summer tires on the i3 still grip just fine. I understand where that mindset comes from, though, as I've had some summer tires that gripped as well as hard plastic in sub-freezing temps.
All of the i3 wheels are forged, so I think the instances where you would sustain wheel damage on the 20s and not the 19s are very limited. The i3 tires/wheels (in any size) are a bit more at risk from potholes vs more common wider setups, just because they're more prone to fit more easily into a hole than to run over the top of it.
All of the i3 wheels are forged, so I think the instances where you would sustain wheel damage on the 20s and not the 19s are very limited. The i3 tires/wheels (in any size) are a bit more at risk from potholes vs more common wider setups, just because they're more prone to fit more easily into a hole than to run over the top of it.
i3atl
Well-known member
ted99 said:
What utility?
HomelessDude
Member
Had some concerns with 20 inch wheel but they have been excellent. They do sharpen the steering handling response and I think they look nicer in the wheel well's. My sisters car has the 19 inch, very nice ride but I prefer the 20's glad I went for them.
ultraturtle
Well-known member
I love the wheels, but the summer tires will be replaced with all-season versions assuming that 20" all-seasons will be available by the time these wear out.
WoodlandHills
Well-known member
The ride is noticeable harsher than with the 19" wheels and tires.
Ruffles
Active member
I love my 20's. The extra inch looks much better in my opinion. In Idaho, it's wicked cold. I drove on the summer tires for about a week and if your careful, you can manage. I bought a set of Blizzacks from Tire Rack with the Rial rims for $1800 and the difference in the snow/ice is night and day.
Still, I can't wait till spring to put the 20's back on.
Still, I can't wait till spring to put the 20's back on.
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