Hold on a sec, ones man's cheap is another man's expensive - especially w/ today's inflation.

Define your definition of 'cheap', like in real dollars.

 

As close to $1 as possible! Haha

Honestly, I'm looking to be under $1000 for wheels and tires, so call it maybe sub $600 for wheels?

I'd like to know what people actually are running though, especially if racing their cars.

And I know the stagger makes it tough because I would already have bought used wheels if there was any chance!

 

Hmm, I'd have to get back to you on that. $250/wheel is probably more realistic. Don't forget, you only have to buy wheels once, so it's worth some sacrifice.

You might consider used OEM (350Z, G70, certain Mustang years, etc). They are out there but may not be local to you.

 

Yeah, I'm in a vaguely remote spot. I've been scouring marketplace but all I ever find is close. Just found a set of 225/40/18 8.5J 38+, and 245/40/18 9.5J 35+ wheels that are super close to me and $800 with tires (which aren't ones I really want.) but I think they're going to be way too big. With soft stock suspension I'm anticipating a large wheel rubbing a ton under full compression, and I'm not fully convinced the fronts wouldn't rub the struts.

Of course I would love to just buy exactly the wheels and tires I want and not have to worry about it, but unfortunately money is too tight for that.

 

40 series tires are going to be too tall for the MR2 on 18" wheels. 17" wheels = 40 series, 18" = 35 series. If budget is important, stay away from 18" wheels, as there is usually a big price premium on the tires for that 35 profile vs 40.

As far as budget new wheels go, look into Konig. They have some good relatively cheap wheels.

 

I like Pete's idea of some OEM wheels from Infiniti (G35), Nissan (Z), Mustang etc
Your tires are where you need to spend some dough, in my opinion.

I like to use search tempest to search ALL of Craigslist, I found my Integral A2s on there for 200 bucks plus some shipping (After I gave him 50 for his time, I paid for the materials and shipping, I was around 400 for a square set of SSRs)
So there are deals out there (there's a nice PAIR of SSR in PNW with tires for 400, 17x8, good offset for us etc, also a set of 4 black painted A2s for 600 somewhere, I forget)

The Falken RT660 is a great tire that'll perform on the street and track ,GRM has done extensive testing and they def punch above their price point for the 200TW tire segment
Expect about 600 just for a set though

 

Ah man, that's huge! I've used Autotempest for ages, found my last 4 cars on it, I had no idea they had a generic search function. Thanks for the tip!

I did a little looking, seems like Z wheels are almost exclusively 18", which I was under the impression was too big, and most aftermarket Stanger wheels seem to be 10 wides in the rear, seems like lots of other options are square, and I have no issue with other people running square but I'd like to run a fatter rear because I'm a bad driver and I'm convinced 1 extra inch of rubber will keep me from doing a pirouette into the sand on the first turn of Lime Rock.

 

^ Yeah, deals are out there - just gotta be patient as well as diligent, though it's admittedly more difficult these days. I bought all my forged wheels used and they were a steal, it's like they didn't realize what they were selling ($350, $400, sometimes w/ tires). The caveat being that they will more than likely need a refurb, 3 of my 4 sets needed some TLC.

...I did a little looking, seems like Z wheels are almost exclusively 18", which I was under the impression was too big...

The newer Zs yes, but the older models like 'X noted, they are 17s and fit fine on an SW20. Below are the wheels off a G35 which also fit the Z of that era. I think they're 7.5" front and 8" rear, they used to be dirt cheap.

Here are 350Z wheels, I think they're 7.5"/8.5" or thereabouts. They also used to be cheap. They just bolt-on w/ great offsets (+32), though the stock Z tires won't fit up front.

Speaking of Mustang, these are stock Cobra wheels, can't remember which gen but they are definitely older ones from the mid-90s. They weigh a metric ton but they are good looking and used to be very cheap. When I had them briefly on my car, I got my share of thumbs up from the 'Stang crowd. I thought no one would notice, but nothing gets by those guys.

 

As a rule of thumb, you want the smallest diameter wheels that will fit over the brakes you need to stop the car. If overall gearing allows it, using a smaller diameter wheel/tire package lowers the car, reduces unsprung weight and improves acceleration via gearing and reduced rotational inertia.
So don't go up to bigger rims 16" + unless you absolutely need to because of tire size selection (mostly width).

Also, if you acknowledge you're a 'bad' (still learning) driver, then you'll learn better (and have more fun) with a LESS GRIPPY, more progressive wheel/tire setup. Something in the stock or close to stock size. After you're comfortable "driving the wheels off the car" at this level and have better control skills, then you can move up to wider/stickier wheels/tires. A plus to this approach is that you probably won't need to spend big $$$ on a brake upgrade yet.

 

Also, if you acknowledge you're a 'bad' (still learning) driver, then you'll learn better (and have more fun) with a LESS GRIPPY, more progressive wheel/tire setup.

I've been considering this, as I still have the stock wheels and they seem to be doing just fine, but at my first autocross event I was constantly fighting my tires (Random Nankangs) without a passenger, really struggling to keep it on course. With a passenger I was 4 seconds faster. I know I just need to adapt, but I plan on doing my first MassTuning event this spring at Lime Rock and I am genuinely petrified of crashing my car. This is precisely what kept me from tracking my last one, and I completely talked myself out of it then but I'm going to do it this time. I just need to make sure it's the right move.

I found a guy with a set of 17x8 and 17x9 +35 and +38 Volks that is close to my price range and close to me, I'm more torn now than I was this morning, thanks to everyone's advice which I am thoroughly thankful for.

I guess I'm hijacking my own thread now, but what are everyone else's thoughts on this? Are there good tires affordable in the stock '91T sizes? Is it a better idea to stay stock until I outgrow my brakes? Will I outgrow my brakes?

 

I bought junkyard Mustang wheels to run on the track. 17x8 +30. They are about 17lbs a wheel, $25ea at the yard

Right how I have no tires on the matching set, but I plan to run 225/45/17 A052's, square. I know I know I know, don't @ me about the mythos and lore of "tHeSe CaRs NeEd StAgGeR"

Every car I've owned and tracked has responded better to square tire setups, and it seems to me that everyone preaching about staggered sizes only has anecdotal evidence to suggest stagger is better. And should that evidence surface- I'm not a pro driver, I'm self sponsored and doing HPDE events- being able to rotate tires is well worth any "time lost per lap", imo. If I stuff my car at the track, I assure you it won't have been from lack of stagger 😂

That said, my street wheels are 16x7 and 16x8 +32 with 205 and 225 on them

 

I have a set of 16 inch works that I picked up a while back for $800CAD with tires.

 

That's my fear, right? I put innovative mounts in my car because the factory mounts were all hopelessly ripped to shreds when I got it, but they were so damn stiff and the motor was under so much torque to make them fit that I wound up buying stock ones. That was a huge hit though, something like 5 or 6 hundred bucks. I am anxious to move in the wrong direction with the car because as far as I'm concerned the cost equates to my time, wheels could be a month of savings so it's a month of my time.

I don't want to invest in wheels of a bigger size just for tire selection that won't fit bigger brakes if I need them, the same as I would put tires on my stock wheels if I'm going to get the investment back out of them.

Trust me Alex, I would buy everything you sell on your site if I could afford it! So if that's the end goal, I want to make sure I'm always moving in the right direction. There's enough geniuses on this website who have done what I want to do that it would be foolish to not learn from them.

With all that said, I have a lot of other things I need to do to get my car ready for the track. Autocross felt like I'd get away with a few things, so I could afford not to do bushings and my front sway bar. I've got a lot of tread on these tires but I daily the car and they're definitely nothing special. If I don't buy wheels, I can get a better tire, fix the track prep stuff, and maybe buy a set of steelies to get me around and keep me off my track tires. But what would amount to safety on a track is my concern. I know I bought a tough car to learn in, but I'm going to thrash it one way or another, I'd rather not crash it. Everyone seems to think tires are the best upgrade for performance on the internet, so is this the wrong path or what?

 

Yeah, it's a tough one. Tires will definitely make a bigger difference than any other single thing you can do, and getting a set of decent ones to learn on without spending money on wheels isn't a terrible option, other than the lack of staggered sizes. Especially for autocross where the risk is usually pretty low.

If a front sway bar is something you want to do, maybe do that at the same time, as that will help with the over steer. Also worth considering what (if any) autocross class you want to target. At the moment you are may still be legal for Street class, and tires and a front sway bar will keep you legal there. And that's a good place to learn for a while.

If you are going to buy wheels, I would go for 17's for tire selection reasons and almost all will allow for bigger brakes in the future so there isn't a huge concern there. Maybe you need wheel spacers or something later.

 

Well, because of my motor swap I spoke to the organizers at an SCCA event and they said I could only run in SSM, which I thought was a little foolish. They weren't extremely helpful in picking a class in general though, so there might be something else to try. In my class there were 4 cars and I finished 2 seconds behind 3rd place and I think 10 behind 1st. I wasn't bothered though, I was thinking this would be a great opportunity for me to find my own limits and not worry about timing. I had a buddy ride along for my second to last run and he filmed it, and I can't help but watch it and think how much I wasted so much time. The last run after that I pushed harder with no passenger and almost spun twice.

My sway bar bushings in the front are begging for death, completely pressed out of the clamps and it groans in agony when the car is set down on the wheels. I figure since on the course and on the road (I imagine, I would never drive recklessly on public roads ) I was getting a little tail happy, it would be a good place to start. I just struggle to spend $300+ on a sway bar and links when I've got this big wheel purchase over my head.

 

@CapnKestrel

If you go 17" you will absolutely need to roll your fenders, so factor that into your budget. If you want a 6 piston big brake kit, you will need to go 17"; you can't go 16".
If you have plans to throw on a big brake kit, my advice is to get the brake kit templates and check the brake kit to a set of wheels that interest you. If they fit, get the wheels.
Don't buy rep wheels, they suck. Don't get three piece wheels, they're heavy and the majority don't clear big brake kits. Go monoblock.

Under $1000 for wheels AND tires is going to be impossible, especially with all the recent price increases. Your best bet is used.

 

SSM is the typical class for engine swaps, yes. Although the (relatively) new Extreme Street classes are likely a better option for you. What engine swap?

Sway bar bushings themselves are cheap, so if you just want to fix what you have for now it's a pretty cheap option. 91/92 MR2 Front Sway Bar bushings | Twos R Us

I would keep an eye out for used wheels personally.

@CapnKestrel

If you go 17" you will absolutely need to roll your fenders, so factor that into your budget. If you want a 6 piston big brake kit, you will need to go 17"; you can't go 16".

No you wont. Fender rolling required is an issue of wheel offset, wheel width, and tire width. Nothing about 17" wheels makes fender rolling inherently necessary.

There are very few if any worth while 6 piston kits out there, but lots of big brake kits for the MR2 will clear 16" wheels. I'm partial to my kit of course (which easily fits in most 16" wheels), but even the kits based on Supra rotors will sometimes fit (I have personally done it, it's snug but can fit depending on the wheels). But that said tire selection alone should be enough to rule out 16" wheels.

Plus you can't fit geometry correction (on the rear) inside most 16" wheels and that makes the biggest difference in handling after tires, so you should at least keep the option open.

 

Avid 1 AV06 (Rays knock-offs) in matte black. 17 x 8. When I bought them in 2017 they were like $160/each. Today, they're $219/each.

 

If you're saying 16" is off the table because you plan on getting a "6 Pot" brake kit, then I would agree.

As its been mentioned before, with your budget, a used set of OEM wheels and tires sounds like your ticket.

If you decide you want to pony up a bit more, a used set of Enkei RPF1's could do you good. But the only people who really run those in staggered are the S2000 guys and us; the S2000 guys run a different offset, +45. Since you're on stock suspension, you might get away with no fender rolling and no rubbing on the inside. I've seen a few anecdotes on here that suggest its possible, but I don't think that happens very often.

 

I'm starting to think that's the right move as well but I'm concerned by the lack of options for the rears. Seems like those Falkens that Alex mentioned were available in 195s, but there seems to be nothing for 205s. Not that I really know well what I'm looking for.

 

Always amazed at the info you guys have rolling around in your heads. I commented on an earlier thread where Alex was discussing the 3rd gen rear brakes on a 2nd gen and since that was my only option I've thrown them on, but have been routinely forgetting to order the brake bias adjuster ever since. I am hoping it will create a glaring enough difference to make me feel like it's money well spent, but I know the guy has done his research.

On the subject of tires however, my question stands. Are the Falkens really the closest option for the rears? The ones I found seem to be the Falken Azenis RT615K+, I'm pretty confident those are the tires Alex was talking about. Maybe I'm ignorant, but I find it hard to believe that nobody makes a 205 worth a damn.

 

On the subject of tires however, my question stands. Are the Falkens really the closest option for the rears? The ones I found seem to be the Falken Azenis RT615K+, I'm pretty confident those are the tires Alex was talking about. Maybe I'm ignorant, but I find it hard to believe that nobody makes a 205 worth a damn.

Sorry, we kinda got off topic there. Unfortunately 14" tires are just super rare these days. Very few companies even make one size, let alone two so you can stagger them. The RT615K+ is a decent tire, not the fastest, but not bad. The RT660 is a bit stickier, a little more expensive, and will probably wear a little faster.

 

Everyone makes a 205 worth a damn!

No one makes a 205 on a 14" wheel worth a damn, and that's what we have been saying for basically ever. You can thank the Miata crowd for even having a 195 on a 14 available

Really, 17s are the most economical solution- tire selection, wheel selection, future growth with mods on the car; almost everything except weight is better. But there are some lightweight 17s out there. They aren't cheap, but they are there

 

The 615k+ is a good tire, have them (still) on my 93 wheels.

 

I see. I'm back on the fence where I was earlier. This guy seems motivated to sell these wheels, and I've spoken to him already so I'm sure I can haggle him down a little. Are 3 piece wheels bad enough for the application to avoid? The set in question are Volk GT-Ns. I really don't care about how they look, but this is a big enough purchase to be huge issue if they don't work out for me. That is, of course, if I go that direction instead of tires for the stock wheels. I quite like the idea of having two sets for the sake of not having to drive on the expensive tires, but that's a foolish reason to spend like $1000.

I almost feel like I'm going in circles, but I sincerely appreciate everyone's two cents.

 

Volks are generally very nice and expensive wheels. I don't have any personal experience with 3 piece wheels to say if they are good or bad. Is that the price, 1000? That's a cheap set of Volks, but still not exactly a cheap set of wheels.

 

Well, I'd like to start by saying that I had no idea that Prime sold wheels, as it's completely cut off the screen in the drop down on their home page. I guess I misunderstood how much money wheels alone would be. They seem to have a set of TE37 knock offs for $650. That seems almost suspiciously cheap to me, but how often do knock off wheels actually fail on a road course? I only hear of them breaking on pot holes.

The Volks are $1200, but the guy seems eager to sell and I feel good about haggling him down. I'm kinda floored by the cost of those cheap-o depot wheels though.

 

I wouldn't be worried about the strength of the wheels, unless you plan to continuously curb-hop the car. Even Chinese cheapies are strong enough to handle a lot of abuse. The pics you might see online of drivers complaining of shattered Rotas and the like are from owners drifting into objects and other assorted mayhem. Last time I checked, street wheels were not produced for such endeavors.

The caveats of cheap wheels is usually not strength, but excessive weight and generic widths/offsets (usually Honda based). Also, cheap wheels tend to shatter at their stress limit while a more expensive wheel like a Volk, will bend instead - probably saving your life and minimizing damage to the car.

Go for those Volks, they should be fine as long as the offset is correct for the car.

 

Go for those Volks, they should be fine as long as the offset is correct for the car.

The Volks are 17x8 +35 and 17x9 +38. It is a difference of $350 and both will need tires though. Plus who knows the life the Volks have had on somebody's G37 doing some urban offroading or something. Could be the reason it's a mismatched set, one of the wheels is a different shade of gold. Seems like the difference is going to be 5lbs at the rear, maybe 4-4.5 in the front. I know it's more significant that it's rotating mass, but is it significant enough to warrant the cost?

 

$350 extra is nothing these days - especially for a quality product that you'll keep for years. You'll forget about that extra cost once the wheels are mounted.

 

Also the resale value will be much much higher should you ever want to get rid of them. Knockoffs wont pull in much money at all, you'll probably get 100% of your cost back on the volk