Three factors should be considered when choosing wheels.

Size

Don’t blindly choose larger wheels. Some people increase wheel size to improve vehicle performance. When the outer diameter of the tire remains unchanged, larger wheels must be matched with wide, low-profile tires. This reduces the vehicle’s lateral sway, improves stability, and makes cornering as light as a dragonfly skimming the water. However, the lower the tire profile, the thinner its sidewall—this worsens shock absorption and requires a significant sacrifice in ride comfort. Additionally, the tire is easily damaged if it hits road obstacles like small stones. Therefore, the cost of blindly increasing wheel size cannot be ignored. Generally, increasing the wheel size by one or two inches from the original is most appropriate.

Three Offsets

This means you can’t just pick a style you like arbitrarily; you must also follow the technician’s advice to check if the three offsets are suitable.

Design

Wheels with complex, dense designs are indeed attractive and look high-end, but car washes often refuse to clean them or charge extra because they are too cumbersome to wash. Simple designs, on the other hand, are dynamic and neat. Of course, this isn’t an issue if you don’t mind the trouble. Currently popular aluminum alloy wheels, compared to the old iron-cast wheels, have much better deformation resistance and are significantly lighter. They reduce power loss, allow the vehicle to run faster, save fuel, and have good heat dissipation—making them popular among car owners. A reminder here: many car dealers, to cater to owners’ preferences, replace iron wheels with aluminum alloy wheels before selling the car, but add a large premium to the price. So from a cost-effective perspective, don’t pay too much attention to the wheel material when buying a car. After all, you can replace them according to your own style and save money in the process—why not do it?