Originally Posted by Joliet John
I don't think I'd want larger rims (and lower profile tires). If anything, I'd like a bit more profile in the back. More than that, I'd want to go wider.
I'm not sure how to figure out the offset, nor do I grasp why some people need spacers. It seems to me the stock XFire wheels, the offset is damn near all the way to the outside of the wheel. It would seem other wheels would have the hub more towards the center (or inside) of the wheel. That being the case, wouldn't bolting on those wheels move them out from the center of the car? Putting spacers on them would seem to move them out even further.
What am I missing here?
I like "deep" wheels. I wouldn't mind moving everything out a bit (not too much though), and going with wider tires.
As to the offset, to put it in perspective:
the rear OEM wheels are ~ 215 mm wide. Divide by two to get the centerline=107 mm.
now the offset for them is listed at 22 mm. That means the mounting face of the wheel is 22 mm outside of the wheel centerline.
The front is 190 divide by two = 95 mm offset 35.
It's not that excessive. My daughter's '09 Rabbit is 190 mm width with a 45 mm offset.
The OEM wheels, especially in back are tucked pretty far in as-is. When I first bought this car, I whacked a dip in the road at 80 mph and "bottomed out". it was the rears contacting the inside of the wheel arch.
Any additional width, at stock offset, will be even worse.
Any additional width in the front will get the tire dangerously close to the upper ball joint nut. The tool I spec'ed earlier is a very good way to see what will get you in trouble.
You can add or subtract offset to position the wheel/tire in relation to OEM position
Hope this helped.