Hello all, I drive a 1999 4cyl Accord LX with a set of Sumitomo HTR T4s
(P195/65r15 89t m+ s)

I know nothing about wheels and tires but I have no complaints other than the fact that they're bald and need to be replaced... I have been trying to educate myself about what's what in the wheel and tire world and I thought I'd try getting something a little nicer than what I have.

I'd rather not have to roll my fender lips unless absolutely necessary and from what i've read the choice of 17 or 18" wheels is fairly subjective.

As I currently have 15" wheels I was thinking of going +1.

I am looking for a nice reliable and safe wheel/tire that will give me nice bang for the buck in terms of longevity and performance. I'm interested in safety and fuel efficiency primarily - but pretty is nice too.

For the wheels I was thinking of splurging and getting the Enkei Racing RPF1. Enkei Racing RPF1 Bright Silver Paint

The tires I am looking at are Continental ExtremeContact DW Blackwalls, 205/55ZR16 Continental ExtremeContact DW


I am pretty sure these will fit my car, but I am curious as to what you guys think of this combination before I spend the $1300 or so to get them here.

Tirerack will balance them for me, and I understand with just a +1 I won't need to change anything on my car. Is this accurate?

The tires are listed as Summer tires - which i think will work for me here in central north carolina where we get very little snow and ice but do have a fair amount of rainy days. More than Arizona, less than Ireland

Is the difference from 15" to 16" rims noticeable in terms of feel and fuel efficiency? Is there anything else I need to know or consider?

thanks a million!

 

Over the last 20 years I've probably bought 8 or 10 sets of tires & wheels from TireRack and I'm not afraid to keep ordering stuff there. If they list that size as a +1 for your car, then you're good without doing anything to your car. And I like the looks of that wheel...

I've had Conti ExtremeContact before (previous version of that tire) on my 95 Integra and liked them. But for now I'd probably consider the DWS version of that tire. Longer treadlife, and all-season rating. The reasoning is that you probably are NOT gonna have a set of winter tires down there. The occasional snow (and even cold temperatures without snow) will make summer tires pretty scary. I've been to Asheville in the winter and you can't tell me it never gets below 32F. Summer tires are usually made from rubber compounds that get real hard & slippery when they get cold.

Even though I swap to real snow tires in winter; I'm looking at the DWS version of that tire myself (when the factory tires wear out on the Saab).

You'll probably notice a bit more stiffness in the ride & steering, which in my mind is a good thing. Tires are responsible for the small-scale stiffness, like tar strips and features less than a half-inch or so. Your springs are responsible for stiffness over larger stuff. Shorter sidewall will improve crispness in the steering.

If your major motivation is smoothness & silence (don't care about handling), then maybe stay with 15".

 

Thanks Jim!