I am considering switching to 18" wheels and tires since to improve the ride quality on my car. Has anyone done this switch and how much difference in ride quality and handling will I notice. - is it worth the $$
Would I be better off with the stock 997 18" wheels or aftermarket?
I can get the stock 997 wheels at dealer cost.

Lastly, It looks like most everyone loves the PS2's, would ths be the best choice for street use and what size tires should I order for the stock 18" wheels

sorry for the long post

 

I have a 996, so I can't help with the '18" wheels on a 997' part of your quesionn, but I can help with some info on the PS2 sizes.

My wheels are:
Front - 8" x 18" with 50mm offset with 235/40 tires
Rear - 10" x 18" with 65mm offset with 295/40 tires

No rubbing issues at stock ride height. Stock rubber sizes for the 996 are 225/40 & 285/30

 

Thanks, Will post a photo soon, have only been the proud owner for 1 week and have not had time to take photos yet

 

get some 18" Champion RG5 rims.... they are much much lighter than your stock 19's and you will notice faster acceleration because of the reduced rotational mass... the 18" tires are also lighter and will last longer... from what I've heard handling will be better as well; can't go wrong with that decision...

 

That's a beautiful wheel, and very similar design to the stock units on the car now.
would I be better off with the 10" C2 width or the existing 11" C2S width at the rear?

 

18" Carrera III wheels are very light and very inexpensive compared to any of the forged ones., and they are OEM.

 

good question... don't have an answer for you there.... I know the RG5 in 18" is a LOT lighter than the 18" 997 wheels also...

your best bet is to contact www.wheelenhancement.com and ask them... they are very knowledgeable about fitment and offsets and sell champion wheels...

 

I'm assuming that you have a coupe. The cabriolets are 40% less stiff than the coupes and I find the ride quality to be quite good. I suspect the coupes are just too harsh, right?

 

Yes. I do have a coupe and the ride on NYC area roads is bad. I just got the 2006 CS2 used and I want to get the 19" sport design wheels off before one of them gets crunched, maybe sell them or hold them in case I upgrade cars later on then I will put the original wheels back on.

 

I really do not think 18" are going to give you the ride you are seeking. I have driven standard C2 which comes with 18" and own a C2S with 19". A Porsche C2S Cab or Coupe is a ridged car and does not have a plush ride. It is designed so that you feel everything that is going on, on the road.

 

mdrums, you're probably right, I guess a 3-4k$ investment for a set of rims, tires and TPMS sensors
for a slight increase in ride quality is not going to be a wise investment

 

I just switched from 18's to 19's on my non S 997. There is a big difference in feel and ride but not a big difference in "ride quality". I have never had 19's on a sports car but have had 20's on my Cayenne and 7 series BMW.

I went from stock 18's 18x8 front and 18x10 rear to
Stock 19x8 and 19x11.5

The first thing I noticed was the decrease in braking. It took longer to slow the vehicle down. Second was road feel. I could feel just about everything in the road. I actually had much better road feel with the 19's. The car also felt slower and not as quick. I do not track this car and is was purely a cosmetic change I was looking for. The car does feel heavier to steer.

I do like the looks but know I lost some performance. I love the huge 305's with the 11.5 in the rear. They look great and fill up the wheel wells, something the stock 18's could not do.

I'm still happy with my decision even though I lost some performance.

 

My experience is just the opposite. After a couple of cabs I decided to go back to a coupe. I find the added chassis stiffness to aid not only handling but the overall ride and smoothness. The softer springs of the cab tend to mask some of the rigidity loss, but given the same tires and suspension settings I suspect the coupes would ride better.

 

Do a search to find about a dozen posts on 19 to 18 recently, including over at the Racing and DE section. I found a huge improvement in all ways with 18s...

 

I agree. That has been my experience also.