If I want to stay with the same original OEM wheel size (17X8) but get aftermarket wheels, is it ok to get 17X7 or 17X7.5?

 

6MT or 5AT?? you have to clear the brakes, make sure the offset is right or you will need spacers. which might make you car look silly if it sticks out too much.

 

If you're going aftermarket? Why go narrower? Is the wheel you want only available in those widths?

 

Will the OEM P235/40/R17 tires fit on a narrower wheel, or would you need to purchase new tires along with the new wheel?

That's the one thing I did not understand with TireRack's tire recommendations after you pick a wheel. Is it safe to assume that if a car can take a 17x8 wheel that it can take the OEM P235/40/R17 tires?

Why would TireRack recommend using 215/50/R17 tires on a 17x8 wheel? (I'm trying to figure out why they sell 17x8 wheels for a 2000 Honda Accord EX v6 but the tire size seems to be excessively narrow (215 vs 235).

 

IMO if you are going to spend the $$ to get new wheels, why not improve the look with larger wheels. Getting aftermarket wheels that are the same size seems pointless, expecially given the fact that the stocks are not that bad looking. Just seems like a big waste of cash for a barely positive result.

 

If you go with a narrower wheel, you will probably be compromising handling for appearance. You may not drive the car hard enough to notice, and appearance may be more important to you. My advice is to stick with the stock 17X8 dimensions. This may limit selection, but it's hard to go wrong performance-wise with this approach.

 

go bigger, you will regret it later, i guarentee it