DONNYC

PLEASE HELP !!! I need some advice and opinions on customizing and upgrading my TL !!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

go to www.heeltoeauto.com and https://excelerateperformance.com/store to browse different parts and upgrades.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Kind of a funny post; we can't help if we don't know what your goals are.

DONNYC

appreciate the links , one specific part i am looking for is discontinued on the website.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Tough luck.

DONNYC

Tru. I recently bought my TL and honestly like the ride. Originally i was going to wrap it but unsure but i am looking to do the grill for starters. My car is Mayan Bronze Metallic and want the grille to be the same. Also want to put 20s was thinking like a machined silver look. Undecided . Thanks in advance for replying!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

well, for starters...Modifications are personal!!!!!!!!
I tailored every single modification to my preference.
you should too. start off by getting the grille wrapped in whatever color you want; and since it's a wrap if it's ugly, take it off.

DONNYC

i hear you , thanks for the advice . Ill give that a shot honestly,worst case ill take that shit off.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

If you like the ride now, you'll probably hate it after you put 20" wheels on it.

DONNYC

I like the car enough to want to do things to it. Why would i hate it after ?

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Because 20" wheels will rather significantly harm ride, handling, acceleration, and braking.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

In general terms, 20" wheels are heavy. Heavy wheels will take longer to stop with, be harder to maneuver with and sap fuel faster.
on top of that, in order to keep overall rolling diameter the same as stock, you will need a lower profile tire...which will suck with absorbing imperfections in the road

DONNYC

Alright deff noted. so what size can you guys suggest ? I am not always speeding however i do want a car i can speed with without issues at the same time i wanna look good .

dopeboy1

I suggest you do whatever you like.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

As noted by dopeboy and myself, modding is personal!!!!!!!!
You have to weigh the pros and cons of each mod you do

DONNYC

I am not a car guy but i understand modding is personal. Being that 20' will hold me back from going fast and certain other cons . What SIZE will give me both performance and look.NOT ASKING WHICH WHEELS YOU THINK LOOK BETTER.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Let's dob some critical thinking.
if weight hinders performance, what would enhance it?

DONNYC

less weight??

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

by definition, a 20" wheel has more mass.
on the other hand of the spectrum, a 16" or 17" wheel wont look so great. you'll have to prioritize what you want. thus it being a personal choice.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Another factor to keep in mind is, even if you found some really exotic 20" light weight forged alloy wheels (which would cost beaucoup bux) which were as light as a set of 17" or 18" wheels, you'd still negatively impact performance by mounting them on your car. Why? Because as the distance of the rim mass grows from the axis of rotation, you increase the rotational mass (aka. angular kinetic energy), and that in and of itself will impact handling.

If you are having a difficult time wrapping your brain around the above concept, just think of a gyroscope; the bigger the gyroscope the harder it is to change the plane of rotational axis at any given rotational speed. Have you ever picked up a light weight bicycle wheel, given it a good spin, and then tried to wave it around? It takes some effort; this is the same thing which happens to cars.

dopeboy1

I remember a long time ago when I was buying rims for my previous vehicle. I wanted to get 20's but ended up getting 18's and I regretted that decision every moment since. So much so that I used those 18s for a couple summers then sold them and bought 20s of a similar style.

Yes you are sacrificing some performance but it will still go fast with 20s. Its not like 20s makes it drive like a tractor. You have to decide if you want your car to be at absolute peak performance or whether or not you car is fast enough and handles well enough to still be fun to drive if its slightly less fast and handles slightly worse.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

... and handles slightly worse, and then blows a sidewall out when I encounter a small irregularity in the road surface.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

dopeboy1

I Regularly drive over some terrible roads. Roads that have literally been formally ranked amongst the worst in all of Ontario. Yet that has never happened to me.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Then you are the extreme exception.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

looking at your picture of the wheels; there is no curb rash, scuffs in sidewall, or any evidence that indicates that you do hit these potholes, etc.
over the years, you have changed your driving habits to avoid these pitfalls.

The Very first week I put the TE37's on, I curbed them.
it takes practice and skill and effort to avoid such things.

Not trying to dissuade the OP, as he can do whatever he wants, but putting aftermarket wheels do come with risks.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Agreed, some folks feel the bling look of large wheels is paramount and all other negatives pale by comparison; if that's what floats your boat, then by all means.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

mine are only 18's but had a hard time trying to make them fit under the car, because they are wide.
lots of time was spent cutting, rolling, bending, heating, etc. and I still ended up with fucked up fenders. lol

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

All good info above. What's up with the Poll though? All I see is:

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

I just voted; I chose ".".

dopeboy1

Not going to lie I do avoid potholes and other road irregularities. But that just comes natural to me. I do that even with my winter rims and tires. Sometimes shit happens but I just cant understand people that would over and over drive right into potholes regardless of their rims/tires.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

bro, I watched people over and over again hit a curb that jutted out at the starbucks drive through.
Instead of turning their wheel to avoid, they went straight over it!! lol

it's likely these people dont look at what is in front of them before stabbing the gas.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Sometimes you cannot see the said potholes. Here in New England this time of year features almost daily excursions above and below freezing, and the constant freeze/thaw cycles cause "frost heaves" and numerous pot holes. On days when we have a heavy melt and/or rain, the pot holes, which may have formed overnight, are often filled with water and literally cannot be seen.

dopeboy1

Yeah some people are careless. I often see in my rear view mirror cars copying me when I avoid potholes. I get the feeling they would drive right into them if they didn't see me avoid it.

Right that happens here too but no one should be using 20s at this time of the year. I only use them from late April to early October.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

Nah man, gonna have to disagree. I went with . instead. It's the obvious choice.