Re: Possible to have 15" tires on Camry 2007?

I think there is a point where the ride becomes bone-jarringly harsh because the sidewall of the tire gets too low to absorb road irregularities. Bigger isn't always better.

That's what your wife tells you to save your ego.

What kind of science is behind this statement ? In other words: how do you define "better ride" ?

The larger the size on any given wheel, the more it will weigh. Add 100 pounds to your back seat and you probably won't notice it. Add that same, now-unsprung weight to your wheels and it will feel like you are driving a tank.

Still, there is not going to be a big difference in either weight or ride quality between the same model 15 and 16 inch wheels. The profile and flexibility of the tire sidewall is far more important to ride quality, whether you are going for performance or comfort, when talking about such a small wheel size difference.

My last car had 15 inch wheels with 195/50/15 tires. Now I have 16 inch wheels with lower profile 215/40/16's. Ignoring the fact that so many other factors affect what is "better" in a ride, there is no question that the 15 inch wheels with the higher profile tires was more comfortable to drive on, which only makes sense.

One reason to want smaller wheels is cost. There is a really big increase in price on most tires when you go from 15 to 16 inches. I used to be able to buy high-performance tires in my size for $60.00 a corner.

Now I am looking at closer to $125.00 each, and they are not that much wider than the tires I had on the 15 inch wheels.

Pat