I’ve already heard some derogatory comments, but I think it’s awesome. Someone called them Corolla wheels, which is basically the greatest compliment ever.
The car looks very stock… but I dig it a lot. It’s a 4×4 and I love dropping wheels into ditches. The Bilsteins are a little more softly valved than I would like for asphalt, but still fun and tossable. They certainly don’t leave me shuddering after a big hit, and should play well on snow and ice. I bought a big rear sway bar which was a mistake. It might work at auto-x, but otherwise is a bit unnerving. My preference is for a car that always understeers unless forced otherwise with silly inputs… I’m not one that thinks surprises are fun.
For the Watanabe’s, I bought some Continental ExtremeContact DWS in as narrow as I dared: 205/55. They are what Tire Rack classifies as an “Ultra High Performance All-Season”. That sounds like a contradiction, and it is. The sidewalls are quite soft, which means they like to operate at very high slip angles. They don’t offer very much grip at all, which suits my playful approach just fine… the terrible howl they make full slide does not however. I’m not sure what part is “Ultra High Performance”, but if they can get me to and from the lake in all but the worst conditions I’ll be very happy. My plan is to buy some skinnies with gnarly studs for apocalyptic runs to Walmart on new years eve, or with Ghosts in the early morning.
This has become a car that I love very much. A lot of that is in the wheels. Next on the list are some Longchamps, or maybe some custom PCD MKII’s… basically anything I ever wanted to put on my Corolla.
I could not picture it at first but the Wats looks really good that car! Although you did post a “Tireracklike” picture with them on a blue WRX but they were silver and they looked more like panasports. Those on your car are the right colour for Watanabes.
The Conti DWS is said to be really good in the wet. I haven’t really found out for myself as I haven’t been taking my car out much lately.
I have driven to Victoria and back on the DWs, and I will wholeheartedly recommend them. Better fuel mileage, and amazing grip in the rain — no hydroplaning, even in slushy water over two inches deep on the highway. As for autox grip in the dry — meh. Snow and ice — who knows?
And I really agree with the understeer; I had a car that oversteered all last season, and all you do is spend your time/effort/speed keeping the back end under control. Yes, I can do that, but no, it’s not fast. This year, I have a car that understeers a *tiny* bit, and it’s a total joy to drive, even if I don’t look like some “race driver” out on the course.
The great Musashi once said, “Man who equips ride with wheels that have spokes that look like that, must be going bananas.”