5/5
So sharp, so sharp
June 12, 2014
This is my first modification to my 2014 Mustang V6 Premium. I have been torn on what to do with the car, since I really want a GT but can't justify the expense right now. I figure I'll pay this off and then get the GT. Anyway, I was looking for a good mod that I could bring to the next car, and wheels are the perfect fit for that. Here's the order of what you should do for a new car: 1) wheels; 2) tint; 3) exhaust. Well, #1 down!
First off, I got the charcoal 20" standard package with Sumitomo HTR Z tires.
Finish: The charcoal (paint?) on the wheels is perfect. I've read some reviews on other American Muscle wheels that say they're chipped or the paint wasn't smoothly applied. My set was perfect. The charcoal color was definitely a great pick. They are not super light grey like I got worried they would be, and instead they are almost exactly, almost exactly the sterling grey body paint color. I have the sterling grey Mustang, and I wanted to do whatever the actual GT500 had. The charcoal was an excellent pick. I think gloss black would be sweet, but for me, I like subtle colors and matching looks. The black would be a cool contrast, no doubt, but I'm more into matte/flat paint than gloss anyway. Finish gets an A+
Fit: The 20" wheels are NOT too big. Trust me. You might be hesitating on the 20s because there is a stigma around "dubs". Don't worry. They seriously don't look that big. That kinda disappointed me, to be honest, because the wheel well gap is still relatively substantial. I also think this setup raised my car like half an inch or so, based on some crude measurements I did while installing the wheels. So, the 20s fit the wheel well NO PROBLEM AT ALL with room to spare, and I think to make them look actually super fly like a cool guy you'd have to lower the car about an inch to an inch and a half. Probably would like greaaaaat if it was slammed, but you'd have to be dumb to do that if you drive anywhere with potholes and crummy roads. Go with 20s. 19s are great but you're going to want as much wheel as possible. The cost to replace 20" tires is pretty dern close to 19", so just get the extra wheel. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. They look so amazing it makes me want to cry. Fit: A (not an A+ just because I was hoping they'd fill the wheel well a bit more. Not AM's problem, of course).
Quality: I'm not a metal expert, but I've hit some rough pot holes already, cringing and waiting for the tire to burst and wheel to be bent, but alas I am safe so far. A+.
Tires: The HTR Z looks pretty nice, but the tread pattern doesn't look like what I expect from a performance tire. Nothing cool looking to speak of. They also aren't that wide at all. 8.5" is nothing. I wish they were 9" at least. Maybe I should have gotten the staggered set, but I wanted to rotate the tires. Ya know? Don't get the staggered unless you can afford to waste money. But, still, 8.5" is pretty slim for what you're paying. I know this is the problem of the wheel size and not the tire, but hey, it goes hand in hand. The other thing I'd note is that these are some seriously low profile tires. We're talking real low pro. Kinda scares me that I'll mess up the wheel easily, but oh well. Live and learn. B+
The only other thing I'll say is that yes, the ride quality is a tad rougher, and yes, I feel like I'm losing an mpg or 2 in city and highway. It's harder to get an average in the 30 range now. I don't have many miles on the car and I don't drive it daily, so I'm not a great guide for this, but it seems a bit worse. Oh well, definitely worth it for the looks!
If you're like me, you can't read a long enough review. Hope this helps you. Bottom line, they look super sweet, 20"s are not that big I swear to you, they look amazing on the car, and if you've got the money, you can't beat this deal. Go ahead and look up how much it costs to get the real SVT version...you might just get on the backorder list for these ASAP.
Danny
