tire size questions, help with current setup

[scoTTlarock]

guys:

i was just wondering if you all have any input on my tire setup and "stance"?the car came with the setup on it now- it's a set of BBS e30 basketweaves with Dunlop tires in size P195/65R14 88H M+S

look at these pictures of my wheel gap and tell me what you think. am i lowered? are the tires too big?

i know a lot of you lower your cars an inch or so, but i think the wheel gap is already pretty low. is it because the tires are huge that the gap is low? or do you think that the PO did some suspension work?

looking under the car all the shocks and springs are just black, so they dont look like anything special.

let me know what you think...

front:

back:

front view, hard to really guess from this picture though:

seems like the tires should be more like a 50 sidewall, not a 65 right? the tires are old and i am going to replace them soon, just wondering if i should do a 50 instead?

also i assume that the 65 sidewall must screw up the speedo a little bit and it would read slower than actual speed if the tires are too far from original spec right?

any input it appreciated. thanks

[RayC911]

195/60/14 would be the correct size. I don't think you can even find 50 series anymore. From your pics, your 02 looks lowered to me.

[c.d.iesel]

first choice - 185/60x14"

second choice - 195/60x14"

[vinntagejoe]

195/60/14 would be the correct size. I don't think you can even find 50 series anymore. From your pics, your 02 looks lowered to me.

+1.

The PO for my ride had mounted 195/65-14's. I swapped out to 195/60-14's and have been MUCH more happier with the look. Your current set-up tends to look bulky and bulgy - just saying bro.

[Chamoix]

I have the same wheels and size tires on my car with Eibach lowering springs on the front and rear and my gap looks about the same as yours. I can get about two fingers in between the top of the tire and fender lip. Oh, and my aluminum strut spacer was moved to above the mount from underneath.

[scoTTlarock]

I have the same wheels and size tires on my car with Eibach lowering springs on the front and rear and my gap looks about the same as yours. I can get about two fingers in between the top of the tire and fender lip. Oh, and my aluminum strut spacer was moved to above the mount from underneath.

Thanks! Good to know. Yeah I've got about a 2 finger gap on the fronts and a 0 finger gap on the rear. So maybe it IS lowered. I guess I will have to poke around under the car some more and see if I can see any markings on the springs or shocks.

As for tires, I guess when it comes time to replace them I will go down to a 60 sidewall

[scoTTlarock]

195/60/14 would be the correct size. I don't think you can even find 50 series anymore. From your pics, your 02 looks lowered to me.

+1.

The PO for my ride had mounted 195/65-14's. I swapped out to 195/60-14's and have been MUCH more happier with the look. Your current set-up tends to look bulky and bulgy - just saying bro.

I couldn't agree more, bro! From the back the car just looks too tall, and at certain angles it's like a 4x4 status.

first choice - 185/60x14"

second choice - 195/60x14"

Wouldn't that "stretch" the tires using a 185?

[scoTTlarock]

I have the same wheels and size tires on my car with Eibach lowering springs on the front and rear and my gap looks about the same as yours. I can get about two fingers in between the top of the tire and fender lip. Oh, and my aluminum strut spacer was moved to above the mount from underneath.

Forgot to add, could you post a large clear side-view shot of your car so I could compare? Thanks

[M3M3]

[

Wouldn't that "stretch" the tires sing a 185?

not on those narrow wheels.

[Chamoix]

Here are some pics of mine;

[scoTTlarock]

Here are some pics of mine;

Hmmm.... Eerily similar to mine. Looks like my car must be dropped then. The PO did do some things to my car like change the points, weber, e30 wheels, so it would make sense that he also changed suspension. Ill have to dig under the car in the daylight this week and see what's cooking under there. Thanks for the pic!