Has anyone put 18" wheels on their Element??

I'm considering getting some 18" wheels for handling and because the
selection of performance tires on the stock wheels is non-existent. I
live in Minnesota and have heard very bad things about the OEM tires
(tire rack reviews). Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Dude, it's an Element. It'll never handle well.

 

Copied and pasted from the Feb. 2003 online edition of Car and Driver:

"So how does all this work? Well. Really well. The Element tackles
sinuous back roads the way Kelly Slater surfs 20-foot waves - so
easily and composed you can hardly believe it. The Element's driving
characteristics belie its odd looks. Despite its tall frame and
mail-truck appearance, the Element's low floor, wide track, and stiff
suspension - which is firm but not harsh - turn it into a sporty
machine. Through tight turns and quick transitions, the boxy Honda
stays relatively flat, performing like a Doberman trapped inside a
Great Dane's body. On the skidpad, our test vehicle pulled a very
impressive 0.78 g, which beats the CR-V's 0.72 g and even ties the
last BMW 330i we tested "

 

""

I once had a friend that placed tires on his car that were larger than the
tires that came with the car when it was new. He had at least two problems
and it's possible that you would have these same two problems.
1. The speed odometer displayed the wrong speed.
2. The tires hit against the fenders when he turned the wheels to the
extreme left or right.

 

That's why smart people use a tool like this:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

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That's the same web site I used to determine that there is about a
one-half percent difference between stock and my intended purchase.
I am also keeping the stock width. In snow country, wide tires are
not a good idea.

 

Great site eh? This winter we got a metre of snow in < 24hrs. I'm
going a notch "thinner" for my next set of winters... from 195/65-15 to
maybe 185/65-15. That's only 2% on the 'safe' side.

May be a while though, I have new Pilot Alpins on my winter rims in the
garage! (OEM size)

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