It just seems like this and the IRS complaining is out of control for options they no one wants to pay for, or has no experience with. Someone driving a 93 Geo with 14" steel wheels MOANING and GROANING about the new Mustang not having these things is getting annoying. I have had over 20 cars and have NEVER had 18" wheels.

Everyone talks about the 'market'. I LIVE the market. I host sponsorship for two Mustang clubs totalling over 2000 members, have talked to HUNDREDS of mustang owners, and get every 05 Mustang question from every salesperson and manager every day. I even get calls at home or on the golf course about them. I have heard IRS brought up less then 10 times from current Musang owners that WILL buy 05's and either the answer is 'oh well', or 'Ill just trade it in for a Cobra in 2 years' or I tell them simply '31 spliners though' and they always say 'NO S#$T!, AWESOME! :shock: '. I have yet to have an 18" wheel question. At our weekly Mustang meets, only about 10% of the cars have stock rims, if that. So is Ford 'missing' their mark? The answer is.......no. I have not seen a car line SO nailed on the mark in a long time. The $32k SE in a year and the $38k SVT in two, let alone an uber-stang in the future will cover all the bases I'm sure. Again, 90% of the sales I loose to other makes on Mustangs is seat comfort. Ironically, the Mustang is almost always the first stop for sporty coupe buyers.

If they even offered 18" wheels, I would only get it if it was cheap enough to be worth it for the tires, the wheels would be on E-bay in 3 days.

 

I had voted no, due to the extra cost of tire replacement. 17" would be as big as I go for a car, 16" for a truck.

 

I didnt vote, since I dont think its a "rip off".

There is a legit reason for not having the 18s from what I have heard (the plant cant handle them or whatever). I do want 18s, and no, I do not have 18s on my current car. You have to start somewhere though. So I might wait till 06. I'm thinking of getting vert anyway.

 

What is the benefit of an 18" rim. Larger rim, lower profile tire usually equal a rougher ride.

 

I fell for the 18s at the auto show in Manhatten on the titanium GT. So for me its mainly asthetics.

 

Never cared much for 18's but now after reading this I NEED them and I want them now ! ! ! don't you kow Kevin the customer is always right.

and by the way stop your whining

 

I've bought 10 sets of upgrade 17"s over the years, they always tend to balance out the performance/ride ratio better. I also go through a set per year easilly on a performance car, so the idea of over 1000 in tires over and over does not get me too excited. I think that a 9" wide wheel with fatter 17's will look great on the car, especially something like AR true torque-thrusts in chrome or Halibrands. heck, I may actually hold on to this car for more then a year for a change.

 

I've got 16's on the Mark VIII, 15's on the Ranger... 17's are plenty for me!

 

thats what she said....... :shock:

 

You had to see that a mile away!!!!!!!!!!!

 

EVERYONE MISSED A VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL ON THIS POST....

The 2005 Mustang is using a 235/55/17" tire, which is 1.5" taller than the 17" tire used in the past 10 years on Mustang GT's and Cobra's. This means that the 17" wheels a little off in proportion compared to the 1994-2004 Mustang with 17" wheels.

IF Ford kept the wheelbase closer on the 2005 Mustang to the previous 25 years, then the tires could have been a smaller diameter, therefore 18" wheels would be mostly a cosmetic choice, but since we are getting a 6" longer wheelbase, the tires needed to be a little taller.

For the 2005 Mustang GT, think of it's coming 17" wheel as like a 16" wheel on the 1994-2004 Mustang, just looks a little small, but 17's look good, if almost right since the 17's were available day 1 one the 1994 Mustang.

18" wheels on the 2005 Mustang will be like 17" wheels on the 1994-2004 Mustang with the increased sidewall height.

 

I've never had 18'' wheels because they've never been offered on any vehicle I've bought. I stand by my post in the other 18'' wheel poll,, don't show them to us if you're not gonna offer them to us. I don't think Ford purposely misrepresented the availability of the 18'' wheels but, the mistake was made and they should try to make it right. Dan had a good idea to offer them as a dealer option and maybe Ford will do it. As long as I can afford it, I would do it.

 

Because this Mustang has more of a heritage look ,...for me I would go the other way "IF" I can and put some American Raceing torque thrust ( Bullet Mustang type) 14 or 15 inch and see if they could be mated to a "RED" pinline Coker tire.This is the route I would like to go as I think that would look great on this car with the classic Mustang body lines!! B)

 

I like the idea of redlines, but under 16" wheels wont clear the brakes.

 

I like the idea of redlines, but under 16" wheels wont clear the brakes. [/b][/quote]
[QUOTE]Are you sure about that ?? I mean have you tried ?? I like to know because I may check to see if I can make it fit ,as well didn't the bolt pattern change for this ?

 

From what I saw of the production red gt at the mustang roundup. There is like 2 or 3 millimeters clearance with the 17's. It's VERY tight. My biggest gripe is. I want the V6 rims in a 17x9. And that won't happen.

 

[quote]Originally posted by svtdriver@August 11, 2004, 9:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripstang,August 11, 2004, 9:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinb120,August 11, 2004, 9:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripstang,August 11, 2004, 10:21 PM

Because this Mustang has more of a heritage look ,...for me I would go the other way "IF" I can and put some American Raceing torque thrust ( Bullet Mustang type) 14 or 15 inch and see if they could be mated to a "RED" pinline Coker tire.This is the route I would like to go as I think that would look great on this car with the classic Mustang body lines!! B)

I like the idea of redlines, but under 16" wheels wont clear the brakes.

Quote:

Are you sure about that ?? I mean have you tried ?? I like to know because I may check to see if I can make it fit ,as well didn't the bolt pattern change for this ?

From what I saw of the production red gt at the mustang roundup. There is like 2 or 3 millimeters clearance with the 17's. It's VERY tight. My biggest gripe is. I want the V6 rims in a 17x9. And that won't happen.

Thanks for the answer! I'll guess I will have to see what the aftermarket rims look like in the next year or so.

 

There will be tons of 'take-offs' on the market in short time. Usually mustang gt stock rims and tires never used run about $1000 bucks. Dealers and performance shops sell them when they give a customer 'credit' for them and sell them a new set of custom ones before the car leaves the dealer. You can then ebay off your V6 rims/tires. There will be people in short time too who sell complete custom sets that they either sold the car, wrecked it, or just changed their mind you can buy up reasonably.

 

Thanks kevin ,but for me I'm a long term owner that will keep all his documentation and factory rims with tires and store them away.And for me,after my test drive this fall I will be ordering a premium GT in Feb with the base line 5 spoke as they look the best to me other than the 18 "no show till 06" wheels.

 

Never owned a set of 18's. But the truth is, I LIKE the fan blade rims, REGARDLESS of what size they happen to be. To my eyes, the style of that wheel simply outdoes both the bullits and the concept-style rims. I'd take em in 16" if they had em (okay that might be pushing it.) In truth, though I may long for the 18's now, I'll be glad to have the taller tire once the Detroit winter arrives :cry: