Power is done, suspension is on it's way, brakes wheels and tires are next!

Wheels: I'm going to keep the same style 5 spoke wheels that came stock with the car, I know there are some available in larger sizes that look the same, so that's what I'll be doing! Right now I believe my stock wheels are 17x8, I'd like to step them up to 18x8 in the front, and 18x9 in the rear.

Tires: I'll figure out once I have the brakes sorted out. But I have a question on the size. For a car that see's mountain roads alot, would 18x10 be to wide for the wheels/tires? (when using a tire size that is around the widest tire that can be used safely)

Brakes: here is my main question area. Since I already know I'll be wanting to get wider tires for the rear, I have gone ahead and assumed that I should get them all an inch taller so that larger brakes could be used. Is going from 17" to 18" wheels large enough to get a significant improvement in braking? (when using the maximum sized brakes for 17", compaired to maximum size for 18") I do alot of mountain driving, so there are times I have to use the brakes often, and often with more weight/momentum (down hill!) than if I were on a flat road. I'm fairly happy with the stock brakes in normal traffic, but when it comes time to really slowing the car down in a hurry (either in the mountains, or when slowing down from a quick speed burst) I have been wanting some more stopping power. Especially since I have alot more power now, I feel it's a good investment to get some better stopping power under there!


What is a good suggestion for brakes (disks, calipers, and pads!) to fit inside 18" wheels?


Is my assumption correct that 18" wheels will allow me to have noticably better breaking than if I upgraded to brakes that would be able to be used with 17" wheels? Is the 17" --> 18" transition worth it, in terms of brakes alone?


I'm not looking for the *****-out best brakes available, but I don't mind spending extra for a good set. The car won't see any type of track, it's not a daily driver, it sees alot of mountain roads, and it sees flat-out speed runs every now and then on dry lake beds. What should I be looking for? From the perspective of a guy who doesn't know alot about brakes, I like the look of drilled/slotted rotors. I assume that they are better (alowing the pads/rotors to breath more and get rid of dust/buildup?), but are they right for me? Thanks for any input!