Buying Rims for Porsche Cayenne

[Sandye90m3]

Hey guys, I need a little help here.

My 2004 Cayenne V6 came with 17" 235/60?/R17 and the tires need to be replaced soon. I was just thinking of buying another set of rims+tires combo from a person off of craigslist. The ones that I'm looking to buy are the Porsche rims that were offered as a option at factory.

So my question is, what are the benefits and downsides of changing my rims/tires From: 17" 235/60?/R17 To: 275/45/R19?

• I'm guessing there will be a slightly rougher ride even though the 19' still have a large sidewall
• Fuel economy drop?
• The handling should improve?

Also, when I go and buy these rims I should probably meet him at a tires/wheel place in which they can check for any bends in the rims?

And one last thing, maybe you can tell me your purchasing process of rims from a random person?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure that my car's handling/performance (road).

[Sandye90m3]

So nobody has ever bought used rims? Come on guys, I doubt that!

BUMP

[Raja Ventureshield]

going from 17 to 19 on that car the difference will not be significant. 20+ is when it will get a little rough and that too if you don't have air suspension. I previously had 05 Cayenne S with factory 18s and went to 22s with no major roughness. Although the gas mileage went down. I would highly consider meeting this guy at the tire shop so you can have it inspected and make it happen. No a big deal going from 17 to 19s. PM me if you have more questions. Thanks!

[Sandye90m3]

Originally Posted by Raja Ventureshield

going from 17 to 19 on that car the difference will not be significant. 20+ is when it will get a little rough and that too if you don't have air suspension. I previously had 05 Cayenne S with factory 18s and went to 22s with no major roughness. Although the gas mileage went down. I would highly consider meeting this guy at the tire shop so you can have it inspected and make it happen. No a big deal going from 17 to 19s. PM me if you have more questions. Thanks!

I appreciate your feedback!

I have a couple of more questions though,

How would I validate that they are authentic porsche rims? I really don't want to be buying a replica rim for durable's sake. I have seen that some rims have a number on the inside of the wheel but not sure what they can do for me.

Also does anyone know a rough estimate on how much it would cost to get there Rims refinished?

[Raja Ventureshield]

rim refinishing would be area dependent. we pay about 150$ to 200$ a wheel on this side of the coast. As for Authenticity, i would check for paperwork and/or stamping. The fakes are easy to identify. They just don't look real and something is always looking awkward comred to the OEM designs.

[elwesso]

In regards to your original questions.... The 19's might give you a slightly rougher ride, but with that much sidewall you can play with your tire pressure to come really close. On my Q45, I went from a 215-65-15 to a 245-45-18, and both setups rode about the same.

I wouldn't expect fuel economy to drop a whole lot, maybe a little bit but overall I'd say it should be largely unnoticeable.

Handling is 99% in the tires, and going to a wider tire doesn't always mean more grip.

Regarding replica vs OEM, easiest way to find out is by seeing a picture of a known OEM wheel and compare it to whatever you're buying. In my experience most OEM brands have the brand name cast in the wheel somewhere.

Regarding refinishing, it all depends what you want done. If you have a lot of curb rash that needs to be fixed, you'll be looking at a lot more than if you just want them "freshened up".. Powdercoating can fill in some minor imperfections, but not major curb rash.