It is standard for luxury and premium cars to come out with low profile tires as oppose to buying an affordable vehicle that comes out with regular tires. Low profile tires have bigger rims and look more flashy than just standard tires. They also have higher speed ratings than regular tires to support the extra power and speed these cars have.
What is a low profile tire: The Facts:
Low profile tires have less sidewall height, but bigger rims compared to regular tires with bigger sidewalls but smaller rims for the same wheel diameter. Cars are made with a specific tire size in mind and have been tested with those tires for the best performance. That being said, it doesn’t mean you can’t give your car a smarter look with some awesome new rims.
When buying bigger rims for your car, you need to buy low profile tires as well so that the diameter of the wheel still stays the same and that it fits in the wheel well. There are some complications if your wheel diameter changes from the original.
Low profile tires are more expensive than regular tires, they have more advanced technology and are designed for better performance.
Low profile tires pros.
- Designed with performance in mind and are made of a softer rubber compound resulting in better grip. Low profile tires also have more contact area to the road surface because of the wider tire and enhanced cornering ability and braking distances on dry and wet roads. They have a stiffer/stronger sidewall to compensate for the reduced height compared to the larger sidewalls of regular tires. This means that there is less flex and wheel response will be faster and steering performance will be better.
- Cars that come out with low profile tires have better braking ability because of the bigger rims. Bigger rims mean that bigger brakes can be installed resulting in more stopping power and shorter braking distance.
- Low profile tires are performance tires and have higher speed ratings than standard tires and can handle high speeds safely.
- Many low profile tires are run-flats and do not deflate like ordinary tires and you can still drive (at a reasonable speed) to the nearest garage for a replacement.
- You will also feel the road which you are driving on giving it a sportier feeling.
- Low profiles also have a more stylish appearance than regular tires.
- Low profiles have less rolling resistance because of the stiffer sidewalls and simpler tread design and have better fuel economy than regular tires.
Low profile tires cons.
- Stiffer sidewalls mean you are going to have a rougher ride, you are going to feel every bump or small pothole on the road. If you live in an area where the road conditions are poor I would suggest rather stay with high profile tires.
- Low profile tires have smaller sidewalls and keep less air in them. This smaller air cushion means less absorption for irregularities on the road surface. For this reason, these tires have a bigger chance to get damaged, this includes sidewall and rim damage. If your suspension is not tuned for low profile tires you might end up damaging your suspension.
- They are designed for high performance on smooth roads and driving on roads with lots of irregularities, snow, ice, muddy, or gravel roads will be problematic.
- They are generally noisier on the road because of the bigger contact patch which means more rubber in contact with the road. There is also less rubber sidewall to absorb the noise.
- More curb damage because of the small sidewalls the rims are exposed more and even the smallest curb might damage or scratch it.
- Low profile tires are more expensive than regular tires because of better technology invested in them.
Conclusion
The main reason for going from high-profile tires to low profile tires is that it looks better and can enhance the looks of your car. It can also enhance your car’s performance making steering and performance more responsive.
When you are buying bigger rims, make sure the total wheel diameter stays more or less the same. Changing the wheel diameter will cause inaccurate readings to your odometer as well as your speedometer. If you increase the wheel size too much it can also scratch the wheel well when turning damaging the car and the wheel. Fuel efficiency will also be terrible with bigger wheels.
There are lots of things to consider when changing to low profile tires and you must decide if it is worth it. High-profile tires will do better in areas with bad road surfaces, wheel replacements of low profile tires will get pricey in the long run.
