20" Wheel Vulnerability? - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I swapped my 987 Boxster to a 718 over the weekend, new car has a lovely looking set of 20" wheels on it with very low profile tyres. I'm used to being on stilts on the old 987's 17" wheels in comparison, are the 20" rims particularly vulnerable to damage from pot holes, etc.? Obviously avoidance is the best for of defence but not always possible on narrow country lanes.

No much in it tbh its the usual mythology pedalled by Honest Johns and the like.

av185 said: No much in it tbh its the usual mythology pedalled by Honest Johns and the like. Thanks. Not especially worth splurging on wheel/tyre insurance then and just deal with any misdemeanours as and when? Wife went through a phase of killing cars a couple of years back so not insured on the 718 for the foreseeable so I can ensure it is looked after.

nick997 said: av185 said: No much in it tbh its the usual mythology pedalled by Honest Johns and the like. Thanks. Not especially worth splurging on wheel/tyre insurance then and just deal with any misdemeanours as and when? Wife went through a phase of killing cars a couple of years back so not insured on the 718 for the foreseeable so I can ensure it is looked after. I think it depends more on where and what you use the car for. Never bothered with tyre /wheel insurance imo you are better self insuring unless your history is lots of punctures and wheel damage. Also if you are the sole driver you have more control over damage by e.g. kerbed wheels and damaged tyres from careless parking.

Immediate road from house is single track lane in both directions, that in itself is ok but then on to lanes that are just about wide enough for two cars and that's part of what prompted the question. Driving around at the weekend in the new pride and joy I was instantly more aware at the state of the road edges and the new car feels wider, probably isn't and it's just new car protection factor kicking in.

Somebody posted this recently: Just watch out for those pot holes. Solid argument for 18”s in my view, depending on how bad the roads are near you...

Yeah that was just the sort of thing I want to avoid.

Perhaps a set of smaller winter rims and tyres for when the roads go into decline!

Coming up for 2 years, no issues. Unlike the 1 week try before I buy - which managed to find a pot hole. Easily repairable, but a mild PITA.

I have an Insignia with 20" wheels and low profiles fitted from new. Pain in the neck, very susceptible to kerbing if you are not very careful and at £450 a wheel...........

A mixed response then. Anyone have rough costs for wheel insurance and recommendations for decent companies?

nick997 said: A mixed response then. Anyone have rough costs for wheel insurance and recommendations for decent companies? I’ve had my 981 CS for 5yrs. No issues with 20’s at all, no kerbing or pothole damage.

new-to-me car had 19"s on it when purchased, pretty sure, all things considered that i'd prefer 18"ers. won't ever happen unless i'm convinced that 18" wheels/tires would produce LESS ROAD NOISE! biggest bugaboo with the car IMO. there isn't a lick of noise suppression material anywhere near the wheelwells that i've been able to find. when the time comes i'll be looking for a different tread design than that on my current continental contact sports or whatever they're called. and on insurance... i buy insurance if i can't afford (i.e. will change my lifestyle) to replace whatever was broken. otherwise, i will do without until such time that i can afford it. Edited by hueyhoolihan on Wednesday 15th September 02:49

hueyhoolihan said: ...........................all things considered that i'd prefer 18"ers. won't ever happen unless i'm convinced that 18" wheels/tires would produce LESS ROAD NOISE! biggest bugaboo with the car IMO. there isn't a lick of noise suppression material anywhere near the wheelwells that i've been able to find...................... I am surprised there is so little mention of road noise on these cars, most of it seems to be coming from the back. I have two sets of wheels, 20" and 18" both shod with P1s. There is a marked improvement is ride quality with 18", especially over bad road surfaces but generally the noise levels are very similar (grim). The car drives the same on either in the real world. I am going to try Goodyears on the back soon to see how they compare, in theory they should be quieter.

981Boxess said: am surprised there is so little mention of road noise on these cars, most of it seems to be coming from the back. I have two sets of wheels, 20" and 18" both shod with P1s. There is a marked improvement is ride quality with 18", especially over bad road surfaces but generally the noise levels are very similar (grim). The car drives the same on either in the real world. I am going to try Goodyears on the back soon to see how they compare, in theory they should be quieter. good luck on that... and please let us know if you find a quiet one. cost, looks and performance be damned. the car's got plenty of that already, give us some peace and quiet.

hueyhoolihan said: good luck on that... and please let us know if you find a quiet one. cost, looks and performance be damned. the car's got plenty of that already, give us some peace and quiet.

You need to make sure tyres are correctly inflated. 30PSI comfort setting 33PSI normal

AmoCS said: You need to make sure tyres are correctly inflated. 30PSI comfort setting 33PSI normal Thank you, will do. Quick look at wheel insurance today suggests I won't bother, between £100 to £200 for cover up to £150 for wheels and £350 for tyres up to 4 times per year. Being careful and maybe getting some winter wheels looking more favourable.

Coming up 6 years in my 981 on on 20s, no issues with damage due to larger diameter.

The pic of that wheel is nothing more than bad driving error. Just remember, the bigger the wheel is less comfort you will have.

Melvynr said: The pic of that wheel is nothing more than bad driving error. How did it happen?

981Boxess said: ow did it happen? Well it didn't happen parking it against a curb, did it?

Got 19" on the Spyder with Michelins and 20" on the 981 with Pirelli the 19" a far better ride and less noise ,the Pirelli look like you are driving on the rims.

Melvynr said: 981Boxess said: How did it happen? Well it didn't happen parking it against a curb, did it? So although you haven't actually got a clue how it happened in your opinion it had to be a "bad driving error" Lets all hope you never get called up for jury service

Now now boys, I asked a sensible question and got some decent answers, no need to descend into playground antics. Thanks to those who have responded.

I have a 2015 Boxster GTS with 20" and have not yet damaged a rim, despite blowing 3 tires over the years as a result of their being "pinched" between a pothole and the rim. So, the disadvantages of the 20" in terms of ride quality are real but the rims are very well made. I also recently switched the original Goodyear F1 for Michelin MPS4 and the ride and handling have improved as one might expect, and have also not yet blown a tire despite the general deterioration of the roads in the Great White North. YMMV

CanadianGTS said: I have a 2015 Boxster GTS with 20" and have not yet damaged a rim, despite blowing 3 tires over the years as a result of their being "pinched" between a pothole and the rim. So, the disadvantages of the 20" in terms of ride quality are real but the rims are very well made. I also recently switched the original Goodyear F1 for Michelin MPS4 and the ride and handling have improved as one might expect, and have also not yet blown a tire despite the general deterioration of the roads in the Great White North. YMMV Thank you CanadianGTS

Coming up to 5 years of ownership on 20" wheels, and zero damage, even after a couple of harsh strikes that make you wince. Your bigger issue is finding a garage that can correctly balance 20" wheels, you'll need a road force balancing machine to get it done correctly.