How Custom Wheels and Tires Will Make Your Car Look Cool

Benz with custom wheels

Upgrading Your Vehicle’s Wheels and Tires to Make a Statement in 2021

When it comes to customizing your vehicle, you have several options available to you. Most people start with the sound system, which is a logical choice since no car ride is complete without a great soundtrack. Window tinting is another popular option since it will immediately elevate the car’s overall look, not to mention help keep down internal temperatures on hot days. But if you really want to make a statement with your vehicle, then there’s no better option than upgrading your wheels and tires.

Difference Between Wheels and Tires

For the uninitiated, wheels and tires are actually not the same thing, although the two terms are used interchangeably in some circles. To put it simply, the tire is the rubber part that wraps around your wheel, which is going to be in contact with the road whenever you drive. The wheel is the metallic center inside the tire that is attached to the car’s axle. A rim is a separate metal plate that is fastened to the wheel, which is sometimes called a hubcap. Now that you know the difference between these elements, we can delve further into why custom wheels and tires make your car look cooler and can improve your driving experience.

Choosing Custom Tires

The tires that originally came with your vehicle are referred to as the factory tires. Whatever year, make, and model of your vehicle is, there was a specific factory model tire that the manufacturer put on. Usually, the tire will come from one of the nation’s top brands such as Goodyear, BF Goodrich, Bridgestone, or other household names.

custom tyres

Much the same way that your car came with a factory set of tires, your wheel is also factory-made and is only designed to accommodate a certain size of tire. Buying a new set of tires that aren’t the factory standard is known as an aftermarket upgrade, or aftermarket tires. This means that your tires are the same size as your factory-made ones, but probably contain different characteristics pertaining to the tread type, design, and so forth. For instance, if you happen to get a blown-out tire, your replacement tire is likely going to be an aftermarket tire, especially if you’ve been driving on the factory-made ones for some time. Chances are, those tires have been replaced on the market by a newer version.

Now that you know the difference between factory tires and aftermarket tires, we can delve a little bit deeper into custom tires. Custom tires will be classified as any tire that is outside the normal catalogue of the manufacturer’s selection or includes what’s referred to as “custom options.” Custom options could include tire size, tire tread, color, materials, and other characteristics. The beauty of getting custom tires is that it allows you to get really creative with the tire and what it can do. For instance, some customers go with custom tires for racing purposes while others may want to have a specific tread for driving off-road. If you get a custom wheel and more clearance, then that is going to allow you more customization options with the size of the tire. Custom wheels are the gateway to your car driving how you want to, whether that be better acceleration or tighter cornering. They can also elevate the overall look at the car with different materials and color options.

When shopping for custom tires, make sure they keep a couple things in mind. First, be mindful of how you plan to drive on them the majority of the time. If you occasionally deal with snow or rain, then you need to factor that in when selecting your tires. The second is making sure that they are an appropriate fit for your wheel. You might have a hard time returning custom tires that were made specifically for your car.

Choosing Custom Wheels  

Custom tires are going to dictate how the car drives, but custom wheels are where you get to really experiment with the look and feel of the car’s aesthetic. Make no mistake, there are literally thousands of options when it comes to custom wheels. You might be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choice that is out there.

Some of our favorite brands include Lexani, BMF, DUB Wheels, Method, Niche, Fuel Off-Road, American Force, Black Rhino, KMC, Moto Metal, Rotiform, and XD.

custom wheels

That is a very long list of names for custom wheel manufacturers, but trust us when we say that that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to selection. Most of these brands have a certain style or vibe about them that you’ll immediately pick up on when shopping custom wheels. It’s also important to keep in mind that some of them specialize in certain types of vehicles. For instance, Fuel Off-Road handles trucks specifically. Lexani, on the other hand, is made for sportier cars and luxury imports.

When shopping for custom wheels, keep a couple things in mind. Obviously, you want to be happy with how the wheel looks. That for sure should be at the top of your list. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, you’ll want to pay attention to how the wheel may affect the way that the car drives. This can be easy to overlook when shopping for custom wheels. Customers can get so caught up in how they look that they sometimes forget the change in metal, size, or weight will change the car’s driving style. Make sure to inquire about that before committing to anything. Looks are important, but how the car drives trumps that.

Shop for Custom Wheels and Tires Today!

You should now know enough about custom wheels and tires that you can confidently start your shopping process to upgrade your vehicle. Wheels and tires are arguably one of the coolest upgrades that you can make to your car, and if done right, can actually improve acceleration, cornering, and overall handling. Try to find a few sets that look like they may be the right fit for you. Once you do that, you can start comparing prices and narrowing down your selection.

An Aerospace engineer by profession, Bob has a deep passion for automobiles. He started blogging on automotive stuffs since 2010 and still has the same drive for the automobiles. Feel free to contact him using the "Contact Us" form.Add Bob on FB