Offset?

[Green_mirage_atl]

I'm debating between 15x7 et30 or 15x7 et35 with a 195/50 tire.

Is the 30 offset too aggressive? I want them close to the body and drive good. What's recommended? I couldn't find a wheel thread with photos. Thanks.

[Eggman]

I'm debating between 15x7 et30 or 15x7 et35 with a 195/50 tire.

Is the 30 offset too aggressive? I want them close to the body and drive good. What's recommended? I couldn't find a wheel thread with photos. Thanks.

Hello Green_mirage_atl and welcome to the forum. Please introduce yourself & let us know more about your Mirage.

Here's three old threads for you to browse:

Wheels Gallery: pics of Mirages with aftermarket rims & wheel mods
Wheels: What Else Fits the Mirage? (With photos)
Craigslist finds

[Green_mirage_atl]

The wheel gallery link doesn't load up. Links broken I believe

[Eggman]

The wheel gallery link doesn't load up. Links broken I believe

Interesting. I just tried all three and they worked for me. The Wheels: What Else Fits didn't load the images when I opened it in a Private window. Were you logged in?

[Green_mirage_atl]

Yes im logged in. Mirage gallery wheels and tires link take me to a white screen. I'm on android. It doesn't load up. I wanted to see what offsets people run on 15s that sit flush or maybe a little poke. I'm afraid to buy too low of an offset and it looks ridiculous ya know.

[Green_mirage_atl]

I figured it out. Had to click on desktop full feature link. Wouldn't load up as mobile

[Eggman]

I figured it out. Had to click on desktop full feature link. Wouldn't load up as mobile

Good to hear. Hopefully some of those threads help you in your quest.

I'm sure there are some other threads/posts that discuss rim offset. There isn't a whole lot of room inside the Mirage wheelwell & fender for experimentation. Most folks around these parts stick with OEM stuff. Some have had success with aftermarket, and some with Mini rims.

[Mark]

I'm debating between 15x7 et30 or 15x7 et35 with a 195/50 tire.

Is the 30 offset too aggressive? I want them close to the body and drive good. What's recommended? I couldn't find a wheel thread with photos. Thanks.

Personally, I think 7" is wide for a Mirage rim. I use 6.5" wide rims (215 tires) on my Subaru Forester, and my previous Honda CR-V had 6" wide rims (205 tires). Sticking 7" wide rims on a tiny economy cars doesn't seem right to me. I'm not saying it can't be done or shouldn't be done. It just seems really odd to me?

7" wide rims are designed for tires 195-225 mm wide. I have no memory of any forum members having issues running 185 wide tires (example - 185/55r15) on their Mirages, but that has not been the case with 195 wide tires. Some have complained about rubbing issues with the wider tires. The proper offset may help, & I understand your questioning about it all.

If you never load up your Mirage with 4 large adults & luggage, rubbing may never be an issue if it's only you in the car. At some point, I have to believe there are some trade offs to consider. Even 6.5" wide rims would give more flexibility to run 185-215 wide tires if an issue arises or you change your mind on tire size.

Although they can be hard to find (maybe impossible). I think 14" x 5" is the best rim size for 14" Mirage tires, & 15" x 6" would be best for 15" tires.

[Green_mirage_atl]

Thanks for the reply. On those smaller sizes there arent many wheels options. Even on a 15x7 there are limited wheel options since everything is 5 lug now. Even going up one inch in size isn't a big deal because with a 195 tire it's almost same total height as my current 14s. I'm not going to lower the car, as it's my daily and these roads are getting worse.

[Mark]

Thanks for the reply. On those smaller sizes there arent many wheels options. Even on a 15x7 there are limited wheel options since everything is 5 lug now. Even going up one inch in size isn't a big deal because with a 195 tire it's almost same total height as my current 14s. I'm not going to lower the car, as it's my daily and these roads are getting worse.

If road quality is your main concern, using a lower profile tire may make your ride seem worse.

A larger diameter 175/65r14 (23" diameter) or 185/60r14 (22.7" diameter) tire mounted on your existing 14" rims may offer better results for bad road conditions. The last thing I would want is a lower profile tire on bad roads. A low profile tire may improve handling, but it could also give you a horrible ride.

175/65r14 (23"), 185/60r14 (22.7"), & 185/55r15 (23") are relatively safe replacements for those unhappy with 165/65r14 (22.4") or 175/55r15 (22.6") factory tires.

I totally understand why you are looking at 15" x 7" aftermarket rims, because most aftermarket rims are made for larger vehicles. Nice aftermarket rims made for a small economy car aren't popular or easy to find.

You will need to run a lower profile tire like you shared to make a 195 wide tire fit a Mirage. With most things there are trade offs. I would run 175/65r14 tires on my 14" rims & call it a day, but I'm cheap!

I'm sure new 195/50r15 wheels will look sharp. I just hope they also give you what you want.