Maybe stupid question(s)

imag

Why didn't Nissan design the Z with a rear tire offset that fits the rear fender flares?

My guesses at the answers - feel free to weigh in:

1. They designed the flares with some "concept" car wheels that were larger. The engineers shrunk the wheels, and didn't feel comfortable with adding the kind of offset that would allow the wheels to sit flush.

2. They wanted to give people one more reason to buy the Nismo, with its wider wheels.

Giving Nissan the benefit of the doubt, I'll go with #1 for a moment, which brings up the next question: if Nissan bothered to have custom forged wheels made just for this car, why didn't they offset them so they look right? The fact that they didn't offset them to fit the flares says that there is some reason why they should be inset - handling, reduced bearing wear, etc..

I guess that what I'm trying to figure out is what the best solution is for handling and a decent look. The easiest thing is to add a spacer to the Sport wheels - but if this is a good solution, *why didn't Nissan add the offset when they made the wheels*?

The next solution is to buy the Sport, get rid of the wheels, and buy wider wheels and tires, like the Nismo. Great - if I want better wheels than stock, I figure I'm looking at $5K for that. Just what I want to spend on a new car, especially when I already like the look and weight of the standard wheels.

The final solution is, of course, to just buy a Nismo. Drop another $3K on top of the wheels. Sure, I'd get other goodies, but all this started with a lousy 15mm offset problem.

All this, of course, says that maybe I should just live with the look the way it is on the Sport. It all just seems so frickin' *dumb*.

What do you think? Should I spacer the wheels? Leave them? Buy new ones?

m4a1mustang

It's just one of those things... On many, many different cars the wheels aren't flush with the fenders.

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imag

I know, but it's inexcusable when the fenders are flared like that.

I also think it's one thing BMW has always gotten right. I'm not sure I've seen a BMW built in the last 25 years with mismatched wheels and flares. It doesn't mean I want one, but I can't figure out why everyone else can't have the designers work from what the engineers spec out...

frost

Im ok with how it is. The alternative for nissan would to of been to give us smaller flares, because giving us wider rims would have cost too much. So at least this gives us the option of getting bigger rims without it rubbing against the fender.

imag

Fair point. I was actually reading that sometimes manufacturers inset the wheels so people can use chains in snow. I definitely am not complaining about the flares - I love them...