Good price to target to get good quality 18 inch wheels for the Type R?

I'd like to pickup some durable 18 inch wheels and keep them close to $200 per rim.

I was thinking something like the Enkai Raijin for $220:
https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Whe...Model=Civic+Type+R&autoYear=2019&autoModClar=

Would this be a decent choice? What would the benefit to paying for more expensive rims other than weight (and this is already very competitive for weight). I drive fairly aggressively and am mostly looking to downsize for pothole resistance. I might track the car a few times per year.

Thanks for any advice, I've never bought aftermarket rims before.

jhokie said:

I'd like to pickup some durable 18 inch wheels and keep them close to $200 per rim.

I was thinking something like the Enkai Raijin for $220:
https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=4678851238B&wheelMake=Enkei Tuning&wheelModel=Raijin&wheelFinish=Black Painted&showRear=no&autoMake=Honda&autoModel=Civic+Type+R&autoYear=2019&autoModClar=

Would this be a decent choice? What would the benefit to paying for more expensive rims other than weight (and this is already very competitive for weight). I drive fairly aggressively and am mostly looking to downsize for pothole resistance. I might track the car a few times per year.

Thanks for any advice, I've never bought aftermarket rims before.

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If you drive aggressively, you do not want a low offset like the ones you posted have, otherwise you will get torque steer.

An affordable option for you in 19s would be the Motegis on tire rack.

spyder57 said:

If you drive aggressively, you do not want a low offset like the ones you posted have, otherwise you will get torque steer.

An affordable option for you in 19s would be the Motegis on tire rack.

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Any thoughts as to a minimum offset that would work well if I wanted to stay with 18s?

jhokie said:

Any thoughts as to a minimum offset that would work well if I wanted to stay with 18s?

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The size doesn't really matter, regardless you're going to want +50 to minimize torque steer. Stock is +60 FYI so even with +50 you may get some.

jhokie said:

I'd like to pickup some durable 18 inch wheels and keep them close to $200 per rim.

I was thinking something like the Enkai Raijin for $220:
https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=4678851238B&wheelMake=Enkei Tuning&wheelModel=Raijin&wheelFinish=Black Painted&showRear=no&autoMake=Honda&autoModel=Civic+Type+R&autoYear=2019&autoModClar=

Would this be a decent choice? What would the benefit to paying for more expensive rims other than weight (and this is already very competitive for weight). I drive fairly aggressively and am mostly looking to downsize for pothole resistance. I might track the car a few times per year.

Thanks for any advice, I've never bought aftermarket rims before.

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The Raijins will be fine. You're going to pay more for weight and build process, plus a premium for brand names depending on some makes. Whether that's required or worth it for daily driving is up to you.

Killing a set of wide sticky tires driving to work and back didn't seem like a case of money well spent to me. I went with Enkei Kojin in 18x8 +32 offset, coupled with Michelin A/S 3+ all seasons in 235/45R18 for a "cheap" daily setup that looks good. I also picked up a set of BBS RF Forged in 18x9 +47 offset with Hankook R-S4 in 245/40R18 for track and fun duty.

You can stop worrying about torque steer from the start. Blown way out of proportion. I drive my car hard, and torque steer has never been an issue worth addressing on either set of wheels. Folks seem to be confusing anything but "ideal offset" with "unacceptable offset".

The stock wheel and tire combo is a joke. Any serious driving (track/autocross), the sidewall will make contact with the wheel and provide little to no protection against potholes.

Have you consider RFP1 18x8.5 / 5x120 / +40?

typeaarrr said:

The stock wheel and tire combo is a joke. Any serious driving (track/autocross), the sidewall will make contact with the wheel and provide little to no protection against potholes.

Have you consider RFP1 18x8.5 / 5x120 / +40?

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They look really nice, but a little more than I want to spend and I do wonder if the lightness will reduce durability for daily usage. Will put it on the list to consider.

jhokie said:

I'd like to pickup some durable 18 inch wheels and keep them close to $200 per rim.

I was thinking something like the Enkai Raijin for $220:
https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=4678851238B&wheelMake=Enkei Tuning&wheelModel=Raijin&wheelFinish=Black Painted&showRear=no&autoMake=Honda&autoModel=Civic+Type+R&autoYear=2019&autoModClar=

Would this be a decent choice? What would the benefit to paying for more expensive rims other than weight (and this is already very competitive for weight). I drive fairly aggressively and am mostly looking to downsize for pothole resistance. I might track the car a few times per year.

Thanks for any advice, I've never bought aftermarket rims before.

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Hate to break it to you, but there are no proper fitting wheels for the car at $200. Or anywhere close to $200, other than the Motegi 19" on TireRack. Proper wheels start in the $400-500 each range, and go up to closer to $1k for high-end stuff.

I do see a bunch of really cheap wheels, that look like really cheap wheels from Walmart, listed on TireRack. But I question whether these have all been test-fit on a Type R to see if they clear the brakes. Plus most of them are 8.0", narrower than the OEM 8.5" wheels.

This car has 3 unusual characteristics that make wheels a tough find: a 5x120mm bolt pattern, huge Brembo front calipers, and +60mm OEM offset. There is simply no other vehicle on the road, other than the front of an NSX, that has wheels that satisfy all of these requirements. Therefore there are no mass-produced wheels already on the market that will fit the car. That forces you into a more specialized market, and the corresponding specialized price tag.

There is a huge thread with well over 1000 posts that would be worth your time to read here:
https://www.civicx.com/threads/civic-type-r-after-market-wheel-guide.13994/
This will answer all of your questions, if you can maintain enough mental focus to read through all of it. I can give you the short summary of it, and that is stay with at least about +45mm of offset if you want guaranteed trouble-free installation. Other combos will work, with some sacrifices and/or fender modifications, but they are more situation-specific and well-covered in that mega-thread.

And to answer one of your questions, weight is only one of the concerns when choosing a wheel. It does matter, but other things such as offset matter as much or more. I would rather have a heavy wheel that has the correct geometry as opposed to a light wheel with incorrect geometry. And lighter wheels will generally tend to be weaker than heavy wheels, something important to consider when street driving.

Florence_NC said:

Hate to break it to you, but there are no proper fitting wheels for the car at $200. Or anywhere close to $200, other than the Motegi 19" on TireRack. Proper wheels start in the $400-500 each range, and go up to closer to $1k for high-end stuff.

I do see a bunch of really cheap wheels, that look like really cheap wheels from Walmart, listed on TireRack. But I question whether these have all been test-fit on a Type R to see if they clear the brakes. Plus most of them are 8.0", narrower than the OEM 8.5" wheels.

This car has 3 unusual characteristics that make wheels a tough find: a 5x120mm bolt pattern, huge Brembo front calipers, and +60mm OEM offset. There is simply no other vehicle on the road, other than the front of an NSX, that has wheels that satisfy all of these requirements. Therefore there are no mass-produced wheels already on the market that will fit the car. That forces you into a more specialized market, and the corresponding specialized price tag.

There is a huge thread with well over 1000 posts that would be worth your time to read here:
https://www.civicx.com/threads/civic-type-r-after-market-wheel-guide.13994/
This will answer all of your questions, if you can maintain enough mental focus to read through all of it. I can give you the short summary of it, and that is stay with at least about +45mm of offset if you want guaranteed trouble-free installation. Other combos will work, with some sacrifices and/or fender modifications, but they are more situation-specific and well-covered in that mega-thread.

And to answer one of your questions, weight is only one of the concerns when choosing a wheel. It does matter, but other things such as offset matter as much or more. I would rather have a heavy wheel that has the correct geometry as opposed to a light wheel with incorrect geometry. And lighter wheels will generally tend to be weaker than heavy wheels, something important to consider when street driving.

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I appreciate the in depth response. However I see threads with people that are happy with wheels that deviate significantly from that offset. For example, RSR 18x9.5 et40, SSR GTX01 19x9.5 et38 etc. I know these wheels are a little but more expensive, but they do show that the offset can work if there are no fitment issues.

So it is a question of ultimate optimization? What am I really giving up if I only track the car very occasionally?

jhokie said:

I appreciate the in depth response. However I see threads with people that are happy with wheels that deviate significantly from that offset. For example, RSR 18x9.5 et40, SSR GTX01 19x9.5 et38 etc. I know these wheels are a little but more expensive, but they do show that the offset can work if there are no fitment issues.

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First thing, RSRs, SSR's etc. are not $200 wheels. You specifically asked about $200 wheels. The wheels you listed are $400-500, which is exactly what I said in the first paragraph of my response that you would need to spend to get wheels that work.

As for those increased (lower value) offsets, as I said, they will fit and work, depending on the specific combination of wheel & tire, and depending on what sacrifices you are willing to accept in the process. 9.5" with 45mm and a 265 tire is a safe bet. Anything else and it may or may not fit. You might put a +38mm and it fits with a 255 tire, but rubs with a 265 tire. Or it might clear with one brand of 265, but rubs with another brand. You might put a 35mm offset and it clears with no passengers, but rubs with passengers. When you go beyond the 9.5/45mm/265 standard the fitment becomes very specific and sensitive to small changes in the setup.

Read this thread, it has a good brief discussion on this entire subject, and a particularly good summary as the first post on the last page: https://www.civicx.com/threads/michelin-ps4s-tires-265-35-18-500-miles-review.34606/#post-603398 The OP ctrmofo has several good posts and other social media discussing wheel/tire choices. Good reading if you are interested in the subject.

So it is a question of ultimate optimization? What am I really giving up if I only track the car very occasionally?

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The question is what tradeoffs are you willing to make, what is most important and least important to you? I see all of these people with wheels that have a 35mm offset and claim "no increased torque steer, none whatsoever." Hogwash. The change from 60mm to 35mm is a full inch, and there is no way that you can change the offset on a FWD car by an inch and not induce a significant change in torque steer. That reality would require violating the basic laws of physics. Now maybe the driver of the car is not an experienced enough driver, lacking the feel and sensitivity required to detect changes on how a car responds and reacts. But just because the driver is not capable of detecting the difference doesn't mean there is no difference.

So does increased torque steer matter to you? Only you can answer that. Would you be willing to trade a decrease in performance in the form of increased torque steer to achieve a closer fender fitment, or to save a few dollars? Again, only you can answer that. But don't buy into the claims that a wheel with 10-25mm more offset has "no effect" on torque steer. It is not possible.

Florence_NC said:

First thing, RSRs, SSR's etc. are not $200 wheels. You specifically asked about $200 wheels. The wheels you listed are $400-500, which is exactly what I said in the first paragraph of my response that you would need to spend to get wheels that work.

As for those increased (lower value) offsets, as I said, they will fit and work, depending on the specific combination of wheel & tire, and depending on what sacrifices you are willing to accept in the process. 9.5" with 45mm and a 265 tire is a safe bet. Anything else and it may or may not fit. You might put a +38mm and it fits with a 255 tire, but rubs with a 265 tire. Or it might clear with one brand of 265, but rubs with another brand. You might put a 35mm offset and it clears with no passengers, but rubs with passengers. When you go beyond the 9.5/45mm/265 standard the fitment becomes very specific and sensitive to small changes in the setup.

Read this thread, it has a good brief discussion on this entire subject, and a particularly good summary as the first post on the last page: https://www.civicx.com/threads/michelin-ps4s-tires-265-35-18-500-miles-review.34606/#post-603398 The OP ctrmofo has several good posts and other social media discussing wheel/tire choices. Good reading if you are interested in the subject.



The question is what tradeoffs are you willing to make, what is most important and least important to you? I see all of these people with wheels that have a 35mm offset and claim "no increased torque steer, none whatsoever." Hogwash. The change from 60mm to 35mm is a full inch, and there is no way that you can change the offset on a FWD car by an inch and not induce a significant change in torque steer. That reality would require violating the basic laws of physics. Now maybe the driver of the car is not an experienced enough driver, lacking the feel and sensitivity required to detect changes on how a car responds and reacts. But just because the driver is not capable of detecting the difference doesn't mean there is no difference.

So does increased torque steer matter to you? Only you can answer that. Would you be willing to trade a decrease in performance in the form of increased torque steer to achieve a closer fender fitment, or to save a few dollars? Again, only you can answer that. But don't buy into the claims that a wheel with 10-25mm more offset has "no effect" on torque steer. It is not possible.

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Thanks for taking the time to again write such a detailed reply!!! Delving into that thread.

Only one option, 19" Motegi MR924. Have them paired with ps4s and they're great.

leehom said:

Only one option, 19" Motegi MR924. Have them paired with ps4s and they're great.

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Yep, that is the Motegi I mentioned in my original post. That wheel/tire combo is maybe $2200 with tax and is the best bang-for-buck you will find, If you can live with summer tires. And the Motegi has a good offset (+53mm) to minimize torque steer.

Anything else is going to be at least $1k more, and many will be $2k more.

Florence_NC said:

Yep, that is the Motegi I mentioned in my original post. That wheel/tire combo is maybe $2200 with tax and is the best bang-for-buck you will find, If you can live with summer tires. And the Motegi has a good offset (+53mm) to minimize torque steer.

Anything else is going to be at least $1k more, and many will be $2k more.

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I was heavily pondering the Motegi's. My only hesitation is will going with 19 inch give the advantage in sidewall strength to make it worth it vs the stock wheels? It kinda feels that getting an extra 17% or so in sidewall material with 19s might not be worth it. But yeah, can't have it all so got to make a sacrifice somewhere.

jhokie said:

I was heavily pondering the Motegi's. My only hesitation is will going with 19 inch give the advantage in sidewall strength to make it worth it vs the stock wheels? It kinda feels that getting an extra 17% or so in sidewall material with 19s might not be worth it. But yeah, can't have it all so got to make a sacrifice somewhere.

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An increase of 1/2 inch will add more security. Not as much as a full inch with 18s, but any amount makes a difference. How much is enough really depends on the roads in your area and how you drive. I don't have particularly bad roads in my area, so I am discussing a set of full customs from BC Forged right now in 19x9.5 +60mm. Not sure that would be my plan if frost heaves were an issue for me.

FWIW: The OEM wheels are tough. I have almost 18k miles on my OEM wheels, and so far have had no damage other than my own stupidity rubbing curbs. I hit a pothole so hard a while back that it moved my rearview mirror and didn't suffer any wheel damage. Would the 19" Motegis bend under that identical impact? Who knows. Would an 18" wheel be less likely to get damaged? Yes, in theory. With the Motegis at less than $250 each you can afford to easily replace them if you do damage one.