Should We Change the Wheels? - 2015 Ford Mustang GT Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited August 2015 in Ford
imageShould We Change the Wheels? - 2015 Ford Mustang GT Long-Term Road Test

For a bit more power, we're adding some Ford Performance parts to our long-term 2015 Ford Mustang GT. But we also need to decide what to do with the wheels.

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Comments

  • ebeaudoinebeaudoin Member Posts: 509
    Unequivocally yes.
  • yellowbalyellowbal Member Posts: 234
    The Volk TE37SL wheels are so cool. Get those and re-run the performance tests to see if there is a significant improvement.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,908
    I like the wheel design, just not the black. How about having these folks change the color? Should be better looking than you guys and some rattlecans...
    http://exoticarmobile.com/?page_id=8
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Wonder if a plasti-dip would work as well? Then you could peel it off down the road.

    I kind of like the blue painter's tape on the rubber in your link too @texases. :D
  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    I agree. The design is cool but the color sucks. Just don't care for black wheels on cars. It's not terrible on a red car, but I can't think of anything more boring than a white car with black wheels. Great way to ruin a Corvette Z06. Anyway. Do something. Anything. I bet you could find plenty of takers for an even trade, or even make money, on craigslist, with some other Mustang owner who has something similar in silver or gray.
  • nedmundonedmundo Member Posts: 33
    Nobody in Philly would alter anything orange and black. Go Flyers! Nevertheless, I do think brighter wheels would look better on your Mustang. I've seen some fantastic stock wheels on new Mustangs, so maybe getting something from Ford is a good idea.
  • nedmundonedmundo Member Posts: 33
    To follow up, one Mustang I saw had something like this, and it looked awesome:

    http://www.midwestwheelandtire.com/product/6713/10039MG
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,908
    edited August 2015
    These Mustang wheels are from Ford, look identical to the black ones, same sizes, too:

  • socal_ericsocal_eric Member Posts: 189
    Since it seems like everyone on your staff has been panning them since adding the car to the fleet you might as well try something else. Maybe try another one of the top rated performance summer (like the Pilot Super Sport) and run some comparisons to the stock rubber to show what (if any) difference there are.

    For wheel choice, how about one of the Ford Racing or accessory wheels Ford offers? Maybe they'll hook you up for some free press.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,849
    I'll put in my 2 cents. The Torque Thrust style doesn't work with body style. I have Dark Stainless wheels on my Fusion and really like them. The stock black wheels have too many spokes, although I think that black does sort of work with an Orange or Yellow Mustang.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • bankerdannybankerdanny Member Posts: 1,021
    edited August 2015
    I like the wheel style, just hate the black, those wheels alone would keep me from getting the sport suspension. I would bet you could trade them to a Ford dealer for a nice discount on a set of the silver versions posted above by texases.

    Oh, and I hope your mods include perhaps a nice tape job (vintage Mach 1 style perhaps). Not only are the wheels boring, but the plain orange is also dead boring too.
  • defyant15defyant15 Member Posts: 74
    edited August 2015
    I have the same GT in Triple Yellow and like the way the wheels look as it provides contrast and I like the design. That said, I dont like the gloss part - so let them get dirty (by not washing them when I wash the car) so its got a matter gray/black look that I love :-) They are also difficult to clean, so that helps.

    The reason I would recommend changing the wheels (something I am considering in a few years) is because of the weight. These wheels weigh 33-35 pounds each. Thats simply too much for rotating unsprung mass. A good set of Forgestars etc can get you down to 21-24 pounds easily (and I'm not even talking about ultra-light weight ugly Enkeis) in the 19 inch size and you can increase width (front and rears) to a 285 square setup in that weight range - improve handling.

    The torque thrust wheels just dont go with the sleek modern bodylines of the S550 IMHO.
  • subatomicsubatomic Member Posts: 140
    edited August 2015
    I think the AXIS SPORT XQ silver machined wheel w/ clearcoat finish looks pretty good:

    http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/results.jsp?autoMake=Ford&autoModel=Mustang+Fastback&autoYear=2015&autoModClar=GT+w/+Performance+Pkg&package=false#visualizer

    Good looking, lighter weight and easy to clean.
  • kirkhilles1kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863
    Seems pretty straightforward. I'm sure the wheels are worth some money as is, so sell them and get ANYTHING but black.
  • burger2002burger2002 Member Posts: 3
    TSW Bathurst, 20 X 10s all the way around.
  • jakek66jakek66 Member Posts: 60
    I'd just have them professionally refinished. They are just painted right now afterall. They'll just strip the paint and get them to the silver like the other Ford OEM ones are (seen in a pos above). Can't imagine being too expenisive, maybe $100 per wheel. Lot's cheaper than any other option save flipping them with someone else's.
  • jfa1177jfa1177 Member Posts: 52
    I vote for Rays Gram Lights 57Getter wheels.
    https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7733/17323135992_ea9aafcf06_b.jpg
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,908
    If you do switch wheels, I'd stay with 19", given the complaints about the rough ride already.
  • s197gts197gt Member Posts: 486
    if you want to just repaint i have used the local "alloy wheel repair" franchise here in indy and they did a good job repairing curb rash, straightening, and repainting our e90 wheels. it was $400 out the door and they even mounted some new tires on them for free. came with a lifetime warranty on the finish. i'm sure the left coast prices will be much higher...

    flipping through the tirerack photos i wouldn't go with a bright silver. i think a matte grey (i'm partial i guess) or gun metal would still look... purposeful... enough and (vs the black) will bring a little more detail and attention to the wheels without it clashing with that bright orange.

    i've made it clear i've never liked the oem wheels; they ruin the car for me. i generally don't like ford's wheel designs.the bullitt / torque thrust wheels are a classic design but it is time to move on from those in this generation of mustang.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,645
    The entire black OEM wheel trend needs to stop. They look awful on virtually any car and to those of us in the snow belt they make a car look like it has its winter steelies and snow tires mounted. I am not a an of those Volk wheels at all, but the suggestion of a silver Ford wheel sounds reasonable.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • pg123456789pg123456789 Member Posts: 11
    I agree. Black OEM rims should be banned. They make all vehicles look awful, as if they have steel rims on them. I had to get my OEM wheels powder coated. By the way, repainting doesn't work. Brake dust and stone chipping will weather the surface quickly. Get them powder coated. The same Mustang wheels in Europe in silver are much more upmarket looking. Please, no more black rims.
    http://www.caranddriver.com/features/the-24-hours-of-europe-visiting-18-european-countries-in-one-day-feature
  • dgcamerodgcamero Member Posts: 148
    I second trying plastidip before settling on new rims.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2015
    You could even dip the passenger side rims "chrome" and put red dip on the driver's side rims. :D
  • fr88fr88 Member Posts: 6
    Oh dear God, enough with the black wheels. This black trim nonsense has got to stop. Not only do they make a car look unfinished, but going down the road black road wheels make any car look like its running on plain steel wheels or temporary spares. Nothing cool or attractive about it. Just get the equivalent bright aluminum Ford wheel and the car will look miles better.
  • sharpendsharpend Member Posts: 177
    Funny you guys bought a Mustang with snow wheels. Especially in SoCal.
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