Option A or Option B?

[87Camry5Speed]

What would you do?

I've been given an option between two freebies from my dear old man. Choice one is that I can get 15 or 16" wheels mounted with pretty much any tire I want (nothing inordinately fancy of course but I can get a good tire on there), but they're steelies, and I'd need hubcaps of some sort for them. I have concerns with the 16" especially being too tall, I don't want to throw off the speedo or have the engine pull too-tall tires. Went through that on the last one, didn't like it too much...


Choice two is that I can get my front bumper cover repainted, and this is something my car could definitely use b/c it was repainted at some point but very poorly. The paint is chipping off, and the respray was a piss-poor job to begin with. In some places the color does not match.

My thoughts are that I should go with the bumper cover, b/c the tires I have now will get me to winter and the previous owner was nice enough to give me 4 mounted 1st-gen Blizzaks. So I could always worry about tires in spring, and it's usually cheaper for 14" tires than 16s... I'm also aware of the Camry's high theft rate, and while I keep it looking good I don't want it to stand out too much with nice rims.

Your thoughts?

Steve

[CDub LXi]

Front bumper cover for sure. Tires are a good investment, but you said that you have winter tires lined up so that gives you the entire winter to save for tires. Get the size you want and the brand you want when you're ready.

Theft on used Camrys isn't really that big a deal if you ask me... it's the newer ones that come up missing around here.

BTW, when you do get tires, go to www.discounttiredirect.com Free shipping, name brands. I've used them on 2 occasions and I was VERY pleased. Fast shipping (free) and good prices

The only thing that kind of throws a flag up on the paint is you said that the paint doesn't match. This might be a problem with the new spray job too depending on how good the shop is. Some shops can dilute the color to match really well. Just something to think about.

I wouldn't worry about pulling too large a tire. With 17" or whatever size you want you really won't have to worry much as long as you don't dog the car. I have friends with 20s on Grand Prixs and Maximas that have had them for a while. Only the Grand Prix has suffered a little problem recently.. and it was because they had to grind some bolt down to make them fit. The tranny on both cars were autos and they both are still shifting fine.

[87Camry5Speed]

Big Body LX, the respray is going to be done by one of the auto body shops my dad does business with- not sure which, but the ones I know of are all first-rate. So I'm not terribly concerned about the quality.

Also, thanks for the tire site, I was just going to hit up tirerack.com but I'm a big fan of cheap any day...

I change my mind on it every 15 mins but what I migth try to do is con dad into hanging onto the 16" wheels so that come spring I can order new tires, and just get the bumper repainted now.

Steve

[amerikim]

Tires you use and feel everyday.

Bumpers, since you have them...who cares?
If daddy-o would spring for wheels, I would spray paint my front bumper flat black. Is your bodywork andpaint in great shape?
Painted bumpers get chipped up in winter anyways.

I would first find out what is the standard wheel setup, then go online and use a wheel/tire calculator so you know what your standard rolling circumference is supposed to be. Then onto ebay and wrecking yards to shop.
Fat 50/60 series on a 87 is retro cool. Don't go 45 or lower. You will also save bucks going this route. Looks and feels good.

A cool set of wheels and I won't even notice the bumper. IMHO.

[Nick]

use this to calculate the proper tire size http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

and as for hubcaps let those steelies shine

[SmokingTires]

haha, stealies kick ass! Boy I wish I didn't have alloys (sarcasim) But stealies are cool!

I say get the bumper painted. If you get rims, and have a messed up front bumper, that crosses over into rice territory.

Like those hondas that have rice cans and spoilers, but have a four-tone paint job.

Get the bumper done up all nice first. Then you can find some rims.

[Fresco Bob]

or talk him into option C: rsb, springs and struts

[Soltech]

steel wheels are so ugly, I would buy aftermarket rims. if you gonna get steelies, I would forget the whole modifying idea with the camry.

[SmokingTires]

^
Yeah, but what is the point of rims when you have a beat up front fender? That's rice to try and make a beat car look flashy. That's like me putting a spoiler and rims on My Car.

It just wouldn't make sense.

[87Camry5Speed]

Originally posted by Fresco Bob
or talk him into option C: rsb, springs and struts

Good stuff, sir, bravo!

Well I'm leaning toward a bumper respray, seeing all that bare yellow plastic is driving me nuts and the rest of the car looks so damn good as it is... At this point, b/c my left-side turn-signal lens (the one in the bumper, not the corner light) is cracked, maybe an upgrade to clear ones is in order?

As for rims, I don't see it happening, it's simply a matter of convenience to go for the 16" steelies (I should have been more specific, and I apologize, but the 15s and the 16s I'm being offered are both steelies...)- they're there, and the price is right (about $0). This might be the only real freebie opportunity I get with the car, so I gotta make the right call. Lower-profile tires would certainly firm up the steering feel and, to a lesser extent, handling in a plus-1 or 2 upgrade without hurting the ride much though... However, I outlined the tire scenario in the initial post, and may hold off til next year...

All I can really afford to do with it (once I pay off the ol' man) is a decent headunit and maybe a cai. The car is going to need a clutch sooner or later, it's high miles (154K) on the original one and though 90% of my driving is gentle how much life does it have left? It grabs pretty high up the pedal, making uphill starts aggravating at times. Also the trans is screaming for some synchromesh, that's $30 right off the bat... Also remember I'm a broke college kid trying to make the most of what I have...

Steve

[toyrolla]

Unless you're looking at steelies from perhaps a Matrix (or maybe a newer Corolla), I do not recall any 16" steelies that fit a Gen2 Camry.

With that being said; if you are going for 16" steelies, be careful as to where you're getting the steelies from. Gen2 Camrys bolt circle (5x100) does not match newer Camry models (5x114.3).

If you're going to go 16's on your Camry, then your tire size is 205/50-16 on wheels up to 16x7.

15's can be either 195/50-15 (V6 factory size) or 205/50-15 which is a bit wider.

One thing I did on my 88 daily driver was 15" steelies with performance all-season tires and the newer Camry hubcaps like this one.



Some people actually thought I had rims when they saw the caps. Go figure...

Good luck with your car...

[87Camry5Speed]

Uh... I'm sorry, guys, there seems to be a little confusion as to the Camry I own. I have a gen3.5 now. I sold the gen2 last month....

Me and my gen2 are parting ways...



Note- lol, this is the only really good angle to see the frt. bumper at, so you can't see what I mean by needing a repaint

Toyrolla that is a nice hubcap, I'm thinking either that or the one that came off the early gen4 CE


Steve

[CDub LXi]

If you want hubcaps, get some like mine I won't have them after tax return.

[87Camry5Speed]

Big Body LX those are nice, I always thought they made the gen4.5's look classy. Now whether they play well on a gen 3.5 idk... I've been informed there's nice hubcaps on Ebay and plan to investigate tonight-

Steve

[epborden]

Well I was going to tell you that I have 16's on my car and it doesn't throw off the speedo, and it pulls fine.

But since you bought a new 3.5 (you sob j/k), NEVERMIND.

(j/k)

Bumper cover !