The following is my personal experience and opinion. Many will disagree. Most will ignore it anyway.
If you really want 22" rims you are going to get them no matter what it means. Why? Because they do look good to many people and many of those people are here to convince you to make the same decision. Going so far as to convince each other that their cars ride the same or even better by plus sizing their wheels 4-5 inches and adding up to 80 lbs in unsprung weight.
I understand that some find them irresistible. But all of you who are here saying that you notice no difference have long forgotten or buried the memory of the stock ride either through time or necessity.
A friend has a 06' 300C with 3-Piece 22" wheels. No suspension or brake modifications were done. I ride with him quite a bit as we go to Giants games together all the time and take turns driving. It is the main reason I own the car I do now. His car looks beautiful but it is absolutely NOT a comfortable ride by any stretch of the imagination and he knows it.
Vibration especially over uneven pavement is almost constant. Bumpsteer is pretty bad. The road noise from the additional tread on the road is very evident. The overall ride is harsh and the tires due to the already fairly stiff suspension leave the rode quite often.
He too thought his ride was really not changed from stock until he rode in my new 300C prior to the wheel upgrade. He was trying to convince me to get the 22" wheels as well. I knew I was not for all of the above reason and more but I do not want to insult him or his automobile so I never have told him how I really feel. I didn't have to.
The first time he rode in the new 300C with stock setup he was floored. He kept saying over and over again that he couldn't believe how little of the road he felt compared to his car and how much quieter it was.
Since then I have upgraded to 20" wheels. Prior to doing this I rode in two other 300s with 22" wheels. Hated the ride in both. Along with the issues of ride I also wanted a classic look for this car. The width of the tires and total lack of sidewall with the 22" killed the look for me.
For many the 22" are the only way to go. They love the way they look and I get that. We each have our own preferences. But to say that the ride is the same or better is simply not true unless you have made significant suspension modifications to compensate. You may have convinced yourself of that but you are fooling yourself. And in the end if you can live with it who cares
I just think it is important for people on the fence between the two choices to understand the truth before they spend their hard earned dollars.
The ride with my 20" wheels has changed. Partly for the better and partly for the worse. The handling is better and the look is better. However I have lost some of the smoothness of the ride and gained a bit of bumpsteer and road noise
Again all my opinion of course and I know I am going to get alot of responses that I am wrong. That is to be expected. My experiences prove otherwise to me.
-Neuro
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2007 300C Silversteel Metallic
Demolded/Debadged, Flashpaq 91 Octane Tune, Resonator Delete w/ Borla Tips, Grip Grill, HIDs, Stealth Sidemarkers, Stealth Signals, Lower Mesh Inserts, LED Tails, BT Emblems Front & Back, 22 Elite Console, 20% Tint, 20" TIS 10 w/ 245/45R20 RSAs. Mopar Stage 1 Springs.
Last edited by Neuro300C : 09-17-2007 at 07:18 PM.
Reason: I am no spelling bee champion.
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