[Shovelman]

It seems that people in every state complain that they have the worst roads.

If that's true, nobody should have big wheels on their DD.

My experience is that Upstate New York has some pretty good roads. The state spends a lot on them and they have taxed most of the business out. They have created a big park with some fine driving.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Shovelman

It seems that people in every state complain that they have the worst roads.

If that's true, nobody should have big wheels on their DD.

My experience is that Upstate New York has some pretty good roads. The state spends a lot on them and they have taxed most of the business out. They have created a big park with some fine driving.

1) So true, and it does make you wonder. I have a feeling that many drivers have never been to parts of the country that have truly awful roads, if only in certain areas of those regions. The SF Bay Area regularly has stories about how awful the roads are, and yet when I'm back there I find the Bay Area's roads to be so much better than the roads in the Northeast that it's not even funny.

2) I prefer 17" wheels myself, and wish that I could find a 17X9 square set for this car that would work. Except for looks, which are pretty far down on my list of nice-to-haves, anything over 18" doesn't really work for me, no matter what the roads are like.

3) Upstate NY does indeed have a lot of excellent roads, both in terms of driving enjoyment and surface quality. The general lack of heavy traffic is also not to be underestimated - a driver can usually exercise his or her car up there without a lot of distractions. Plus, you have Watkins Glen International, a track on the short list of the best in the country.

[Sportstick]

We win...

[CP911]

Please define "big wheels." In my experience going from stock 18" wheels and stock rubber to 19" wheels with 255 rear and 235 front tires, I saw an improvement in overall ride quality including a reduction in cabin shock when hitting potholes. Look at Porsche, also. They have proven that 20" and even 21" wheels on a focused sports car do not compromise ride quality when the suspension is engineered properly and doing its job. Compared to my 997.1 Carrera S with stock 19" wheels, the new Porsches ride like butter even with their "big wheels." Technology has come a long way. This whole notion that smaller rims automatically make for a better ride is just an old school way of thinking.

Also, when I compare the roads in North Carolina where I lived for 7 years to the roads here by Chicago, there is a huge difference. So many more potholes and rocks and gravel all over these Midwest roads (a detail freak's nightmare with rock chips a constant threat). Never mind the salt and gravel they dump during the long winters.

[Tony88]

Come on up here to Alaska. Then you'll learn the definition of bad roads

Pot holes
Frost heaves
Tons of gravel on the roads year round for your rock chipped windshield and paint pleasure

[DaleHeinz]

DC isn't any better. Some days, Sport + is down right unbearable. I don't think we're the worst, but definitely much worse than some places I've loved.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by CP911

Please define "big wheels." In my experience going from stock 18" wheels and stock rubber to 19" wheels with 255 rear and 235 front tires, I saw an improvement in overall ride quality including a reduction in cabin shock when hitting potholes. Look at Porsche, also. They have proven that 20" and even 21" wheels on a focused sports car do not compromise ride quality when the suspension is engineered properly and doing its job. Compared to my 997.1 Carrera S with stock 19" wheels, the new Porsches ride like butter even with their "big wheels." Technology has come a long way. This whole notion that smaller rims automatically make for a better ride is just an old school way of thinking.

I'd like to clarify your assertion, please. I think there are numerous independent variables in some of these points. Improving the quality/reducing the weight of new wheels/tires can complicate the analysis of the outcome. My question is, if we control for one independent variable and hold constant:

• Same car
• Same suspension set-up
• Comparison among either OE sourced tires or aftermarket tires in two sizes, but not a mix of those categories (there are inherent differences)
• Same brand and model of tire in both sizes
• Same brand and model wheel in both sizes (presumes weight increase with larger size of same wheel)

...you assert that ride quality is either maintained or improved with the larger wheel/shorter sidewall tire?

[lsturbointeg]

I know here in Ohio we have some pretty bad roads but I know the areas to stay away from. I usually don't drive in areas i'm not familiar with. I have 21's so I have to know where i'm driving. Holy shit now Michigan has some shitty roads! pot holes the size of beach balls!

[Never_Enough]

Philly has shit roads. Was driving my friend's Roush Saturday & I didn't see a giant hole. She was not happy!

I'd rather have 18"s on the HC due to cost, but they'd look stupid.

[CTinline-six]

I cracked a 16" wheel on my 325 the first time I took it through NYC. It had the stock size 205/55R16's on it which had plenty of sidewall.

I have been on some of those roads you describe in upper state NY. They are awesome. I think a lot of it has to do with how much winter damage the roads see, as well as traffic. Many of those northern mountain roads hardly see any traffic.

I know in CT, our terrible roads have to do with government corruption and tax money going to anything besides road maintenance. We have bridges that are falling apart, and highways that are hammered daily by large trucks going from Boston to New York. Many of the back roads I drive on a daily basis have been patched so many times instead of freshly paved, that a dirt road might be smoother. One in particular has so many craters it looks like the damn moon.

My 325 still has 16's, and I just bought OEM 17's for the 328. Not sure how anyone can drive on 18s or 19s to be honest, for both comfort and wheel destruction reasons. My friend has an E46 330i ZHP with the large wheels and he has bent quite a few of them.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by Tony88

Come on up here to Alaska. Then you'll learn the definition of bad roads

Pot holes
Frost heaves
Tons of gravel on the roads year round for your rock chipped windshield and paint pleasure

You win. Gravel on the roads? F that.

[DDD31]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

We win...

I live in southeast Michigan and have to say we definitely have the shittiest roads. I can see why everyone drives a pickup or SUV since you need one to handle our cratered roads.

And watching TV all you see are ads by politicians that if you vote for their lying ass that they're gonna fix the roads, yeah right you've only had years to fix the roads and now ALL of them need replacing.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

You win. Gravel on the roads? F that.

We have the equivalent of that here in the DC Metro area. With the various construction projects where they're tearing up the sections of road and not cleaning up after themselves. So we have all sorts of projectiles being kicked up by the vehicle in front of you or your car itself. And with the horrendous traffic along with stupid lazy ass people not making sure they secure their loads, we have to dodge large objects on the road too. I had someone roll over a windshield wiper blade that was subsequently kicked up into my windshield.

All that is in addition to the pot hole dancing we have to do.

[catcher22]

VA is pretty good.

DC sucks.

Maryland has speed cameras everywhere so it sucks by default.

[Maynard]

My favorite Adirondack route (10) was just repaved this year - up until then it was fairly rough but still worth running several times in a row. Now it is like a freaking amusement park - makes me OK with paying the crazy taxes we get here. You can, however, take an offshoot and have it turn into a dirt road after a mile or two....

And hoping others will post their NY favorites - always looking for new routes. FWIW, tried the Storm King Hwy (cited as one of their favorites in R&T or C&D) and it was a bust - about a lane and a half wide, and with so much traffic it was like a parking lot.

[PINeely]

Hilarious thread. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that all of your roads are better than Mississippi's.

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by DDD31

I live in southeast Michigan and have to say we definitely have the shittiest roads. I can see why everyone drives a pickup or SUV since you need one to handle our cratered roads.

And watching TV all you see are ads by politicians that if you vote for their lying ass that they're gonna fix the roads, yeah right you've only had years to fix the roads and now ALL of them need replacing.

Lol what's funny is the at the Michigan Ohio State line while I'm on the Michigan side my car's suspension sounds like it's ready to fall apart but once I cross the State line into Ohio it becomes smooth again

[Mingwan]

Haha, compared to Germany, well maintained roads seem almost non-existent in the US.

[Maynard]

That is b/c those freaks in Germany don't know how to do a construction project. They spend like twice as much, and then it lasts freaking FOREVER. Where's the kickback-and-graft from that?

[Mingwan]

Originally Posted by Maynard

That is b/c those freaks in Germany don't know how to do a construction project. They spend like twice as much, and then it lasts freaking FOREVER. Where's the kickback-and-graft from that?

I rarely ever saw construction work being done while living in Germany. If the end result is a good quality, and long lasting road, I don't see the issue. Here in the US, at least where I live at, roads also take a while to be redone, yet the job is so shit, the road gets trashed after only a few months.

[UncleWede]

I always wanted to be the final inspector on local road projects:

OK, I have in my lap the final request for your payment check. This is the only copy. I have to find another typewriter to make another request.

I also have a full cup of coffee in my hand. I'm getting in your truck and you are driving me along the construction route, at posted speeds. I can't turn in any request that is covered in coffee. Let's go!

[///Motown]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

We win...

So true it's not even funny