[lsbrodsky]

I see that you can order a Macan with 18 inch wheels instead of the stock 19 inch. Is there a reason to do this? Will the ride be that much better with 18's?

Larry

 

[K-Man S]

I have not driven the Macan with the 18 inch wheels and tires but all else being equal it should be a smoother/softer ride than the 19's but to what degree you don't know unless you drive them both.

 

[lsbrodsky]

Yeah, I get it but I doubt I will find a dealer with 18's on a Macan...
Larry

 

[chows4us]

I see that you can order a Macan with 18 inch wheels instead of the stock 19 inch. Is there a reason to do this? Will the ride be that much better with 18's?

Larry

Yes, there is a reason, depending upon where you live, your weather, and what you intend to do with the car.

18 or 19" are standard (no cost) on the Macan S.

Some people do not like the perceived gap to the fender line the 18" give, which makes little sense to me as its a CUV and is supposed to have that gap but they get hung up on the marketing convincing them this is a sports car.

If you drive in snow and put on snow tires, it makes sense to get the 18" and use them as wheels for the snow IF you intend to get some other wheels for the summer.

If you intend to leave the all-seasons on then it doesn't matter and its just what you feel like. Some people do not like the gap.

If you intend to use just summer tires, then it make little sense as 19" and 20" do look a lot better. 21" looks just plain silly.

 

[lsbrodsky]

I do understand that many sports car owners downsize for winter tires because their profile is higher and the cost is lower, which is fine if you start with 19's for summer. But all seasons are stock, which makes sense on a CUV. If I thought the ride would be notably softer on 18's that would be a good reason, for my wife. An the Macan would be hers.
Larry

 

[chows4us]

I do understand that many sports car owners downsize for winter tires because their profile is higher and the cost is lower, which is fine if you start with 19's for summer. But all seasons are stock, which makes sense on a CUV. If I thought the ride would be notably softer on 18's that would be a good reason, for my wife. An the Macan would be hers.
Larry

If it's softer than you care about, then PASM with A/S, I believe gives the softest ride plus has all the advantages of, well PASM and the air suspension. In that case, I would go with the free 19" because I see no reason to spend money on 20" nor get the smaller 18" without putting snows on them.

Beware though, despite all the hype about it being the "sports car" of SUVs, I've read that the stiffest setting on PASM is softer than the softest setting on a 911 (which kind of makes sense for a CUV).

 

[lsbrodsky]

We'll go drive one next month. Nobody close ever has enough inventory for me to compare. I ran into that with my Cayman S trying to decide on PASM. I opted for the stock and am pleased with that decision. The options run the price up quickly and my wife will never know the difference as long as stock is compliant enough. Probably best to just stay with stock wheels.
Larry

 

[minthral]

I'd go for looks... 1 inch isn't going make a difference.

In theory, 1 more inch of tire means worse (sloppy) handling and softer ride. In reality, your tire brand and pressure choice is going to matter more.

IMO, for Macan, I would want smaller rims and bigger tires since its an SUV...never understood those ppl who get the $10k massive rims with 1 inch tiny tires for SUVs... looks bad and not natural.

 

[lsbrodsky]

So you would prefer the 18's?

Larry

 

[lsbrodsky]

I just used a tire diameter calculator to confirm that the 18's and 19's provided are essentially the same diameter, differing by only 0.01 inches. So I do not understand the comment above about a fender gap. The tires with wheels have the same diameter.
Larry

 

[16984]

IMHO thats because too many just go by wheel size and don't automatically include the tire, do the calculation of overall diameter. They see the black of the tire and the darkness of the wheelwell as one.

Just see how many questions are posted about changing wheel diameter and what size tires are needed.

 

[chows4us]

So I do not understand the comment above about a fender gap. The tires with wheels have the same diameter.
Larry

I said "the perceived gap". I didn't say an actual gap. It's how people perceive things. The bigger the wheel, it looks like it fills it out. The 21" wheels look huge, but looks weird because SUVs, traditionally, have a lot of tire and less wheel.

 

[lsbrodsky]

OK, I missed perceived. Thanks. For my application, everything points to thinking seriously about 18's.
Larry

 

[129-987]

I had the chance to look at and then drive for a comparison, all the various tire sizes from 18" up to and including the 21" monsters on a series of Cayennes and Macans. From the test drives, and lack of any serious difference in ride quality, over some seriously rutted roads, I decided that in my case looks would be the deciding factor. I went with the 19" spyder wheels, with A/S tires. the 21" turbo's just looked too bling!
The Macan I drove as a test had PASM, but no AS. On the firmest setting, with the 20" wheel tire package, I would say that the ride was tollerant over the rutted road we were driving on. When set to the comfort setting, the ride was really nice, with very little wheel hop.
NOW - IMO - If you are ever going to take one of these off road - either stick with the 19", go to 18" or --- buy a lot of wheel insurance for anything larger!!!
That is where the wider sidewall comes into play. There is just not enough play in a 20" tire sidewall to climb over a rock, and not wind up with a bent rim.
That is why jeeps stuck with 15" rims for so long even when running 33" dia tires!!! And deflated at that!!!
I will never be taking my Macan off road - unless you count an unpaved driveway in the Hamptons - off road?
Just my :2cents:.

 

[lsbrodsky]

Thanks, good info!
Larry

 

[chows4us]

...
NOW - IMO - If you are ever going to take one of these off road - either stick with the 19", go to 18" or --- buy a lot of wheel insurance for anything larger!!! .

You ordered Impulse Red?

icsplz:

Pics please

Yes, your right. But from reading about Macans, those guys will never see a gravel road never mind go off any road. They will see snow but I think most buyers bought line, hook, and sinker into the "sports car of SUVs" and a "Large Cayman" lines.

Early in the year when the took the press around the test tracks they had the Turbo following a 911 and I think that gave a lot of people the impression they should not have gotten.

 

[129-987]

You ordered Impulse Red?

icsplz:

Pics please"

I am anxiously awaiting a call from my dealer telling me what day next month I can expect to take delivery. According to the build sheet I originally got when the order locked, the Macan, should be on a boat right now in the Atlantic...
This is worse than waiting for a kid to be born!!!
I think my dealer said, according to the orders in the area (SE PA) mine will be the only red Macan for at least two months around here.
Sweeeeeet!

 

[dave-t]

I went to the dealer yesterday to have a PPI done on my Cayman R and I was told that there are no allocations left until March and that would be June delivery. Is what everyone else is hearing as well? I just sold my Cayman R and was thinking about getting into a Macan S. For 63k you can get a very nicely speed CUV.

 

[lsbrodsky]

That is true. My dealer offered a discount of about what he gave me on my CS as a first time buyer. Not enough for me to consider the Macan.
Larry

 

[Westcoaster]

I had the chance to look at and then drive for a comparison, all the various tire sizes from 18" up to and including the 21" monsters on a series of Cayennes and Macans. From the test drives, and lack of any serious difference in ride quality, over some seriously rutted roads, I decided that in my case looks would be the deciding factor. I went with the 19" spyder wheels, with A/S tires. the 21" turbo's just looked too bling!
The Macan I drove as a test had PASM, but no AS. On the firmest setting, with the 20" wheel tire package, I would say that the ride was tollerant over the rutted road we were driving on. When set to the comfort setting, the ride was really nice, with very little wheel hop.
NOW - IMO - If you are ever going to take one of these off road - either stick with the 19", go to 18" or --- buy a lot of wheel insurance for anything larger!!!
That is where the wider sidewall comes into play. There is just not enough play in a 20" tire sidewall to climb over a rock, and not wind up with a bent rim.
That is why jeeps stuck with 15" rims for so long even when running 33" dia tires!!! And deflated at that!!!
I will never be taking my Macan off road - unless you count an unpaved driveway in the Hamptons - off road?
Just my :2cents:.

I see from your order you decided to go with PASM and 20" wheels, are you still happy with your choices? We will be definitely getting 20" wheels, I am just trying to convince my wife to add PASM.

Any pictures yet?