4 lug wheel and offset question

[Project S13]

This is a question about a specific set of wheels, but would be helpful in general because all wheels out there are probably wider than the ones I have now...anyway I'm searching this as well but help would be appreciated.

Alright, I've been thinking about buying some new wheels for my 240. (s13 fastback SE) Right now all the work I've done on the car has been in suspension or engine maintenance. That's right, no noisy exhaust or cold air intake. Just springs, struts, and tower bars. I saved up some money and though it isn't enough to buy the nicest wheels ($200 per wheel is my limit right now but wheels I liked are ~$400-450 ) it was enough to get me thinking about what I would buy later when I saved more. So I was hoping to get some advice from you guys. I drift and autocross. My car is not a show car (though it still looks nice haha) so it won't be running 18's and sizes like that. OEM is 15x6 +40 offset I believe. I'm interested in running a 16" wheel, but there are a few things I haven't thought about much:

1) how wide should the wheel be - the wider the better for autocross-up to whatever the class limit is on size and width. The 16's I can find are pretty wide compared to my stocks. Like 16x7.5 all the way up to 9. Which leads us to my second worry.

2) offsets for said wheel width: wider wheel = lower offset and either way I have to get offset right b/c I have coilovers and don't want to scrape them up and/or have money wasted on wheels I can't use. >.<

For offset I want the wheel not to be scraping my struts obviously, but I don't want to look like some poser with his wheels sticking out wider than the fenders yanno. I don't prefer that +0 look. SO I have this window of space that I'm working with and trying to stay within for functionality and visual appeal. I'm not too swift with the calculations so I was also hoping for additional opinions with that. My coilovers say the minimum offset is +38 for a 6.5 wide wheel. So for 6.5 inch wheel, +38 or lower is acceptable as far as the struts go. The wheels on my car are nowhere near flush with the fenders. The stock 6" wide wheel barely fits with it's +40 offset, and they have left a scrape mark on one part of the strut casing SO they gots to go. I'm interested in this wheel - http://www.yokohamatire.jp/yrc...i.jsp

here is the link for offsets and sizing I believe... http://www.yokohamatire.jp/yrc/japan/top.jsp

the 16" options are 16x8 +25, +12, -1 and 16x9 +38 <--geez

I can't read the other tables, I think it's size then offset but i dunno after that...

I have the 4 lug so that's all I can run. Will these even fit w/o spacers?, and do you think they'll protrude past the fender to where you can see the tire from the front or back of the car?? I would prefer not to run spacers unless I have no choice. Thanks for reading

[hawaiiracerboy]

I have Gram lights 57c in gold... 16x7 +33 front with 225/50/16, and 16x8 +38 with 245/50/16 tires. No rubbing issues with Tanabe coilovers, my car color is the charcoal grey and with the gold rims it looks kinda crazy..i picked up the rims for $800 and tires for $600

[Project S13]

Kinda crazy eh? Sounds good to me. My car is Red and I'm pretty much set on picking up some gold wheels. I think those 3 spokes would look wicked but damn are they expensive. I have considered those gram lights. I like them, but I'd sort of like a more substantial wheel in the spoke department...the spokes just look a bit thin for my tastes. I may just save up for the 3 spokes.

16x7 +33...is that a close fit for you? And more importantly, how close are your wheels to being flush with the fenders?

Sounds like you got a decent deal all 4 for 800. I don't think my shop priced them near that low. *thumbs up*

[masticatingcow]

Check out http://www.takumiproject.com. They import used and new wheels, and always at really low prices. If you're serious about auto-x and drifting, you might like what you find.

[Red coupe]

also remember if your serious about autox over a 7.5" wide wheel technicaly bumps you out of streat touring and into streat modifide with M3's and such( that is if they want to be strickt)

[hawaiiracerboy]

well I know my rims arent flushed to the fender but since the tires bubbles out alittle it dosent look too bad. tires look almost flushed . most of my friends when they first saw it , it was like damn you have wide tires.. then you see the gold ... It looks good with the offset i got, it doesnt look sunken in at all... as for the space in the front yeah its kinda close... well actually not if I had 215 instead there might be half inch of space in between the tire and coilover, about quarter inch now with the 225s, no rubbing.. plus I have new wheel bearings..