Aftermarket wheels for 97 Cutlass Coupe

[Mark 1997 Cutlass Coupe]

I've been looking on Craigslist and Ebay for used aftermarket wheels for my car. It came stock with 16 inch wheels. How would I know what 16-18 inch would fit? Used wheels are a deal, but I don't know how to figure out which ones would fit.

[Psych0matt]

5x115/114.3 bolt pattern

[Mark 1997 Cutlass Coupe]

Thanks. Is there some kind of template someone sells, or is the size stamped on the inside of the wheel usually? The last thing I want to do is get some wheels, get new tires, and find they don't fit my car.

[Nas Escobar]

The bolt pattern on the Cutlass is 5x115 BUT it is extremely close to 5x114.3 . I don't want to say they're the same thing but to make a long story short, when you put them on there is not a single issue putting a 5x114.3 wheel on a GM FWD car with the 5x114.3.

 

You have to be aware of the backspacing though. High offset wheels won't fit and neither will wheels with a center bore that's smaller than 70.3mm. Mopar wheels fit the GM cars because their center bore is 71.6mm

 

Your biggest concern is clearing the caliper brackets but at the same time not sticking out. Mustang wheels clear the brackets, have a +22 offset but usually come in 9 inch width.

[Psych0matt]

if you know what they came off of you can google what bolt pattern that car has. you may have issues with the center bore or backspacing, but a spacer can take care of the center bore (that's what I have on my GTP). The backspacing could be an issue but if it's off of another fwd car it should be ok.

[Mark 1997 Cutlass Coupe]

Is the Cutlass size considered common? I've seen Craigslist ads stating the wheels someone has  will fit tons of cars. I just assumed the seller was trying real hard to sell his wheels.

[Psych0matt]

do you have a link to the ad?

[Mark 1997 Cutlass Coupe]

Not right now. In the past I've seen the "my wheels fit 100 cars". Like I said, I thought it was salesmanship.

[intern8tion9l]

Cutlass is somewhere around +40 offset isn't it? That's just as important as bolt pattern

[Psych0matt]

40, 42, something like that

[Imp558]

There is a plastic gauge to measure bolt circle, I have one. It doesn't have 114.3 on it, just 115.

[Nas Escobar]

Cutlass is somewhere around +40 offset isn't it? That's just as important as bolt pattern

 

Yes it is, but when you go up a size, the offset changes slightly as well. 16 inch Ford Mustang wheels aren't +42 offset but rather +22 and they clear everything on a  W body. The problem there is that the wheel is 9 inches wide. A 1st gen can't fit anything more than 8 inches wide.

 

Cadillac wheels don't bolt on to W bodies either because they're high offset. I've been told they're +35 but I have reason to believe it's closer to +53. Long story short, Late 90's, early 2000 DeVille wheels don't fit. They hit the caliper bracket. Same goes for the STS/CTS wheels.

 

Anyways, offset is important but you can go to a lower offset and be okay but not to a higher offset. If your offset is lower, your spokes are more dished in. You CANNOT go negative offset on a W though.

[l67ss]

I have 18×8.5" on a 35mm offset with a 114.3 pattern and no issues on my monte

[Nas Escobar]

I have 18×8.5" on a 35mm offset with a 114.3 pattern and no issues on my monte

 

That's why I made that comment that I was told they were +35mm but I believe they're +53.