Got my 18" TRD rims installed today. I went with 215/40-18 tires and bought them strictly based on weight and cost. The shipping weight was 20 lbs each + the 16 lbs (on paper the tires are listed @ 21 lbs) so 37 lbs each compared to the stock 15' rims @ 36.2 lbs. I also used lightweight aluminum lug nuts and the stock lug nuts were quiet heavy. The driving difference is amazing. Gas mileage seems unchanged (mid 45) which is what I have gotten since I bought it but I also drive up 2 very big hills to get to work (12 miles total). So far I have tinted the windows, added the rims and added the factory fog lights + changed out the headlights to HID 5000k color.
Saving weight on lug nuts sounds like a potential safety issue to me. I want nice heavy steel nuts holding my wheels on.
First time I came across lightweight lug nuts I thought they were plastic. They were factory OEM lug nuts on my Porsche 944. My Subaru also used aluminum lugs as well. So I'm not worried.
To all those that said my gas mileage would be affected by running 18's. I have several tanks of gas in my car and I have not noticed any change at all. In fact yesterdays 22 mile commute to town yielded 57 MPG with an average speed of 45 MPH. I am running stock tire pressures as my car was just serviced and they actually lowered the air pressure. I am averaging around the 48 MPG range, but I do travel up and down some hills to work that seems to lower it a bit.
