[vantage08]

Hey guys I have the 2011 ECO with every bug in the system! Rough idle, brakes squeel almost constantly even when new and I'm sure I'm missing something. lol. anyway, the eco wheels are super light, would it affect the MPG if I got aftermarket wheels? I'm sure they are heavier. Same size of course. Does anybody have pictures of after markets on a black cruze?

Thanks,
Brent

 

[AZ007]

Why would you want aftermarket wheels? Those forged AL wheels are some of the nicest you'll find.

 

[MP81]

Yes - if you get aftermarket (and therefore almost guaranteed to be heavier) wheels, your fuel economy will decrease.

 

[Vetterin]

With all your seeming problems are you really concerned over a 1-2 mpg loss?

 

[cdb09007]

I was going to say, is new wheels on your top things to do list before repairs? haha. but if so, then yes new wheels will weight more and also if you get new tires, they may not be the LRR the ECO comes with and therefore more mpg loss.

 

[vantage08]

Well if it won't improve mechanically, I figured why not aesthetically. lol

 

[vantage08]

there's no repairing birth defects! haha

 

[obermd]

I happen to like the ECO wheels, but I understand there seems to be a love/hate relationship with how they look. Have you ever checked the spark plugs on your ECO - the 11s and 12s were notorious for having inconsistently gapped spark plugs and our engines are very sensitive to this, leading to all sorts of oddities such as rough idle and inconsistent power during acceleration. After I gapped my plugs to the same gap my 2012 ECO MT's power surges went away and the car provided a smooth and predictable power curve from idle to the red line.

 

[30 Ounce]

The squealing brakes are odd. They may be your choice of brake pads or they may have been installed wrong. If they aren't aggressive track type pads then they should be silent. I haven't done the brakes on my cruze yet but my track car has shims that eliminate the squeal and I also put a touch of hi-temp brake grease on the back of the pads to help reduce noise. If you didn't install them yourself take them back, something is not right. And honestly, the ECO rims are really high quality rims! You'd need to spend quite a bit of dough to get something equal.

 

[spacedout]

If I had known how expensive the ECO wheels are to buy I would have bought the nice ECO that was parked next to my 1LT. The price difference between the models is less than it would cost to get the wheels after the fact. I love the ECO wheels and think they would look great with my RS package.

If I remember correctly those eco wheels are 17.8lb, which is lighter than most 16in wheels. Most aftermarket 17in wheels will be 2-3lb heavier per rim. Might not seem like much but remember your suspension will have to deal with that difference. Bigger rims will be even heaver yet.

 

[vantage08]

Thanks for the info! I changed and regapped my plugs a few months after I bought it with little difference. The brake squeal is typically only there when the brakes are cold or wet or going in reverse.

 

[170-3tree]

Don't be too put off by wheel weight. A pound or two isn't going to make tremendous difference. Also do some looking, and research. There are some wheels that might weigh the same or a touch less. I have tsw nurburgrings on mine and the 18's weight about half a pound more than ecos and they're rotary forged, so the weight is more inside than out so less is working against your axles. Then finding a decent set of tires makes the huge difference.

 

[Sunline Fan]

I happen to like the ECO wheels, but I understand there seems to be a love/hate relationship with how they look.

You can rest easy knowing that they were probably clearcoated in Ohio.

 

[Merc6]

If I had known how expensive the ECO wheels are to buy I would have bought the nice ECO that was parked next to my 1LT. The price difference between the models is less than it would cost to get the wheels after the fact. I love the ECO wheels and think they would look great with my RS package.

If I remember correctly those eco wheels are 17.8lb, which is lighter than most 16in wheels. Most aftermarket 17in wheels will be 2-3lb heavier per rim. Might not seem like much but remember your suspension will have to deal with that difference. Bigger rims will be even heaver yet.

The wheels are lighter than the tire they are wrapped in. Not by a long slide, but just enough for bragging rights.