I removed my 17" wheels from my xB today and weighed them, and also weighed the stock wheels:

35.5 Stock Steelies
36.5 Stock Steelies w/wheel covers
39.5 17" Wheels.

I was curious, and wondered if 17"s affected my mpg. I am considering putting the stock wheels back on the next fillup just to see.

I'm getting 31 mpg- 1300 miles on odo, '05 5sp. I drive very gently, sometimes a little spirited. 95% city.

 

i assume that is with tires
you must have some super heavy 17" wheels. i think i remember seeing that steelies with no tires weigh around 20lbs. you gotta think that the 17" tires have a bit less rubber so they should weigh less than 15lbs...

i doubt you'll see much of a difference in mpg, but i bet you'll feel the diff in accelleration when you put the stock wheels back on.

 

If he will feel a difference in acceleration, then he will see better mpg.
Thats if he drives for economy vs performance.

 

Moved to T&B...

 

Moved to WHAT? I don't even understand this forum's structure...

Concerning the acceleration-
I've found that it's quicker to accelerate with the 17's. More direct connection to the road.

 

My 17" wheels weigh 14.3 pounds, according to the manufacturer, but they are made to be lighter than most 17s. With tires weighing about 15-20 pounds each, that works out to be a bit heavier than what you could be running. And FYI: Yes, the wheel weight does affect fuel economy, but you also must consider the tire width. The wider the tire, the more contact area, the more friction, the more energy it takes to spin the wheel, the more fuel it takes to do the same thing.

 

Wow, fairly light. I can't imagine that 1/2 of an inch wider would impact the economy that much though....

Again, I'm going to experement with the tires/mpg/wheels combo...