FOR STYLE AND PERFORMANCE, MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD (OR GRASS)

It's probably a bit of a generalization, but when you think about the wheels and tires for your golf car, the tires generally provide the perfomance, while the wheels provide the style.

As far as the tires go, there are quite a few considerations to think about when choosing your tires. If your golf car is used primarily on the golf course with only a few miles spent on city streets, your course turf professional will appreciate (and probably demand) that your golf cart be equipped with tires that cause the least amount of damage to the fairways. This is usually the common " ribbed" design tread which comes standard on almost every golf cart. It allows the cart's weight to apply the most even spread of pressure to the turf, thereby causing the minimum amount of damage.

On courses that are often wet due to heavy dew or watering, your course manager may allow you to have a tread with a slightly more "aggressive" tread, so your golf car can achieve traction on wet turf without the wheel-spinning that is especially harmful to the grass.

If your golf car is used primarily on pavement and/or your golf course has a completely paved golf car trail system, you can choose true perfomance tires for your golf cart that will make your ride smooth and quiet, even at high speed, plus provide safe traction and steering control on wet asphalt. If you ever have to traverse wet and muddy dirt paths or gravel roads, you can even opt for "knobby" tires with thick and agressive lugs that will grab better at loose surfaces. Be aware, however, that these types of tires are generally more expensive, will wear quicker, and offer considerably less control and comfort, expecially at higher speeds and in tight turns. (But let's be honest, they DO look REALLY cool!)

A great source of golf car tires is an unassuming little company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa appropriately named the Cedar Rapids Tire Company. Their specialty is tires for golf cars, but also offer tires for trailers, light industrial vehicles, lawn mowers, and other specialty vehicles. Their simple website is easy to navigate and has nearly any tire you might want for your golf cart. Without a lot of expensive overhead, their prices are always competitive, even when shipping costs are figured in (and they often offer free shipping on minimum orders).

Having said all this, while the tires are of course important, it's the WHEELS that will help define your golf car's sense of STYLE. The standard wheels that came with your golf cart are certainly functional and do what they're supposed to, but they seldom add anything in the way of "pizazz". You could always just paint your golf car's rims, but even modestly custom rims can be so inexpensive that a couple hundred dollars invested will make your golf cart look like a whole new ride.

With a world of design options to choose from, the image of your golf car can go from "ho-hum" to "WOW" in an hour or so. In fact, it's the least expensive and quickest route to giving your golf cart it's own identity and it's driver a sense of style. Imagine chromed or brushed or black aluminum spokes...or add spinning hubcaps for a bit of animated "bling". Specialty Tire Store offers one of the country's best selections in rims, lift kits, and wheel covers for all brands of golf cars, and a visit to their website will convince you that the cost of upgrading your wheels is reasonable!