Going with the old adage that "the only stupid question is the one not asked", here I go:

My stock tire is 15 inches. If I want to go to 16 or 17, do I have to buy 16 or 17 inch wheels? Hey, don't laugh!!

And what are the pluses or minuses of doing that?

I have a non-turbo S60, so just looking cool and handling are more important in that order than speed.

Thanks.

 

Yes, you will have to get new wheels if you want larger tires.

Drawbacks:
The added expense of new wheels
Tires are more expensive as the diameter goes up (17" > 15")
Ride quality (comfort) will diminish
Larger tires generally have worse tread life

Bonuses:
Looks a heck of alot better
Gain handling/cornering
More stable at any speed

 

Thanks man, keep bangin!

 

I had 16" wheels on my S60 and went to 17" Canisto (usually found on C70). I bought mine off ebay and picked them up as they were only 40 miles from me. If you want to see what it looked like check out Wheel Upgrade S60 & 850 in the sights and sounds forum. Since you aren't looking for top speed type tire you don't need a Z rated tire. Go with an H rated tire which wont be as expensive as the Z rated tires and will generally last longer. I went with Fuzion HRi. Have had them on for about 4 months so far and I have been happy with them. 01 is right on all points, but the bonuses outweigh the drawbacks.