$1500 can be a real nice set of 17's and okay tires, or better yet, a real nice set of 16's and a real nice set of tires also. I'd recommend brands like SSR, Volk/Rays, or Racing Hart. I'd recommend staying away from brands that make copies and replicas, even though Rota has a great a track record of making strong ass rims.

Keep in mind that any time you get rim/tire combos that are bigger than stock that they will affect your gearing (bigger tire/rim = longer gear ratios, longer gear = loss in acceleration). As far as stability goes, a 17x7 rim will be just as stable as any 15 or 16 inch rim that has a 7 inch width.