Lame. Unless you've got your combo down to a 1/4" you can definitely benefit from seeing what others have done.
I made a spreadsheet of tire combos from the other wheel/tire combo thread and used it to figure out I could fit 295's on my duster with stock wheel tubs and a 1/2" spring offset. Did I still measure my car? Absolutely! And I definitely tell people that I only have a bit more than a 1/4" from my tires to my springs and it won't work on every car that left the factory.
But that doesn't mean that knowing what others have done can't help you.