[mattb007]

This is my first experience with buying winter tires, or any tires for a performance car. (Yes, I've been reading the threads about winter tires, so go easy on me...)


From what I've seen, some recommended Winter tires are:
Bridgestone Blizzaks WS50 215/50/17
Dunlop Wintersport M3 215/50/17

or AllSeason Radial:
Pirello P Zero Nero M+S 215/45/18

I'm leasing this car, so not interested in buying a second set of wheels. My summer Bridgestone's only have 1500 miles on them, so I want to get a set of "Winter" tires (as opposed to All seasons), and will switch back in the spring.



Today I went to a local tire chain store, they were basically willing to match any TireRack.com pricing (Good news)... BUT the problem (question) is he said the above Blizzaks and Wintersport M3's won't fit on our stock 18" wheels.

Is he correct, does the tire have to be 18"? Or is he wrong, can we put the above 17" Winter tires on our stock 18" wheels?


He suggested Pirelli Sottozero's 215/45/18 at $159 each +$11 each for balancing. Basically same price as Tirerack (a few bucks cheaper).

 

[Indy MPS6]

17" tires will not fit on an 18" wheel. Compare to putting a size 9 shoe on a size 12 foot.

 

[mattb007]

Which makes perfect sense...

But that didn't add up with the threads suggesting these specific tires, that are unavailable as 18".

(Unless those lucky individuals have a second set of winter wheels, which are 17")

 

[Wiggum]

A set of 17" steelies shouldn't cost too much money in comparison to keep having wheels mounted/dismounted every season...

 

[Captain bart]

This is my first experience with buying winter tires, or any tires for a performance car. (Yes, I've been reading the threads about winter tires, so go easy on me...)
From what I've seen, some recommended Winter tires are:
Bridgestone Blizzaks WS50 215/50/17
Dunlop Wintersport M3 215/50/17

or AllSeason Radial:
Pirello P Zero Nero M+S 215/45/18

I'm leasing this car, so not interested in buying a second set of wheels. My summer Bridgestone's only have 1500 miles on them, so I want to get a set of "Winter" tires (as opposed to All seasons), and will switch back in the spring.
Today I went to a local tire chain store, they were basically willing to match any TireRack.com pricing (Good news)... BUT the problem (question) is he said the above Blizzaks and Wintersport M3's won't fit on our stock 18" wheels.

Is he correct, does the tire have to be 18"? Or is he wrong, can we put the above 17" Winter tires on our stock 18" wheels?
He suggested Pirelli Sottozero's 215/45/18 at $159 each +$11 each for balancing. Basically same price as Tirerack (a few bucks cheaper).
[/b]

Better to stick with the 18". Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22 (215/45/18 )

 

[mattb007]

He did suggest the Blizzack LM22, but DAMN they're expensive... He quoted me $219 each.

 

[superpanda]

A set of 17" steelies shouldn't cost too much money in comparison to keep having wheels mounted/dismounted every season...
[/b]

I have not seen any 17" steelies available anywhere...have you? If so, where?

 

[Macros]

You're going to spend a couple of hundred dollars to get the tires mounted from Winter to Summer each year. Better off just getting a set of cheap rims and dedicating them to Winter.

 

[digger10t]

for the cost of swapping 4 18 inch tires twice a year, plus the cost of replacing any ripped tires over the lease period , you should really consider a second set of wheels.

i know you would rather not, as youre on a lease, but im in the same boat and the guy at dunn tire basically said it was a risk trying to re-stretch and re-mount 18's onto a rim over and over again.

the reason i took him at his word is because he was basically turning down business i was going to give him and instead told me just to get a package on tirerack.

for about 900 bucks you can have a set of 18 inch tires and wheels, mounted, balanced and shipped. im sure a few guys will pipe up and say theyve never had a tire rip from multiple mountings, but i didnt want to risk it.

feel free to PM me with any questions - i spent hours upon hours researching this stuff.

 

[stl_ls1gto]

He did suggest the Blizzack LM22, but DAMN they're expensive... He quoted me $219 each.
[/b]

these are the best choice for the stock rims - they are speed rated to 130mph also I believe.

 

[speedzoom]

for about 900 bucks you can have a set of 18 inch tires and wheels, mounted, balanced and shipped. im sure a few guys will pipe up and say theyve never had a tire rip from multiple mountings, but i didnt want to risk it.


[/b]

What wheels and what tires can you get for $900 shipped? I even want to go down to 17" which are cheaper, and I can't find anything under a grand. 215/50x17 Blizzaks on the cheapest 17" wheels at tirerack.com are $1031 shipped to CO.

Help me out here....

 

[digger10t]

This is the package that was offered to me for $940 mounted, balanced and shipped:

Nitto NT-SN1 High Performance Winter Tire - 225 - 40 - 18
VR speed rating, 92 load rating, winter snowflake certified
$132 list price ea.

MB Wheels "Blast"
Finish: Silver powder coat with a glossy finish.
18X7.5 5-114.3 45S 20lb
$118 list price ea

The guy on the phone was obviously giving me some discount (I had wanted a different style wheel, but it was out of stock so he offered some $ off this package). There is admittedly a lack of detailed info on the tire, but I know a few R32 drivers who used this tire for winter 05/06 and loved it. Enjoy :drive:

Some pics:

[attachmentid=15988]

[attachmentid=15987]

 

[PDT166]

This is the package that was offered to me for $940 mounted, balanced and shipped:

Nitto NT-SN1 High Performance Winter Tire - 225 - 40 - 18
VR speed rating, 92 load rating, winter snowflake certified
$132 list price ea.

MB Wheels "Blast"
Finish: Silver powder coat with a glossy finish.
18X7.5 5-114.3 45S 20lb
$118 list price ea

The guy on the phone was obviously giving me some discount (I had wanted a different style wheel, but it was out of stock so he offered some $ off this package). There is admittedly a lack of detailed info on the tire, but I know a few R32 drivers who used this tire for winter 05/06 and loved it. Enjoy :drive:

Some pics:

[attachmentid=15988]


[attachmentid=15987]
[/b]

FYI for winter tires it is better to have a narrower tire with a little more sidewall that stock tires. Since you are buying a dedicated set of wheels for winter I would say those are too big. If going for a winter tire I would go no wider than a 7 and try to go skinnier if possible.

 

[arctic_blue83]

I'm in the same boat as well, but rather than remounting my stock tires in the spring, I am just going to pick up another set of wheels to put them on. I'm considering picking up a set of used RX-8 wheels to put stock Potenzas on in the spring. I figure I'll save about 3 lbs per corner, and have a nice set of OEM wheels that will also enable me to switch to a wider tire when the stockers start to run out of tread. In the meantime use the overly heavy/narrow stock wheels for the winter.

 

[digger10t]

FYI for winter tires it is better to have a narrower tire with a little more sidewall that stock tires. Since you are buying a dedicated set of wheels for winter I would say those are too big. If going for a winter tire I would go no wider than a 7 and try to go skinnier if possible. [/b]

this is obviously true, but considering the speed6 was equipped with tremendously narrow tires from the factory, normal conventions may not apply. (if the car had 235's like it probably should have...you get the idea).



putting a 205 on the speed6 is just a bad idea, and a 225 is really not that much wider than a 215 - only .4 inches per the tire comparer on www.wheelsmaster.com . add into that equation 4wd, dsc, traction control, and dedicated snow tires, and youve got a pretty unbeatable snow machine. i would also have liked to get tires in the stock size, but they are about 50 bucks more per tire and rim choices are more limited, especially in the lower price bracket.



cheers

 

[PDT166]

this is obviously true, but considering the speed6 was equipped with tremendously narrow tires from the factory, normal conventions may not apply. (if the car had 235's like it probably should have...you get the idea).



putting a 205 on the speed6 is just a bad idea, and a 225 is really not that much wider than a 215 - only .4 inches per the tire comparer on www.wheelsmaster.com . add into that equation 4wd, dsc, traction control, and dedicated snow tires, and youve got a pretty unbeatable snow machine. i would also have liked to get tires in the stock size, but they are about 50 bucks more per tire and rim choices are more limited, especially in the lower price bracket.



cheers
[/b]

Well, the STis come from the factory with 225s as well. Also I don't get what you mean by a 205 being a "bad idea", the Subaru World Rally Team runs 205s or smaller in its snow stages.

 

[digger10t]

the WRC sti probably doesnt weigh 3600lbs...there is also a difference between studded racing tires and streetable tires, which i figure goes without saying.

the subaru wrx is a compact car, without the load rating requirements of the mazdaspeed6. even the base 6i comes with 215's.
but the speed6 at 3600 should be riding on 92/93 load rating which i think is tough to find in a 205.

there is another thread floating around about someone wanting to use 17's off of a mazda3 and it was the consensus IIRC that it wasn't so smart.

again, im no expert, i just happen to have done a lot of web research

 

[mazda6guy]

He did suggest the Blizzack LM22, but DAMN they're expensive... He quoted me $219 each.
[/b]

For what it's worth, Tirerack has a $50 rebate on the purchase of 4 of these Blizzaks. Tirerack has them for $198.00 each.

You're going to spend a couple of hundred dollars to get the tires mounted from Winter to Summer each year. Better off just getting a set of cheap rims and dedicating them to Winter.
[/b]

Huh? My local tire shop charges no more than $20 per tire for mounting, and I think it's even less. Around here, winter lasts 5 months of the year practically, with snow a threat in any of those 5 months. I'd rather roll around on the stock set and snow tires rather than a set of cheap steel wheels for nearly half the year.

 

[digger10t]

fwiw, when i was calling around, most tire places seemed as if they were almost leary to do 18's with such a small aspect (45) and said it'd be at least $25 per corner.

 

[rdandy5875]

Good read

So does anyone have a lead on 17" steelies????

Thanks