Winter Wheels...from those who KNOW about winter
11-03-2005, 09:12 AM
#1
Black and B-E-A-UTIFUL!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Winter Wheels...from those who KNOW about winter
I've read all the "winter wheel" threads on this forum...but I wanted to get the opinion of people who really know what WINTER is...Midwesterners!
What winter wheels / tires are you using? All seasons? Dedicated winter?
And where is a good place to get them for less $$$? I know TireRack will hook me up...but for about $1300 for wheels and tires. I don't have the resources right now to pony up that kind of dough.
Just hopin' for a little help from my hometown friends!
EDIT:
Wheels and tires purchased, thanks to some RX8club member advice and some internet searching. Pics are on page 3.
What winter wheels / tires are you using? All seasons? Dedicated winter?
And where is a good place to get them for less $$$? I know TireRack will hook me up...but for about $1300 for wheels and tires. I don't have the resources right now to pony up that kind of dough.
Just hopin' for a little help from my hometown friends!
EDIT:
Wheels and tires purchased, thanks to some RX8club member advice and some internet searching. Pics are on page 3.
Last edited by wisconsinben; 12-01-2005 at 08:51 AM.
11-03-2005, 02:48 PM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 557
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not very far from you. I went with PZero M+S on my wife's car and she loves them to death for all year driving. She had summer tires on her car for 2 winters and they were scary for dec-march in wisconsin.
On my car I went with a 70K miles Yokohama tire that I use for winter driving.
Both of those are front wheel drive cars what have a lot more torque than an 8 does.
I don't drive my 8 all year round.
On my car I went with a 70K miles Yokohama tire that I use for winter driving.
Both of those are front wheel drive cars what have a lot more torque than an 8 does.
I don't drive my 8 all year round.
11-05-2005, 08:50 PM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I got my Dunlop Winter Sport M3's from Tire Rack about a week before I took delivery of my RX8 (December 03). I got 17 x 7.5 ASA rims and the tires are 225/55R17's. They work great, I don't have to swap tires on and off the stock rims, traction is awesome, the 8 is a great car in the snow. My wife said I couldn't get a winter beater, she didn't want a third car sitting outside so I had to spend the $1,300 on a set of snows. All summer both cars sit outside since the garage is filled with kids toys and kids dirt bikes, so after one year I talked her into letting me get a $1,200 pickup for the winter (and her gardening projects). I still keep the snows on the 8 in the winter in case the truck won't start and for the occasional salt free days.
11-06-2005, 11:30 AM
#5
I'm in Northern Illinois and run the Pirelli PZero Nero M&S (245/40/18) in the winter on the stock rims. Falken's the other 3 seasons. The Pirelli's won't be as good in deep snow as all out snow tires. But I never got had a problem last winter and they are great for those sunny dry days when you want to have fun with the car. You don't have to worry about wearing out soft snow tires.
11-06-2005, 12:24 PM
#6
Mmmmm... Rotary Donut
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lake in the Hills, IL (NW Chicago Burbs)
Posts: 2,376
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
2 Posts
I run Dunlop WinterSport M2's (got 'em for $380 for a set a couple years back) on my stock rims... I just swap out my tires twice a year. Eventually I'm going to get some nice lightweight 18's for my summer tires, and leave the winter tires on the heavy stockers.
This will be my third Chicago winter with this set up, and it works great... I have so much fun in the snow with this car. The Miata was slightly more fun due to being lighter, but I also spent far more time "living on the edge" when goofing around in the white stuff with it. The RX8's TCS/DSC make it more surefooted with good snow tires.
This will be my third Chicago winter with this set up, and it works great... I have so much fun in the snow with this car. The Miata was slightly more fun due to being lighter, but I also spent far more time "living on the edge" when goofing around in the white stuff with it. The RX8's TCS/DSC make it more surefooted with good snow tires.
11-06-2005, 08:46 PM
#8
Originally Posted by khtm
Maybe you should try the Canadian forum...I think we may know a bit about winter, too 
11-07-2005, 08:13 AM
#9
Black and B-E-A-UTIFUL!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^ Correct...but I certainly will listen to advice from our northern neighbors. One part of my question nobody has touched on is how to get winter wheels/tires for less than the $1100 that tirerack wants.
11-07-2005, 09:42 AM
#10
Mmmmm... Rotary Donut
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lake in the Hills, IL (NW Chicago Burbs)
Posts: 2,376
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
2 Posts
Originally Posted by wisconsinben
^ Correct...but I certainly will listen to advice from our northern neighbors. One part of my question nobody has touched on is how to get winter wheels/tires for less than the $1100 that tirerack wants.
11-07-2005, 10:36 AM
#11
Black and B-E-A-UTIFUL!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by G8rboy
I kinda did... my advice, if you can't or don't want to part with that much cash right now, is to get 18" snow tires and mount them on your stock wheels this winter... then worry about dedicated seasonal wheels in the spring.
11-07-2005, 11:05 AM
#12
Mmmmm... Rotary Donut
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lake in the Hills, IL (NW Chicago Burbs)
Posts: 2,376
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
2 Posts
Originally Posted by wisconsinben
Yes...you did. That is going to be my last resort. If snow comes and I haven't come up with an inexpensive alternative, I will just put snows on the stock rims and just deal with the hassle of swapping back and forth for a year or two.
11-07-2005, 11:08 AM
#13
Black and B-E-A-UTIFUL!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by G8rboy
It's really not too painful... only twice a year- the last two times I've scheduled it with getting recall or TSB work done at the dealer, just to knock it out at the same time. I still haven't taken mine in for the fuel tank and suspension recalls yet, so I'll have my snows mounted then... we're having such a warm November I'm not in any rush to get it done. I've got one swap left in my summer tires before the tread is gone, so that will be the point I order a nice performance tire/wheel combo for summer use.
11-07-2005, 11:21 AM
#14
I think Discount Tire charges me about $80 to swap, but I bought the tires there. I plan on buying some light weight alloy wheels for summer use and leaving the all-season ones on the oem.
Discount Tire has some cheap wheels. http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...All&tpc=ggaf01
These with tires should be in your price range. Especialy if you go with the 17" for the winter.
Discount Tire has some cheap wheels. http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...All&tpc=ggaf01
These with tires should be in your price range. Especialy if you go with the 17" for the winter.
11-07-2005, 11:35 AM
#15
Black and B-E-A-UTIFUL!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^ I don't think the rims you linked to will fit the 8...will they? They have a 9-114.3 bolt pattern...not 5-114.3. But thanks for the input...I'll check out discounttire.com more thoroughly.
11-07-2005, 06:03 PM
#16
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was amazed the dealer only charged $39.95 (flat rate for tire remounting and balance) even though all the other shops in town wanted $100, and these were ebay tires. The installer guys told me that it took them 1.5 hours to put those 255 35 blizzaks on and even they were worried about the TPMs.
One neat thing about this dealer is the balancing machine places the weights behind the spokes! Nice touch.
One neat thing about this dealer is the balancing machine places the weights behind the spokes! Nice touch.
11-07-2005, 08:35 PM
#17
Mmmmm... Rotary Donut
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lake in the Hills, IL (NW Chicago Burbs)
Posts: 2,376
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
2 Posts
Originally Posted by wisconsinben
What does it cost at the dealer for each swap?
11-09-2005, 08:24 AM
#20
Black and B-E-A-UTIFUL!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have been and will continue to scour this forum for winter wheels/tires for sale. Just haven't gotten a deal to go through yet. Thanks for the responses all.
RedSheDevil...don't think I'll be at the meet tonight. The brat stop is very close to work, but not close to home. And I don't know what I would do to kill 3 hours between work and the meet. If I can think of something worthwhile...I'll be there.
RedSheDevil...don't think I'll be at the meet tonight. The brat stop is very close to work, but not close to home. And I don't know what I would do to kill 3 hours between work and the meet. If I can think of something worthwhile...I'll be there.
11-19-2005, 11:13 AM
#25
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
17"
You will have more tire and rim options if you go for a 17" wheel package, so you may find a lower price rim. Just be carefull, some of those 17" rims won't fit over the brake calipers. No matter which way you go, you must get winter tires. It will be cheaper than a collision. The OEM tires have already turned into hockey pucks with our current temperatures.