You will love em I bought a set from Connor just a year ago

- but I no longer have the car

just the wheels and Blizacks with 3000 miles on em:uhh:

Oops Wrong thread. :banghead:

Hey guys. I am just banging my head against the wall trying to decide my best way of handling this. I just got a new set of wheels/tires that wont be used til the spring (I got a good deal), and I want to use my 18" stock rims for winter use only. I will be doing a bit of travelling during the winter, and absolutely must be able to handle 20-30 minute trips through a few inches of snow at times. The roads are generally cleaned off pretty quickly, but theres at least 4-5 times where we just get pounded on and I end up stuck (I had stock tires, and yes, I learned my lesson about that). So here's the questions...

Whats the best tire for an 18" stock rim? What tire size exactly should I get?

Is going to a 17" worth having to sell off the stock wheels?

Although 17" steels are Winter-preferred for lower cost and ability to mount a bit taller tires, there's no compelling need to sell your stock 18". Any of the snow tires cited in this thread will do well (Dunlop Winter Sport M3; Bridgestone Blizzak, the new Michelin X-Ice, etc.) and stay with the stock 225x45.

I couldn't put 17" rims on my car due to hitting the brake caliper. Be sure to have them test fit a set if you do it. Consequently, I run aftermarket 18s with snow tires. I have to drive in 4-7 inches of snow 4-6 times a year to get out of my house and they work great. I have plenty of traction, The only scary part is if the snow is going to be deep enough to come in over the front air dam. That's when I'll stop driving it.

Spend the money on good snow tires and drive nice during the winter so they will last a few years. Besides, that first week you put on the summer tires and waiting all winter you will have a blast sliding around. :)

what do u guys think about steelies w. winter tires?

Two posts above yours:

Although 17" steels are Winter-preferred for lower cost and ability to mount a bit taller tires, there's no compelling need to sell your stock 18". Any of the snow tires cited in this thread will do well (Dunlop Winter Sport M3; Bridgestone Blizzak, the new Michelin X-Ice, etc.) and stay with the stock 225x45.


Quote:
Originally Posted by GameGuy369
Hey guys. I am just banging my head against the wall trying to decide my best way of handling this. I just got a new set of wheels/tires that wont be used til the spring (I got a good deal), and I want to use my 18" stock rims for winter use only. I will be doing a bit of travelling during the winter, and absolutely must be able to handle 20-30 minute trips through a few inches of snow at times. The roads are generally cleaned off pretty quickly, but theres at least 4-5 times where we just get pounded on and I end up stuck (I had stock tires, and yes, I learned my lesson about that). So here's the questions...

Whats the best tire for an 18" stock rim? What tire size exactly should I get?

Is going to a 17" worth having to sell off the stock wheels?

If you woul dlike to give me a call i would be happy to go over a few different options with you. 800-428-8355 X269.

I am eyeballing options for winter tires, and simply can't afford to do a full wheel/tire package of $800 - $1000 that I keep seeing. (Blame roof, wife, and dogs). I definitely have to drive this winter. Not much, but it will be regular.

I see a couple cheap 215/50/17 tire options on TireRack, $103 and $89 respectively. What I don't see is dirt cheap wheels to put them on.

Are there any recommendations for identifying what cheap steelies or used alloys will fit? Heck, I'd even take used winter tires. I only expect on ~2,000 miles this winter, at most. And no pushing the car to it's limits either.

My summer OEM were terrible last winter, but it did get me through unscathed. I have Yokohama summers now, and the tread is definitely superior for the snow than OEM, though I expect that they will get just as hard and only suck slightly less. I would stay with these, except where I work happens to be the highest point in the state, and up until the last 200 yards everything is fine. Both options for the last 200 yards blow ass. Either a steeper straight with no run-up, or a shallower tight curve with a run up. :uhh: :squint: :icon_no2:

I have tire cables, and had to use them once to get up the hill last winter, but installation is a -pain-.

If you don't mind paying over 400 for the rubber --- what are you willing to pay for rubber mounted and balanced with lug nuts , UPS to your door?

Hey im new to owning a 8 i gonna pick it up about a week and i plan on driving it all year including winter. with that said can anyone give me feed back on daily life with the 8 in the winter. i also plan on getting winter tires but this will be my first year of driving a rwd in the winter and i just want to know what im getting my self into.

If you cherish life, for the love of God get winter tires. Last winter was my first winter in the RX-8, stock tires, and I HAVE driven a RWD car before. I had priceless moments where with less than an inch of snow, I'd pull out in my driveway, decide its best to leave it in the garage anyway and get a ride, and couldnt get back in without someone pushing.

Driving with the OE tires is suicide. You will love yourself for getting some Blizzaks or M3's on there.

Been there myself. :lol:

I never got stuck on Blizzak WS-50's and our Canadian winter last year was insane!

Can anyone recommend good snow tires for 18 inch rims for a car lowered 1.2 inches. It will be driven in NE snow to school and work daily.

Ok, my head is spinning (like I'm afraid I will be in my 8 on the snow this winter! lol) Here's my situation: new 8 owner, previously with only front-wheel drive driving experience (two Integras that could and did get through everything, all the time, with no extra thought), in NJ outside Philly, so amount of snow could be nothing or could be a few somethings, and my 8 is my daily driver (cringe). Do I get Blizzaks? Tires and wheels? And what do I get that will keep me from white-knuckle driving just in the rain, even!?!? Do I get all seasons and hope for no snow? Any help will be much appreciated, thanks!

Goodyear Eagle F1 all seasons are excellent in the rain and probably just fine for southern Jersey in Winter. You didn't get much/any snow last year. Major roads are plowed bare and salted within a day as well. Just telecommute if there's a really bad snowfall. ;)

RWD isn't that bad in the snow. Heck, when I was a young driver there were no FWD cars (well, ok, one - the Toronado) and roads weren't plowed as well as they are these days and we made it just fine. Just take it slow when inclement (good advice in any vehicle drive type).

Thanks! It's impossible to guess what a Jersey winter will bring because usually it's nothing, but then sometimes we'll get a few good ones, and one winter I remember getting an ice storm every Friday all winter long... which nobody got around in that! I like the idea of the all season tires because I need help in the rain plus I hate the thought of spending a grand on snows and then have one of our snowless winters. Thanks for the input :)

Stenobeth, the stock tires are fine in the rain as long as you leave traction control on. Take that off and it can be like driving on ice (read fun). You need to put some good winter tires on it for the winter if you are expecting to drive in the snow. I run a set of Toyo Observe. They are a stud-less snow tire and rated as a traction tire (like the Blizzaks and others). My 8 is my daily driver and I never had a problem in several snow storms last year.

Put them on some cheap steel wheels and you should be good to go! :rock:

-Lane

Thanks, Lane!

BTW, no traction control here -- base model -- and it's funny how you put that because that's exactly how I've been trying to explain it to friends, that driving on rainy roads in this car is like driving on snowy/icy roads was in my other cars.

It's always great to hear from others whose 8 is their daily driver too because I was starting to think I was the only one. lol

Can someone please help me!...I live in Iowa and am needing snow tires here very soon. Can someone that lives in the midwest give me suggestions on what tires I should get from Tire Rack? I've read a lot about different tires I just would like advice from someone actually using them on the RX-8 instead. Thanks in advance!

I've used the Dunlop Winter Sport M3s for 3 years now here in Milwaukee and have been very pleased with them. They are 215/50R17s on Kaza KZ-V 17" wheels. I've also used Blizzaks on other cars in the past and was very happy with those also. You probably can't go wrong with either one. Here are a couple pics...


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...7/IMGP1656.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...7/IMGP1663.jpg

Zoom, Zoom!

^+1 - agreed - I have the Dunlop M3's as well, heading into my 4th winter with them, they have done very well - I'm guessing that I may need to replace them before winter #5. I went with OEM tire size on Kazera KZ-A's, and haven't had any issues. I know some owners opt for the smaller size, but I went for the OEM size - thought it looked better, and since the car is so low, if you're trying to drive thru that much snow that smaller tires would help, I was thinking that you'd be dragging the underside anyway. I tried to drive thru a 6-8 inch patch last year, and once the snow hit the undercarriage...I was stuck. Either way, you'd be fine with OEM or the smaller size - to each his own. I also didn't mess with TPMS - I think most people don't - you just have to ignore the light for the winter.

Thanks guys, greatly appreciated it! We're suppose to get our first snow here tomorrow... I'm excited.

where in IA do you live?

Good ole Waterloo.. Really love it here...... NOT.. :banghead: