GotBass

I have been looking for winter tires for a while. So far everything I have seen was around 1500. Tire Rack now has a setup for $1070 (plus shipping - $60 to chicago) It uses Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 tires and Kazera wheels. I really don't like the wheels but it looks to be the best deal by over $400. Has anyone purchased this package yet?

kdlunde

I've been considering the same package; probably will order this week. Advice in this forum seems pretty consistent on two points:

1) Don't even try to drive in snow with stock tires
2) Order your tires early, or risk them being out of stock when you need them.

What the Tire Rack site doesn't show is that if you want the TPM's added, it's an additional $109 (I think that's the figure I was told) per tire, which brings the total up to the $1500 range (although I don't know if the other offers being compared also include TPM's).

I would do what others have recommended - call Connor at Tire Rack (877-522-8473, ext. 269) and talk to him. He can give you info that's not on their website (TPM cost, other available wheels, i.e. ASA JS1, Kazera KZ-R, Kazera KZ-T).

Perhaps my only point of hesitation is the best winter tire. Connor insists that the Blizzak WS-50 is the best, but consensus on this forum seems to be that the Dunlop Winter Sport M3 would be best. Anybody else out there want to advise both of us on which way to go on tires? My guess is that both will be great, maybe a simple matter of preference.

- Kern

bean438

I have always used the info at apa.ca. They are a Canadian consumers advocate in the auto industry.
On their web site they recommend several brands of tires depending on driving conditions and the type of vehicle.
They have recommendations for rustproofing as well as a dealer cost invoice service, and recommended garages.
I have personally never gone wrong with any of their advice.
Incidently Talon Tire is a sponser of the apa, and the Toyo Garrit HT tire that many 8 drivers have chosen is on the apa list.
Personally I went with the Michelin Pilot Alpin Pa2's, and wheels I bought locally.
Not that I dont trust my fellow online rx8r's but I had to see the wheel fit on the car in person before I bought it.
The Toyo's were 100 bucks a tire less than the Michelins, and both are on the apa list. I could have saved 400 bucks. I can't explain my decision. Maybe it is the cute baby sitting in the tire in all the ads.
Maybe it was because my friend recommended them.
Personally I believe tires are like paint. All brand name paint is good, but all brands have a good, better, best product. The good is usually crap while the best is usually just that.

Gord96BRG

No offense to TireRack, but I recommend against using the WS-50 winter tires on a performance car like an RX-8. The WS-50 is one of the best winter tires on ice, an OK winter tire on snow, and terrible on dry pavement. On your average minivan or Buick or Camry, that's not a big deal - on a sports car like the RX-8, it is a big deal. There are plenty of other winter tires out there that provide nearly as good grip on ice (still infinitely better than the performance summer tires), as good grip on snow, and that handle and feel far, far better in dry winter conditions.

So, what to choose? First, read TireRack's own technical article, Priorities for Sizing Winter Tires are Different It says Now, look at Tire Rack's Winter Tire Packages for the RX-8 . Skip the preferred package with the dreaded WS-50 Blizzaks, and look to the right at the alternate size - 215/55-17, notice it's one width narrower than the stock 225s, just as Tire Rack themselves recommend! Yeah, it comes up with the WS-50s, but there are two other choices listed. If you still want to get a 225/50-17, then pretty much ANY of the choices besides the WS-50 will give better overall winter results! Of the ones they list, the Dunlop M3 and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2 would be my preferences, also the Blizzak LM-22 (note, not all Blizzaks are created equal, the LM-22 is a very satisfactory choice for a winter tire on a performance vehicle, whereas the WS-50 is NOT).

Oh yeah, for the wheels - the Kazeras are a great deal, quite a few forum members used them last year.

Regards,
Gordon

Gord96BRG

I haven't seen any consensus that the M3 is the best winter tire - the people who bought it in the 225/45-18 size last winter (it wasn't available in 17 then) were happy, and it's very good, but best... I don't think we've settled on best yet!

WS-50 - I strongly feel that it's far from the best, being poorly suited to a performance cars winter needs. It's slight advantage on ice over other winter tires doesn't nearly make up for it's deficits in feel, handling, and braking in drier winter conditions, and that doesn't even consider that it's ultra-soft half-depth winter tread compound is usually worn off after one winter on a more powerful car, leaving you stuck with a decidedly ordinary all-season tire for the inner layer of tread compound.

Regards,
Gordon

kdlunde

Thanks for the info! Perhaps using the word 'consensus' wasn't correct, but it just seemed that the Dunlop Winter Sports got a lot of positive mention.

Now, to order me some winter wheels and tires...

bean438

I wanted Michelin which didnt have the 215/55/17 size so I had to settle for 225/50/17.
My tire guy said the overall diameter was the same and that the narrower tire would in theory be better than a 225 but real world it would not matter. Going with a winter tire was the important factor.
My wheels are a Panther 17" with a dual 5x100 and 5x114.3 pattern. This will make it easier to sell should I decide to do so.
Plus the wheels have a cap on them to keep the Winnipeg road nasties out.
I have attached a pic of my tire/wheel if anyone cares to see.

mkboy1313

I'm a bit confused by the offering at Tire Rack. The recommeded package is available, but if I try to build my own, there are no 17" rims available. what gives!?

expo1

Give them a call, I just got mine the other day. I think they know what rims fit and just want to make sure you don't select the wrong ones. reference Connor @X269

kdlunde

I second that - call Connor. There's about 5 wheels available with 17" snow tires, and he can give you prices. I finally ordered my winter package yesterday: 17" Kazera KZ-V light grey with Dunlop Winter Sport M3's in 225/50R17. Also, keep in mind that the package price on the website does NOT include TPMS's, but TireRack will quote you those as part of the whole package.

- Kern

zelig2

I really like the dark grey version of the Kazera KZ-V. The wheels look to be $134 and I'd prefer to get the Dunlop M3 tires which are $162. So the total would be $1184. Which I think is a good price for winter tires. At that price I'm leaning towards getting the TPMS if they have the OEM version in.

connor@tirerack

when you are ordering on the web the prices may not be complete. you have to make sure that you are adding the TPMS part's (there is more than one part you need!) You also have to make sure you request the tires and wheels are mounted and balanced. If you would like me to set these up for you i would be more than happy to do it for you, just give me a call. Keep in mind that if you order the wrong part you may be responsible for addidtion shipping and possible mount and balance cost's. where as if you do it over the phone i can ensure that everything is correct.

On a side note the ASA JS1 that i had previously listed as the lowest cost wheel for the winter package has temporarily sold out since i made that post. i do not show any coming in until mid december. The next price range i have in 17" would be the Kazera KZ-V at 129.00 each.

The TPMS sensor are also sold out right now and i should be getting more in a few day's. however i show Mazda is only sending us 48 sensors at this time. that's 12 sets and i don't show another shipment as of right now. I would strongly suggest ordering soon if you are planning on ordering snow tires and wheels.

Spin 'em

I ordered my winter tires through Connor last Thursday and they arrived yesterday! I'm very pleased with how smoothly it all went, but I would recommend using their web site [or anyone else's for that matter] only to get information and possibilities, and then talk to someone about what your driving needs are. Do a search on this site and you'll find lots of solid information. Those of us who have to deal with winter are not all dealing with the same kinds of winter driving conditions and hence, may require different solutions.

When it was all said and done, I went with the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22's [225/50VR-17 ] mounted on the Kazera KZ-V with the TPMS installed [didn't think I could stand to see the #$% blinking light every day and wasn't willing to disconnect the module as some are doing]. Now I just have to wait for a couple of months to mount and enjoy them! I thought about parking the 8 when the weather was bad, but its way too much fun to drive and so I knew that one day I'd be out and about, the weather would change and I'd be just another road hazzard. Besides many of you who drove your 8's last winter spoke very favorably about how well they performed when properly equiped with quality tires.

So... if you have an 8 and have to face winter driving... get yourself well-heeled and continue to enjoy a driver's ride!

jginiso

What did it cost to have your dealership mount the wheels on the car? (not the tires on the rims)

Thanks
James

RUmble

That's a good question jginiso. I'm interested in hearing the answer to that as well.

jginiso

Sorry two more questions:

A previous post mentioned running in the winter without the pressure monitors. What are the pros/cons? Safety issues? If all it is is a blinking light or quick disconnect maybe I save $400.

Is there a group buy happening?

zelig2

I like having pressure monitors as they've saved me in the past. I figure if I'm keeping these tires for a few years then spending the extra to have the TPMS was worth it to me. It just gives me an early warning to any major damage that might occur. There's some talk about if you get a set of tires without TMPS and have an accident due to a tire related problem then possibly your insurance company might be able to not give you any money since you "defeated" that saftey feature (even though you don't get any kind of cost reduction benifit for having one).

MadRonin

I'm getting a winter tire package from Tirerack next month and I won't be getting the TPMS. They're nice to have and all, but I don't want to spend the additional $400 when I can get some of those valve stem covers that give me the tire pressure for less than $40. Granted, I don't get a nice warning light on the dash, but it doesn't take much to look at your tires before you get in to drive. Besides, if something catostrophic goes wrong with the tire when I'm driving, I doubt having the TPMS is going to save my ***. When a tire blows, it blows, and you can feel it. All the sensors in the world won't make any difference there.

kdlunde

I haven't actually had them mounted yet, but I contacted a local service center that is an authorized install center for TireRack, and I was told they would do it for about $35. Won't know for sure until I have them installed, probably in December for this part of the country.

Kern

jginiso

$35 per wheel or total?

kdlunde

I was told $35 total - we'll see.

Kern

claude4

Which brings up the delema of how one brings 4 wheel/rims to the dealer for them to swap out.

Is there some magic to doing this oneself with the tire changing tools that come with the 8?

Claude H.

kdlunde

Well, I think we all know it won't be with the RX-8's trunk! I'm planning on having my wife follow me to the dealer in her mini-van with my winter tires, and then carry back my summer tires after the swap out.

Kern

kdlunde

And I forgot to mention... I believe TireRack will drop-ship to an authorized installer near you. However, the question then becomes - How long will the installer be willing to store your tires/wheels on-site before you come in to install? Then, you'll still have to deal with transporting your summer tires/wheels back.

Kern

Gord96BRG

No, there's no magic. If you have your winter tires on separate winter wheels, then the changeover is extremely easy. You know how to change a flat tire, right? Just do that, then repeat 3 more times. Use your factory jack and lug wrench, jack up the corner of the car, remove the summer wheel/tire, install the winter wheel/tire, lower the jack, and then do the next corner.

No big deal at all, and no need to take it to a tire dealer just to bolt on the winter wheels.

Regards,
Gordon