no. not even a fuse you can pull, or a switch you can disconnect.

17x7 rage motif + blizzak ws-50
http://sid.nrgservers.net/winter1.jpg
http://sid.nrgservers.net/winter2.jpg
http://sid.nrgservers.net/winter3.jpg

I'm running stock 18inch rims with Blizzak LM22s so the setup looks the same...not worth posting a pic

but as for the TPMS there is a solution that DOESN"T involve black tape, it is in the DIY section...and I recommend taking that concept and adding a switch to it

I put in another set of TPMS in mine so I haven't needed to do this myself

Shinka w/ 18" Dunlop M3
 

18" Kazara w/ Dunlop M3s. I'm really impressed with the dry performance of these tires. Low noise, good grip, no roll, and judging by the tread, I shouldn't have any trouble in the next snow.

Shink Kazara Dunlop
 

Better angle

I ended up getting Dunlop Winter Sport M3' mounted on Stock 18's!

Its the best setup ever! I swear these tires are amazing! No problem at all especially when it comes to cornering, braking and accelerating..

winter wheels
 

I live in Chicago, here is my winter set, 225/50HR-17 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 tires on 17x7 Kazera KZ-V wheels, bought this set for $1153 from tirerack.com in Oct.2004, worked excellent last winter. Here are pics after I changed them over in my garage one month ago.

Thought you all might get a kick out of this....

Here's me washing my summers before putting them away. Boy the wife was pissed. I'm going to be working this one off for a while

That's truly insane, renesis17. I once tried to wash old blinds in the bathtub, and it was so filthy I couldn't believe it; but wheels? Oh my...

http://www.nickchaves.com/photos/rx8-garage-HDR.jpg

Hankook Icebear W300 225/45/R17 - they got the wrong size but I will be replacing them with the correct size as soon as they get the tires in.

Haven't really tested them in fresh snow yet but on ice they have been a lot better than the stock tires for sure!

Asa
 

Here is my Shinka with ASA JH8 18" wheels and Wintersport M3 on it.

Here is my 8 riding on 215/55/17 Blizzak WS-50 with 17inch 5Zigen Inferio rims.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../winter001.jpg

Blizzak WS-50 225/50R17 on ROH Drift R 17x8.
MS spring/strut drop.

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...chmentid=90401

225/50/17 Hankook Icebear W300 w/ Flick Arctic Silver 17x7 +42

https://fototime.com/%7BDD926C52-90D...7D/picture.JPG

https://fototime.com/%7B47E4A342-752...7D/picture.JPG

https://fototime.com/%7B640C8EB2-2CC...7D/picture.JPG

Blizzak LM-22 225 wide 50aspect 17" on Asa st4 17"
 

Blizzak LM-22 225 wide 50aspect 17" on Asa st4 17". Purchased from tirerack for about $1,200 including tax and shipping. This was installed with out the TPMS sensors. i bought these of a forum member for 200 and will have them installed the tires remounted and rebalanced for $85. Tirerack wanted almost $500 for sensors. So all in all it costs me $1,485, including tax, sensors, and shipping.




http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...2_198_full.jpg

Good call bsteimel - that's how I did it. Ordered the tires, had them install 2nd-hand TPMS. Unfortunately, I didn't warn the tire shop clearly enough about the TPMS so they mounted the tires and got everything balanced and ready to go; then I brought the TPMS and it all had to be redone. :cwm27: I think they only charged me $40, but it's an independent shop that does all my work on all my cars and we've known the managers for years. Tire World in Corning (for the locals) - alway done well for me. I can't say enough good things about the Blizzaks either.

Yeah i called 3 places and they all wanted around 80 bucks for installation of the sensors, especially since they would have to take the tires off the rims and rebalanced them. If the tires weren't already on the rims i think it would be cheaper.

Agreed. Thanks for adding about the three quotes. I almost exclusively use Tire World and they're really friendly and helpful, but I don't cross-check their prices as often as I probably should. I figured they were being fair about the remount cost, but I didn't realize it was half-off. :Eyecrazy:

I thought I would post my winter tire and wheel package before I take them off this weekend.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n...020347copy.jpg

Here's one of my new winter tire and wheels on my 8... I did a test fitting after they arrived. Full pics when the snow falls. :)

MB Seven X 17" wheels and Hankook iPike tires.

Set of 4 Dunlop WinterSport M3 Tires 4 SALE
 

Not sure where to post this as I am a newbie...I reluctantly just gave up my 2005 Red RX8 after the lease came up...the payout was too much which was a shame cuz the previous owner lowered it, added a performance exhaust and tinted the windows. It was nice!

Anyways...I have a set of 4x225 45R18 Dunlop WinterSport M3 Winter Tires that I have only used for 6 months here in TO. These tires are awesome and put my nerves at ease the first time I took the RX8 out in the snow.

I paid over $900 last year and am asking $599 obo. Anyone interested email me at pwoodall@fujifilm.ca.

One day I will have another RX8 as these cars are incredible. Thanks for the post.

225/50/17 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D (Performance Winter) & BSA rims..

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...RimsTires1.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w..._023/Rims5.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...3/DSC01368.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...t_3d_ci2_l.jpg

Blizzak WS50 225/50R17

old rims:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...nteralloys.jpg

new rims:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...snowalloys.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t...oyscloseup.jpg

yah, i should really paint my calipers

My winter rims
 

Here is a picture of my winter rims, i'm not even sure what kind of wheels they are i went to a tire place in my hometown and said give me some good tires and whatever the wheels look like is fine. And the rims look good to me what do you guys think?

Oh and the picture is from my window at my apartment because I didn't feel like going out yet, so i'll have a side picture later. And i always have my roomate park next to me in his celica so i know the doors will never be dinged haha.

Those look like ASA JH3 rims. Good looking rims, I had them on my car last two winters:

http://ilp303.com/albums/winter2007/...ving.sized.jpg

Yup those are definetly the same wheels, I'm really happy with them.

just oredered some 235/50/vr18 Pirelli 240 Snows. What should I expect?

They were ~$33 cheaper per tire, that swayed my decision!

Iced 8
 

Here is an interesting picture of what i came out to this morning, good thing i got my tires although i don't think they'll do much good on ice. The car is one continuous sheet of ice I can even get my hand through the handle easily. Luckily it's starting to get air under it so maybe i can just lift it off as a ice shell.

Ouch, that looks nasty. Maybe pour some warm (not hot) water on the ice? Believe me, the tires are helping you a ton on the ice. Stock tires have terrible terrible ice traction.

how much did you pay for rims with snow tires??

I paid $1164.52 with lifetime balancing and rotation and they put them on for free a few times. I got them from a local tire place in my hometown.

Ya i would warm water it but that'll only be if it doesn't thaw in the next few days, i don't need to drive anywhere till wednesday. Also i went out a few minutes ago and started lightly punching the spots where the ice had air under it and it shattered right off, and the whole passenger side is like that. So i may punch it off the passenger side then climb through and kick the door open from the inside.

just got a 04 rx8 live in pittsburgh and need snow tires asap what are the best type to get for the stock rims

also how does the rx8 do in the winter?

I have made a reasonable effort at searching; but am unsuccessful so far. Would some of you have the answers to these questions?

1. What is the best all-around winter tread tyre for the RX8?

2. Have any of you whom have used the same wheels for both summer and winter tyres experienced undue wear or other damage on the wheel ("rim") incurred from the mounting process? And do you have aluminium or steel wheels?

Many thanks.

This is impossible to answer, there is no one best tire. Any well-rated tirerack.com tire will do well. For an RX8, stick with "Performance Winter" tires that are better in dry than regular winter tires. If you go with big names, like Bridgestone Blizzak, Dunlop Wintersport or Pirelli Snowsport, you'll do well.

This thread is all about aluminum wheels. Some people use steelies, but it's difficult to find 17" steel wheels that fit our brakes. So chances are very high that you will have to run aluminum wheels.

Damage to your wheels depends on the skill of the installer. A careful installer with good machinery will not scratch. A careless installer will scratch even with good machinery.

I wouldn't recommend trying it in the snow, even with just a thin layer you will be spinning your wheels like crazy, dry roads of course you'll be fine. Would recommend getting tires and wheels as a combo because then you won't have to worry about having your Tire Pressure sensors damaged in tire swapping on one set of wheels. Also the cost of just putting them on is far less to just pot a new set or rims on rather then paying someone to swap tires. (In the long run of like 4 years) Since your are buying tires late in the season there will probably be a big demand for them right now so you might end up paying more then someone who bought them early in the season or before winter. Good Luck, enjoy your new 8 in Pittsburg.

Has anyone run narrower then stock snow tires on stock rims. I'm thinking that after next summer I will be running my stock rubber out. That would be a great time to pick up snows for those rims, so that getting aftermarket/light summer package following winter becomes more feasible as well. I'm thinking that if I stick with the 18" size, that I'd prefer a 205 or 215 width. Has anyone else tried this? Or is 225/40 the best snow size to run on the stock rims? Thanks in advance.

PS, just noticed, playing around with different sizes that tirerack has a special deal on a set of Dunlops, only in the wider 245/40 Qr 18, runflats at what sounds ridiculously cheap at $460 for 4. How much worse will the wide tire be? I'm used to dropping at least 10 in width when going to snows on my accords back in my VT days. BTW, Nokian Haaka's are the best really.

Not sure about snow tires, but many people swap the 8 rims onto other Mazdas which need 215s.

17" Mazda rims shod with Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 winter snowshoes (215/55/17).

http://arctichound.com/images/MazdaR...ght%20Side.jpg

Will Mazda6 rims fit? How about Mazda5 rims?

Yes and Yes.

I will post my MOMO Winter wheels and Hankook iPike W409 pics when I get mount them this weekend.

I honestly think the MOMOs look better than the stock 8 Wheels, and the iPikes are WAY better than the Ice Bears, with a very aggressive tread for deep snow traction - I was amazed at how secure they made my 8 in even deep snow during last year's rough winter.

Tires: https://www.1010tires.com/images/tir...ook_409_lg.jpg

Wheels: http://www.discounttire.com/product/...in.s.large.jpg


These were bought from Discount Tire - Both Tires and Wheels for $672 including tax, shipped balanced and mounted for all 4 - yes, it was a hell of a sale.

excuse me, sorry for the butt in, but are rx8s good for winter cars? I live up in north dakota and we have pretty serious snow and i was wondering if i could still use my rx8 during the winter or should i keep a winter car around?

alright so i've been reading through the thread, im still really unsure what to get here - i don't have a ton of cash to spend right now, and can't afford to get another set of rims, like 17s. with that in mind, i have the stock 18's and need a good set of snow tires - i don't need the best or most expensive or for that mattedr the best performance wise - i jsut need a good tire that will do the job.

help?


thanks guys

With how expensive 18in snow tires are, after you mount and balence them on your stock wheels, you might be further ahead to just buy the 17s. I waited for some used ones to come up for sale and bought those. That would be my suggestion. I bet you can get some 17s with snows used for like 400-600 bucks.

You won't like the price of new 18in snow tires for sure.

i may be going a bit too extreme, but I've purchased a set of 17x6.5 Mazda 3 wheels. I want as skinny as possible as my 40 mile commute through the hilly streets of Colorado has netted me several opportunities to watch people push my car out of the snow via hand placement on the spoiler.

Is 6.5 too narrow? These will be used solely for winter, obviously. I'll be pairing them with 215/55R-17 tires. (though I want 205/55R-17!)

6.5 inches should be ok. . . but I don't think you'll like the way it makes your car "feel"

Do you know the offset of the Mazda 3 wheels?

Drier than a pop corn fart here. I just want tires that are quiet, handle reasonably well and are reasonably priced. In other words, not Bridgestone OEM's. GD, those are noisy as hell tires!

-1.3L

17" Enkei RS-5 / Hankook Ipike
 

Got the rims off craigs for 200$ with summer tires, that I am reselling. They've got bad rash, but whatever. Tires were just under 500 installed @ DT (No Road Hazard tho)

My pal will give me rims, off a 2004 mustang gt, if they fit. for free. I can then afford some good winter tires. Will the mustang rim fit? I would just try it out but he lives 'bout 4 hours away.
if anyone knows that would be awesome.

Chad D.