I've been driving for thirty years and I've only occasionally scraped a wheel on a high curb, while parallel parking for example. I drove a Maxima for 10 years, I drive my wife's Volvo wagon and I've never scraped the wheels on a curb. I've had my G sedan for 1,000 miles and I've already scraped the wheels twice. Is it the geometry of the wheels, the 18"" wheel/tire ratio, or what? Please don't tell me I'm getting old. That's true, but that isn't the reason for this problem. I can still drive this car around country roads like nobody's business.

 

Maybe the width of the tires? Maybe there was a slight bulge in the volvo and maxima tires that made the tire wider than the rim. Thus you would rub your tire and not your rim. The G could also have a lower profile tire than the other two cars too. Just a thought.

 

I agree....perhaps you have hitting the curbs before but never noticed it because of the tires. I would think the Volvo has at least 55 series or more tires on.

 

Hey try adjusting your mirrors so you can see the curb as you park.(LOL)
Kidding, I couldn't help you since I only have the itty bitty 17" on mine.

 

The wheel isn't set back very far at all from the rubber tire, so when you touch the curb, it rubs the wheel as well as the tire.
C.

 

Gsedanman, naive question, can I improve this by getting different tires?

 

gator1, all of the above plus getting used to a new car can lead to curb rash. My solution? Avoid parallel parking at all costs!