Advice please...

I have a 2005 6mt and live in NJ. I just ordered Sport Edition 17" rims and Dunlop Wintersport M3s for about $1000.00.

I just met someone who is selling brand new 18" Lm22 Blizzaks for $400.00.

I know in a perfect world 17" would be better for the snow, but its hard to ignore the price difference and the tires in my opinion are comprable. Do you think the winter would do much damage to my OEM 18"s. Equally, does changing 2x per year damage the rims?

What would you do?

Thanks in advance

 

I say stick with your 17's. All it takes is for one slipped corner and even a slight rub with a curb to put a real damper in the OEM 18's. If you do it with the 17's, who cares??

Sure, it's a fair bit more, but I think that in the long run, you'll be happier. Also remember, that you're going to have to peel your summer rubber off to install the winter stuff and repeat in the spring. After a couple of these charges, the cost builds in a hurry.

Albert

 

I have the same setup and trust me you will love the M3's. The handling on these tires is pretty dam good for a winter tire. I have read that the 18" tires just suck in snow, especially if they are performance snows. My $.02

 

spend the extra 600 for a complete tire/rim package. There are more ruts in the winter as well and the 17s will soften the ride a bit with the taller saide wall. Switching tires on and off the rims is a pain you have to pay for the swap and balance and have to go to the garage all the time.

I have a summer and winter tire/rim setup and its less than an hour in the garage to swap them over. And the winter rims are not as nice as the summer ones and can get more beat up...

 

Then you also will avoid pitting on the 18" rims from all the road salt that get's applied to the roads during the winter.

 

Wow...overwhelming support for the tire and rim package. I am surprised. I did forget to mention that I have the wheel and tire insurance through CNA. Does this change anyones opinion?

Thanks again,

 

Nope.

Albert

 

Forgot one other point...

if you happen to flatten one of the 18's during, oh, let's say February, it's going to be damn tough to locate a replacement of any sort, let alone another LM22. I can't imagine anyone is going to stock those. If they do, the cost will be astronomical.

Keep the 17's.

Albert

 

+1 for the 17 pkg.

 

If you have decent rims why put them through all the trials of winter... Polish them up and put them some place dry.

The salt and potholes if you live in the northeast like I do. The 17s are better for that (compared to 18s)... The only problem will be that when its dry out you might not get the same skidpad results as with the 18s.

If you have V rated winter tires then you can be pretty sure the handling will be decent when it is dry out. Even if your summer tires were V rated you will notice a difference (the compound used in the tire). That and the size from 17 to 18.

If you can get the 18 tire/rim winter package if they make them, then get them. But MO $$$ And harsher winter ride.

I did have 17 summer and 16 winter (blizzaks) on my last ride. They did not make an V or H speed rating at the time, so handling was much different, but the car was great in the snow.

 

17" winter set for sure

 

Keep the 17" setup for the winter. I have a summer and winter setup, and like someone said, it's fast to swap them out by yourself. To always have to return to a shop to swap the summer and winter tires on the OEM rim would be a pain in the butt, and would not be worth the cost and time.

 

I was going to just buy snows and use my 18" rims but at about $140 to mount and balance 2 times a yr for 3 yrs is $840 which more than pays for 17" wheels. Plus potholes will have more effect on 18" wheels vs 17" wheels and if the 17" get screwed up it is cheaper to replace than the stk 18" wheel. Plus I rather have the salt mess up my 17" Kazeras than my stk 18" wheels which I really like. Plus 17" snows work better in the snow than 18" snows. I also have the Dunlop M3s and it is a better choice I think for NJ where the roads are plowed real fast and you mostly drive on pavement.