Performance wheel / tire pkg. Worth it?
#16
02-12-2008 | 01:16 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 473
Likes: 3
From: Jupiter
Go with the sports tires. The performance and safety of the sport tires are well worth it. The oem 17's are not very good tires. The G has alot of power that can be put to the ground and you will not be able to do that with the the stock 17's (unless you upgrade the tires). Remember, it's the tires that gives you the braking performace as much as the the brakes.
Depending on what you want out of your car, performance or luxury; the 17's do ride softer.
side note: I personally do not like the khumos, they are cheap and you will get what you pay for with these.
Depending on what you want out of your car, performance or luxury; the 17's do ride softer.
side note: I personally do not like the khumos, they are cheap and you will get what you pay for with these.
#17
02-12-2008 | 02:46 PM
#19
02-12-2008 | 03:08 PM
I put snow tires on my 18" for the winter.
I have my stock Potenza's in the shed, and i am planning on selling them for $700 or so, they only have 400 miles on them. I am going to get a tire that has better tread ware and cost 1/2 the amount.
Any body interested in a set of like new potenza's for the sport 18"s ?
$700 or best offer.
I have my stock Potenza's in the shed, and i am planning on selling them for $700 or so, they only have 400 miles on them. I am going to get a tire that has better tread ware and cost 1/2 the amount.
Any body interested in a set of like new potenza's for the sport 18"s ?
$700 or best offer.
#20
02-12-2008 | 03:21 PM
Originally Posted by onthebeam
To each his own. . . I love the sporty handling of the G35, too, but how many of us treat the car like we're on the track, with hard cornering, testing the limits constantly, etc. Regarding tire prices, it's not a so what proposition for me. If you change out the sport tires every 15,000 miles, when you hit 60k, you're at $5,200 or so just for tires! And you can bet with raw materials prices still surging, so will tire prices continue to rise.
Not sure what you mean about $250 for the difference in price. Lot's of good choices for $400-$500 a set for the stock 17's. You'll be starting around $1,200-$1,300 a set with the sport tires.
And, how many of us live in a part of the country where you can use sport tires year round? Very few indeed. So, many folks deciding to buy extra rims and winter tires like Blizzaks, or to pay for the tire swaps twice annually. Lot's of extra cash for that, too. The upside being that winter tires are great if needed. So, if money is truly no object and you have several thousand $$$ extra to invest, you can have great summer tire performance, and great winter tire performance, too. For me, all season touring tires, when chosen carefully, are excellent. I'd rather spend that several thousand on lots of other stuff!
Not sure what you mean about $250 for the difference in price. Lot's of good choices for $400-$500 a set for the stock 17's. You'll be starting around $1,200-$1,300 a set with the sport tires.
And, how many of us live in a part of the country where you can use sport tires year round? Very few indeed. So, many folks deciding to buy extra rims and winter tires like Blizzaks, or to pay for the tire swaps twice annually. Lot's of extra cash for that, too. The upside being that winter tires are great if needed. So, if money is truly no object and you have several thousand $$$ extra to invest, you can have great summer tire performance, and great winter tire performance, too. For me, all season touring tires, when chosen carefully, are excellent. I'd rather spend that several thousand on lots of other stuff!
I don't know where you got $1200-1300 for a set of tires. Assuming stock tire sizes, the OEM Potenzas (depends on driving habits, but the rears lasted me 25k miles and the front will last me at least 30k miles) cost less than 800 on tirerack, and the Goodyear A/S (my next replacement...supposedly handle just as well, and last A LOT longer) cost even less.
So, taking into account the wear rate on MY tires and cost of replacement, I personally am a far cry from spending $5200 every 60k miles..
#21
02-12-2008 | 03:25 PM
Anyone try the Nankang? Looks like a bargain for a summer tire
About $330 for the 225/45/18~245/45/18 set
http://www.tires-easy.com/start.html
They seem to be well reviewed too
About $330 for the 225/45/18~245/45/18 set
http://www.tires-easy.com/start.html
They seem to be well reviewed too
#23
02-12-2008 | 07:58 PM
#24
02-13-2008 | 02:24 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
I agree that the 18's look great and would expect them to out perform the stock 17's in agressive driving on dry pavement. So if you really like the look or need the perfomance, then the additional $400 initial cost and higher (and more frequent) replacement cost may be well worth it. But IMHO, the stock wheels look good and perform well enough for most drivers. You should also keep in mind that there is less rubber (sidewall) between the wheel and the road on the 18's, so wheels may be more susceptable to damage from potholes, etc. Just one more factor to consider.
#25
02-13-2008 | 04:02 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 541
Likes: 0
From: St. Paul, MN
Originally Posted by onthebeam
And, how many of us live in a part of the country where you can use sport tires year round? Very few indeed. So, many folks deciding to buy extra rims and winter tires like Blizzaks, or to pay for the tire swaps twice annually. Lot's of extra cash for that, too. The upside being that winter tires are great if needed. So, if money is truly no object and you have several thousand $$$ extra to invest, you can have great summer tire performance, and great winter tire performance, too. For me, all season touring tires, when chosen carefully, are excellent. I'd rather spend that several thousand on lots of other stuff!
Remember, when you're driving on your snow tires, you're not driving on your summer tires, effectively "doubling" their life. Snow tires last longer than the RE050as if you don't drive them too much warm weather, so in the long run it ends up being a wash, in some cases maybe cheaper if you get
a snow tire that goes longer.
One thing that people also forget, if you're in northern climates, all season tires are about as effective as summer tires under about 10 degrees fahrenheit. All season compound harden up significantly when it's cold.
#26
02-13-2008 | 04:04 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Originally Posted by gottaGnow
I agree that the 18's look great and would expect them to out perform the stock 17's in agressive driving on dry pavement. So if you really like the look or need the perfomance, then the additional $400 initial cost and higher (and more frequent) replacement cost may be well worth it. But IMHO, the stock wheels look good and perform well enough for most drivers. You should also keep in mind that there is less rubber (sidewall) between the wheel and the road on the 18's, so wheels may be more susceptable to damage from potholes, etc. Just one more factor to consider.
I didn't think about damage portion at all. Good to know, because Los Angeles area have tendency to get lots of potholes after the heavy rain. (Although I never have damaged rim because potholes. - Maybe because I am driving car with 14" wheel size which is civic.)
Well, I am now really cannot make my mind whether I get performance wheel / tire package.
Last edited by skfnxh; 02-13-2008 at 04:07 PM.
#28
02-13-2008 | 08:42 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Falls Church, VA
Originally Posted by skfnxh
. . .Well, I am now really cannot make my mind whether I get performance wheel / tire package.
--Rich
#29
02-14-2008 | 09:40 AM
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 231
Likes: 12
From: Northern Virginia
Hmmm, until someone provides data that shows me some significant performance increases in handling and breaking on a journey with performance tire/wheel package compared to a journey without the package, I'd go without. I don't doubt there's improvement, I just wonder how much and if its really worth the cost.
And how do great tires on the 17"s compare with crap tires on the performance wheels?
And how do great tires on the 17"s compare with crap tires on the performance wheels?
#30
02-14-2008 | 09:51 AM
u don't need data to figure it out, get in a G with the 18"s and do about 30 mph and do a quick lane change. then do it in a g with the 17" wheels.
the smaller rim has more side wall on the tire. the sidewall will flex and ull feel it.
ever look at an F1 tire/wheel setup? they have small side walls.
and with a drag car, they have small rims/big side walls because they want the side wall to rinkel when they come off the line.
bigger rims/smaller sidewall setups have MUCH more responsive steering, its functionality that looks good.
the smaller rim has more side wall on the tire. the sidewall will flex and ull feel it.
ever look at an F1 tire/wheel setup? they have small side walls.
and with a drag car, they have small rims/big side walls because they want the side wall to rinkel when they come off the line.
bigger rims/smaller sidewall setups have MUCH more responsive steering, its functionality that looks good.