View Full Version : New winter tires for MS6
ottawaP5
09-09-2006, 09:54 PM
Well I got a head start this year and decided to get my winter tires last week. I decided not to skimp out on winter tires since our winters are so harsh. They came in Friday, I'm impressed with them!
These are Toyo Garit KX. The thread is really sticky and soft, and there are a lot of grooves to dissipate slush and snow. There are also walnut shells inside the rubber to help grip on ice. They also improved the handling on these by stiffening the sidewall. I'm really anxious to see how this car will go with these.I'm sure that SUV's will eat my snow lol.
I got them in 215/50/17. Even with steelies it wasn't cheap!
http://www.msprotege.com/members/ottawaP5/Garit/Garit1.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/ottawaP5/Garit/Garit2.JPG
dsulli37
09-10-2006, 11:01 PM
Where'd you get 'em?
Mgkdrgn
09-11-2006, 04:28 PM
"Organic" studded tires ...what will they think of next! They for sure look like they will get the job done.
There are also walnut shells inside the rubber to help grip on ice.
Matt'sSpeed6
09-11-2006, 07:40 PM
Yeah, where did you get the tires AND the wheels??????
Matt
toyo's version of the blizzak it seems
Cheapest tire I have found so far was a set of Dunlop ds-2's. 109 on tirerack. Blizzaks at 130.00. What did these cost?
I'm waiting until I can find a sale. Wish I could find some cheap no name brand tires that I could stud.
ottawaP5
09-12-2006, 12:00 PM
Where'd you get 'em?
I got these at a local tire store that matched the internet prices as best he could.
ottawaP5
09-12-2006, 12:02 PM
Yeah, where did you get the tires AND the wheels??????
Matt
I got the wheels at the same local tire shop. They just called suppliers in Montreal, told them it was for a Mazdaspeed 6 and I got them the next day.
ottawaP5
09-12-2006, 12:04 PM
toyo's version of the blizzak it seems
Cheapest tire I have found so far was a set of Dunlop ds-2's. 109 on tirerack. Blizzaks at 130.00. What did these cost?
I'm waiting until I can find a sale. Wish I could find some cheap no name brand tires that I could stud.
hmmm....that must be in US dollars, because the cheapest dunlops are about 165 CDN a tire. These wern't cheap...$230 CDN a tire.
tiretrends quoted me about 150 cdn for the dunlops.
Tirerack is 109 US
I'm hoping for a sale at tirerack soon. They have a rebate on them now for $25 but that's nothing to me and I'm not even sure I qualify for it since i am in canada
ottawaP5
09-13-2006, 08:08 PM
tiretrends quoted me about 150 cdn for the dunlops.
Tirerack is 109 US
I'm hoping for a sale at tirerack soon. They have a rebate on them now for $25 but that's nothing to me and I'm not even sure I qualify for it since i am in canada
check 1010tires.com, they have sales which are applicable to Canada.
I miss the days of buying 14" winter tires. As soon as you get into the 17" market the price skyrockets. I bought these because they last about 3 times longer than blizzaks, and the special rubber compound is used all the way through unlike blizzaks which are only the first 50% of the tread so they'll pay themselves off in the long run. But I'll admit, it wasn't fun paying for them.
Rainman
09-13-2006, 08:43 PM
Well I got a head start this year and decided to get my winter tires last week. I decided not to skimp out on winter tires since our winters are so harsh. They came in Friday, I'm impressed with them!
These are Toyo Garit KX. The thread is really sticky and soft, and there are a lot of grooves to dissipate slush and snow. There are also walnut shells inside the rubber to help grip on ice. They also improved the handling on these by stiffening the sidewall. I'm really anxious to see how this car will go with these.I'm sure that SUV's will eat my snow lol.
I got them in 215/50/17. Even with steelies it wasn't cheap!
http://www.msprotege.com/members/ottawaP5/Garit/Garit1.JPG
http://www.msprotege.com/members/ottawaP5/Garit/Garit2.JPG
Good call brother. Judging by the difference between the Graspics the MS6 and the Toyos on the MSP, I think that these will be a great purchase and offer a great ride.
R
Everytime I check 1010tire.com I almost pass out from the price tag. Tirerack ends up being cheaper, even tiretrends.com too which is also canadian.
ottawaP5
09-14-2006, 09:54 PM
Good call brother. Judging by the difference between the Graspics the MS6 and the Toyos on the MSP, I think that these will be a great purchase and offer a great ride.
R
I'm hoping so too....I'm going to install them tomorrow to make sure they fit properly.
Do you have the Toyo Garits on your MSP?
Rainman
09-14-2006, 09:58 PM
I'm hoping so too....I'm going to install them tomorrow to make sure they fit properly.
Do you have the Toyo Garits on your MSP?
Yep. Much better ride than the Graspic 2s. Much heavier car too, but I don't think that that accounts for all the difference. Graspic 2s are much noisier too.
R
ottawaP5
09-15-2006, 07:29 PM
So I did a test fit today and drove it for a bit to see if the calipers rubbed, or if any other wierd noises would occur. Everything looks A1.
Rainman, do your steelies stick out more than the stock rims? I notice mine do. I don't really mind, it looks pretty aggresive, it's just that the fenders will take a beating from rocks flying off the tires.
http://www.msprotege.com/members/ottawaP5/MS6-Toyo/MS6-Toyo1.JPG
jersey_emt
09-15-2006, 08:01 PM
Are 17's needed on the MS6 to clear the caliper? The MSP (which came with 17's stock) was fine with 15" steelies for snow tires. I'm wondering if the MS6 could get away with 16's (or maybe even 15's).
jersey_emt
09-15-2006, 08:03 PM
But yeah, those tires look mean as hell...they look like they'll be great in the white stuff.
ottawaP5
09-15-2006, 08:14 PM
Are 17's needed on the MS6 to clear the caliper? The MSP (which came with 17's stock) was fine with 15" steelies for snow tires. I'm wondering if the MS6 could get away with 16's (or maybe even 15's).
Hmmm...I'm not 100% sure, but I can tell you that there was about a half a centemeter of space with the 17" steelies. 16" would be REALLY tight.
Rainman
09-16-2006, 11:09 AM
So I did a test fit today and drove it for a bit to see if the calipers rubbed, or if any other wierd noises would occur. Everything looks A1.
Rainman, do your steelies stick out more than the stock rims? I notice mine do. I don't really mind, it looks pretty aggresive, it's just that the fenders will take a beating from rocks flying off the tires.
http://www.msprotege.com/members/ottawaP5/MS6-Toyo/MS6-Toyo1.JPG
Yeah, they do a bit. It actually looks more aggressive than with the stock tires and rims on. However, after a winter with the steelies, I haven't noticed any dents or chips on the fenders.
R
rdandy5875
10-03-2006, 01:53 PM
Yeah, they do a bit. It actually looks more aggressive than with the stock tires and rims on. However, after a winter with the steelies, I haven't noticed any dents or chips on the fenders.
R
Sorry to bring this back up, but I'm having a heck of a time sourcing some 17" steel wheels.
I assume you guys have 17" x 7", do you know the offset?
I know one of you said you got them locally. Is there any other info you have on the wheels like the manufacturer or anything, anythng it may have said on the receipt, or even the phone number to the place you got them from?
Thanks
ottawaP5
10-03-2006, 09:37 PM
I'm looking at the bill now, offset seems to be 42.755
Have you been asking local tire shops? If so, where are you located?
rdandy5875
10-04-2006, 12:24 PM
around buffalo ny. I have yet to check the largest tire shop, Fox Tire.
Rainman
10-04-2006, 07:21 PM
around buffalo ny. I have yet to check the largest tire shop, Fox Tire.
OK, I just checked the rims in the basement. They are actually 17x6.5 rims although the tires are the previously stated size (see above). The rims are Fumagalli steel rims from Brazil.
R
Alfredo
10-12-2006, 12:26 PM
I live on Long Island NY. I get some snow, but not like you guys. How will my tires be in the snow? I have not looked at the tires, please excuse my ignorance....
rdandy5875
10-12-2006, 12:33 PM
Well I'm with you alfredo. Buffalo has a bad rep. but it's really not too bad. I think mabey 10 days last winter were pretty bad snow. I think I'm going to give the stock petenza'a a try for a little while. That one video review, the guy was tooling around in light snow and t seemed decent. It'll be fun to finally get the car loose ;)....DSC OFF hehe.
I mentioned something to my wife about looking for another set of wheels and tires, she just about went through the roof. "Spent enough already, blah blah blah". If it's undriveable though I'll have to do something....Last time I had a fwd car with z rated tires on the front, almost bald, the car literally wouldn't go down the road. hese have meat though and the awd should make it scoot.
Alfredo
10-12-2006, 12:43 PM
Yeah. I hear you!
I had an STi, theose tires were summer only. I did not take that too seriously, until I tried to drive in the snow. It was terrible.
It the car is OK, I will just drive it. I was unsure if the tires were also summer only...
Thanks for the quick response!
rdandy5875
10-12-2006, 02:04 PM
i shouldn't have ran my mouth....Just looked out the window and I see big white snowflakes flying around :(
Oh well I guarantee the ms6 with potenzas will be at least better in the snow than my yamaha <----....
35ounce
10-12-2006, 06:14 PM
nice, your winter tires with those steelies look pretty sick. i'm thinking i may buy some winter tires and just have them mounted on the stock wheels (gives me an excuse to buy aftermarket wheels for the summer time :) )
for those of you thinking about taking these potenzas out on the snow, i'd second guess myself if i were you. i figured i'd give it a shot last winter because hey it's AWD. the wisconsin winter last year wasn't even that bad, but even with just slight accumulation of snow, it felt like i was driving on ice. i think i had the scariest drive of my life when i got stuck in a snow blizzard 2 hrs away from home when i went snowboarding. it took me almost 4 hrs to get home, and the whole time on the highway i practically had no steering response. my friends in the back seat said it felt like they were on a boat because i don't think my car was ever truly driving in a straight line that night lol
something happens with this type of rubber in cold temps. It's like it turns into plastic or something. The tread on these tires means NOTHING in the snow. the type of tires just isn't meant to be on snow whether it's AWD or not
Your risking your life, someone else's life, and a $$$ car. If you only get snow 10 days a year....then I'd just park it 10 days a year. I would certainly not want to drive those days.
rdandy5875
10-13-2006, 12:12 AM
Well we got 6" of HEAVY slushy snow today out of nowhere. It took out tree limbs, power lines, and left cars stuck everywhere getting in their driveways. It looks like a warzone with all the tree branches all over the place on my street. I'll have to get some pics.
I was not expecting to have to be prepared quite so early. I didn't even have a snow brush in the car or even a winter jacket for that matter.
The car had about 5 inches thick of very very heavy wet snow on it,all around it, when I got out of work @4. And it was still snowing about 1" per hour, pretty heavy. It actually looked like it was lowered a few inches from all the weight. I had to brush off all the snow with my shirt sleeve, and I mean all of it, roof and all. After about 10 minutes I got it all off and I was soaked. Snow now piled all around the car I got in it, to find all the windows completely condensed to the pont where droplets had formed on the inside of the windshield, and all the rest of the windows fogged completely. Typical for any and every car due to the asmospheric conditions. I did what I've found works best, full front defrost and a/c. As I sat in the car for the 10 minutes it took to see out of the front window, the car was now again completely coveded except some of the fogged rear window and the clear windshield. Suffice to say, it was about the worst I'd ever seen, ecpecially in October. It was thundersnowing, an that's only happened one other time I can remember.
As I sat there waiting to be able to see out the windows, I remember thinking about the potenzas, and wondering if I was even going to get out of my spot since all the snow that was on the car was now all around it. I still couldn't see very well, but I ordered reverse and let out the clutch. To my surprise not only did the car get out of the spot, it trenched through the 5" of slush on the ground witout setting a wheel out of place. I could now finally feel the awd as I progressed through our large parking lot. When I got to the road, something made me turn back 180degrees, I wanted to feel the car doing more of it's trickery before I went onto the street. I drove it slow at first, then ramped up the speeds a little more to feel the dsc and tcs do it's thing. I played for quite a while with the dsc on. Then I switched it off and drove it more, all the time in a big parking lot with 5" of heavy slushy snow. It was sweet, I felt oversteer, I felt understeer. I pulled away hard, I pulled away slow. Not beating on the car entirely, Just drifting it around with the wheels spinning enough to get off track a little bit, finding and exploring the limit.
Anyways I though the tires were alright, on ice or hard pack though I cannot comment. I was glad the tires did so well, I was confident with the pace of traffic and even a little faster. Kept up with all the 4wd trucks flexing their snow horsepower.
One red light I pull up to, and the suv kid must have been excited to see a sport sedan pull up next to him because as soon as I pulled up he starts inching forward and looking over. He almost jumped the light a few times so I could tell he was itching to get off the light first and take right off. He took off and I did behind him, the dsc started doing it's thing, and I kept up right behind him. Well the next light was also red, so we stop. He actually rolled down his window and he says "dude what kind of snow tires are those". I just said "bridgestone", as my left turn light turned green, and sped off kind of fast with the dsc off so he could see the front and rear wheels spinning.
I thought it was ironic that I got a comment on snow tires that I didn't even have, and had been discussing the tires all week on this forum.
Still though like I said on hard pack snow it's probably going to be a different story. And don;t even think of braking like you would with some all seasons or winter tires. If you get into the abs, it can be scary. Just remember if you do have an abs situation, PRESS THE BRAKE HARDER, and you will stop quicker.
yes, wet snow usually means, warm temps. What was the temp? Perhaps they are not as bad as my previous z rated tires but my experience is steering and stopping is the biggest issue. AWD should get any car moving.
Nice to know that they don't totally suck in snow though. For those in warmer temps at least.
Jaque
10-13-2006, 07:00 PM
Got my Bridgestone LM 22s today. I will put them on the stock rims and buy new summer rims for the stock tires.
NOT CHEAP!!!!!
Mazda3
11-01-2006, 02:45 PM
Rainman and/or OttawaP5 have you noticed the tires hitting the outside fender well if the car is loaded down and you hit a bump? Local guy here had this problem last year because the winter tires on 17" steelies stuck out farther than stock like you guys are describing. Ended up wrecking his winter tires. Keep an eye out for this and let us know.
ottawaP5
11-01-2006, 06:42 PM
Rainman and/or OttawaP5 have you noticed the tires hitting the outside fender well if the car is loaded down and you hit a bump? Local guy here had this problem last year because the winter tires on 17" steelies stuck out farther than stock like you guys are describing. Ended up wrecking his winter tires. Keep an eye out for this and let us know.
I never had the car that loaded down. There's enough wheel gap now, so I would think the car would have to be really loaded down and have to hit a huge bump for that to happen. Thanks for the heads up though.
Rainman
11-01-2006, 07:52 PM
Rainman and/or OttawaP5 have you noticed the tires hitting the outside fender well if the car is loaded down and you hit a bump? Local guy here had this problem last year because the winter tires on 17" steelies stuck out farther than stock like you guys are describing. Ended up wrecking his winter tires. Keep an eye out for this and let us know.
Likewise, never had the car that loaded. However, I have had the kids in the back driving around all winter without any problems. I will keep an eye on things this year (as my kids are growing...LOL) and I will report any problems.
R
Skywlkr
11-28-2006, 04:06 PM
Likewise, never had the car that loaded. However, I have had the kids in the back driving around all winter without any problems. I will keep an eye on things this year (as my kids are growing...LOL) and I will report any problems.
R
I was told that you could not go to a 17" rim and snow tires. That I had to use an 18". Is this not true? They said it had to do with clearance for the brake calipers. I thought it was BS, but now I hear some of you are putting 17" on MS6. Any insite would be greatly appreciated before I buy them this week.
ottawaP5
11-28-2006, 05:12 PM
I was told that you could not go to a 17" rim and snow tires. That I had to use an 18". Is this not true? They said it had to do with clearance for the brake calipers. I thought it was BS, but now I hear some of you are putting 17" on MS6. Any insite would be greatly appreciated before I buy them this week.
17" fit fine. I have a pic of my car further up that proves it. Did the dealer tell you this?
Skywlkr
11-28-2006, 05:15 PM
17" fit fine. I have a pic of my car further up that proves it. Did the dealer tell you this?
No tirerack did.
Rainman
11-28-2006, 06:38 PM
No tirerack did.
You could probably even put 16" rims on without a problem. I purchased 16" rims for the MS3 and my wife has been driving it for over a week now without nary a problem. I have driven it many times myself and there are no clearance issues. As the pads get worn down there will be even more clearance. To be true, the clearance on the 16" rims is about the same as the clearance on the 17" rims. Since, IIRC the MS3 has the same brake setup on the front as the MS6, I suspect you could use this setup on the MS6 if you wanted to save cash.
R
rdandy5875
11-29-2006, 01:41 PM
I'm going to have to say the 16" are NOT going to fit the ms6. I just test fitted my OEM 17" and the is almost NO room around the calipers in the front. They fit, but there's only about 1/4" space on the daimeter from the caliper to the inside of the wheel.
Now to decide what tirs to buy...I'm utterly confused on that....winter or all season....v4s's probably for me...
Elicious
11-29-2006, 03:42 PM
No tirerack did.
Tirerack sells 17" winter sets. I also bought my 17" set from them.
Matt'sSpeed6
11-29-2006, 05:23 PM
OK -you guys have me SHITTING BRICKS.
I just scored my winter 17's - Sport Edition E1 w/ Blizzaks. From Tire Rack (good price, I thought). IMHO, best looking 17 I could find. I have not yet test fitted (maybe this weekend). The online searching indicated MANY 17in. wheels (I think numbering in the 40's) for the MS6. Now I wonder if they took into account the brake caliper diameter.
Oh crap. I think I just fruited in my looms.
M
ottawaP5
11-29-2006, 05:55 PM
I'm going to have to say the 16" are NOT going to fit the ms6. I just test fitted my OEM 17" and the is almost NO room around the calipers in the front. They fit, but there's only about 1/4" space on the daimeter from the caliper to the inside of the wheel.
Now to decide what tirs to buy...I'm utterly confused on that....winter or all season....v4s's probably for me...
They would fit since they fit the MS3 and it is the same calipers on both.
I wouldn't suggest putting 16"s on an MS6 since the car would handle horribly.
Bluesultan
12-05-2006, 02:51 PM
They would fit since they fit the MS3 and it is the same calipers on both.
I wouldn't suggest putting 16"s on an MS6 since the car would handle horribly.
would these stock 17" wheels off of a Mazda3 fit? i would think so.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FACTORY-ORIGINAL-17-MAZDA-3-WHEEL-RIM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43957QQihZ002QQitem Z120059034998QQrdZ1
Skywlkr
12-05-2006, 03:06 PM
F.Y.I thats only 1 rim.
Bluesultan
12-05-2006, 04:55 PM
F.Y.I thats only 1 rim.
yes, i know. i think i can get a set of wheels for around $300...that one is overprice IMO.
Skywlkr
12-05-2006, 05:01 PM
ok good. Just wanted to let you know. I know some people try to trick you on ebay.
Bluesultan
12-05-2006, 05:06 PM
ok good. Just wanted to let you know. I know some people try to trick you on ebay.
thanks for looking out. BTW, i see you're looking at getting snow tires too, which brands are you checking out?
Skywlkr
12-05-2006, 05:30 PM
I am going to get conntinental i think. A guy at the local town fair tire owes my father a few favors so he is pricing tires and rims (17") for me. He highly recommend them to me. He said blizzak are good for one season and thats it the compound on the outside wears and they aren't as good then next season. I have to talk to him tomorrow becuuse the car is still in the body shop so I can't get the tires put on yet. I'll see what he has put together for me and let you know.
Bluesultan
12-05-2006, 07:50 PM
i'm looking at trying to get a set of stock 17" Mazda wheels of some sort. as for tires, i've been looking at Hankook, they're cheap, and Dunlop Graspic DS-2, slightly more expensive and i've read decent reviews.
if i go for 18" snow tires on my stock wheel, i'm leaning towards Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero.
Rainman
12-05-2006, 08:07 PM
i'm looking at trying to get a set of stock 17" Mazda wheels of some sort. as for tires, i've been looking at Hankook, they're cheap, and Dunlop Graspic DS-2, slightly more expensive and i've read decent reviews.
if i go for 18" snow tires on my stock wheel, i'm leaning towards Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero.
I had Toyo Observe G02 on the MSP, Bridgestone Winterforce M + S on the MS3, and Dunlop Graspic 2 on the MS6. The Dunlop were by far the worst tires of the bunch with respect to dry pavement performance and overall road noise. The snow performance was OK, as was the ice adhesion, but not nearly as well-rounded a tire as the Observe G02. I haven't had the Winterforce long enough to comment on their snow performance, but my wife is driving the MS3 and she hasn't complained yet...this being a good sign. I can comment on the dry performance being better than the Graspic 2 and the road noise level being much quieter despite their more aggressive-looking tread patttern.
IMHO try the Hankook or the Pirelli tires as I think that they will give you better performance. IIRC, the Winterforce had similar performance to Pirelli's studdable tire (not sure what the product name was for that) on Tire Rack's tire comparison.
R
Bluesultan
12-05-2006, 08:28 PM
where can i get the Toyo Observe? i haven't seen it on either Tirerack or DiscountTire. i'm still shopping around but i have to make a decision in the next week or so. thanks.
I'm on Ds-2's. I'm used to Studdable tires, and this is my first winter without studs. We only started getting snow the weekend, but jesus we got a lot in a weeks time. I've had to get the snow blower out everyday the week so far.
Lets not forget this car is AWD. So far I'm impressed with the Graspics. Most of my driving is around town, and on pavement they are actually quieter then my Bridgetones. Get up to speed and you can hear them whine a bit, but I don't consider them loud.
I'm mostly concerned with Snow/ice traction for my winter tires. I don't care about taking corners at crazy speeds, I just want good "winter" tires.
I got no doubt that the Toyo's are better and with the price difference they better be. But so far so good on the DS-2's.
I noticed here in town at walmart, they sell DS1's too. Look like the exact same tread pattern too. Perhaps different material.
Bluesultan
12-07-2006, 08:36 AM
i do mostly around town driving, with my commute to and from work being 8 miles round trip. i hardly ever go on the highway so the noise shouldn't be a problem...although i do go > 50 MPH around town too :D
MS6S2K
12-07-2006, 09:22 AM
I picked up a set of Pirelli P Nero M+S all seasons at tire rack and had them mounted and balanced. I sold the stock tires with a couple thousand miles on them on ebay for $300 and was done with it. These rims just aren't nice enough to care about IMO, and swapping rims every 6 months is a pain in the ass. I did it on my STI because it came with BBS wheels, but def not on this car with these somewhat cheesy and much cheaper rims. These tires actually perform quite well, and with AWD I won't have any problem in the snow with them. I had them on my STI and they barreled through the snow with ease. I was surprised at how well they perform in the summer too. Can't beat em for $125 each, and I wanted to keep the tire size OEM, so they were my only option for all seasons. :)
Bluesultan
12-07-2006, 02:51 PM
I picked up a set of Pirelli P Nero M+S all seasons at tire rack and had them mounted and balanced. I sold the stock tires with a couple thousand miles on them on ebay for $300 and was done with it. These rims just aren't nice enough to care about IMO, and swapping rims every 6 months is a pain in the ass. I did it on my STI because it came with BBS wheels, but def not on this car with these somewhat cheesy and much cheaper rims. These tires actually perform quite well, and with AWD I won't have any problem in the snow with them. I had them on my STI and they barreled through the snow with ease. I was surprised at how well they perform in the summer too. Can't beat em for $125 each, and I wanted to keep the tire size OEM, so they were my only option for all seasons. :)
can you stop alright? that is my biggest concern with the Bridgestone summer tires on there right now. i could accelerate alright but when it came time to come to a stop, ABS would kick in and i would just slide (omg)
oh, BTW, nice color :)
MS6S2K
12-07-2006, 05:02 PM
can you stop alright? that is my biggest concern with the Bridgestone summer tires on there right now. i could accelerate alright but when it came time to come to a stop, ABS would kick in and i would just slide (omg)
oh, BTW, nice color :)
Oh yeah. These tires are most certainly a noticable downgrade on dry roads, but in rain they stop very well. They worked great on my STI, so they will do just as well on this car. They aren't snow tires when it comes to winter weather, but they have a good treadwear rating, and good ratings all around by tire rack and they work well year round, while not totally ruining dry road performance. :)
Skywlkr
12-08-2006, 08:50 AM
OK guys I need an opinion. Downsize to 17" rims and snowtires or put snow tires on the stock rims and buy new rims in the spring to go with the stock summer tires in the spring?
OK guys I need an opinion. Downsize to 17" rims and snowtires or put snow tires on the stock rims and buy new rims in the spring to go with the stock summer tires in the spring?
Ah yes the infamous question we have all had to decide on.
Basically, it's up to how much money you got and how much you hate the stock 18's :)
Matt'sSpeed6
12-08-2006, 10:22 AM
I gotta say: The stockers are definitely growing on me. I think they keep the car looking sleeper. With that in mind, I decided to buy winter 17's and Blizzaks and keep the stock for summer. $900 + change from Tire Rack. I am happy with the look!! Price out 18" snows and that might help change your mind.
Ultimately, it comes down to preference.
M
Killer
12-08-2006, 10:38 AM
It's times like this i am glad I live in florida. July through September though is a different story.
Elicious
12-08-2006, 02:27 PM
Price out 18" snows and that might help change your mind.
M
Exactly. The 18" snow tires were so much more expensive than 17's that I just went with all new 17" wheels and tires for just over $1000. Buying 4 18" snows would have been over $800 and then I'd still have to pay $150-200 probably to get the old tires removed and the new ones mounted. Mounting 18's ain't cheap.
Bluesultan
12-08-2006, 02:47 PM
i never really got this question answered before, but will these 17" Mazda3 wheels fit?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FACTORY-ORIGINAL-17-MAZDA-3-WHEEL-RIM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43957QQihZ002QQitem Z120059034998QQrdZ1
yeah, i know there's only one wheel in that auction but i'm looking at a set for around $200. thanks.
Benhaze
12-10-2006, 10:18 AM
Exactly. The 18" snow tires were so much more expensive than 17's that I just went with all new 17" wheels and tires for just over $1000. Buying 4 18" snows would have been over $800 and then I'd still have to pay $150-200 probably to get the old tires removed and the new ones mounted. Mounting 18's ain't cheap.
Thanks for the picture Elicious. I am also currently shopping for winter tires and I lean toward one of the Sport Edition 17" wheels from Tire Rack. You car looks great!
The Dunlop Winter Sport M3 is on top of mylist. I need to call Tire Rack to confirm they are available (it's on their paper ad but nowhere to be found online(huh)...)
Elicious
12-11-2006, 02:52 PM
Thanks for the picture Elicious. I am also currently shopping for winter tires and I lean toward one of the Sport Edition 17" wheels from Tire Rack. You car looks great!
The Dunlop Winter Sport M3 is on top of mylist. I need to call Tire Rack to confirm they are available (it's on their paper ad but nowhere to be found online(huh)...)
I believe the Dunlop Winter Sport M3s are out of stock in the 215/50/17 size from tirerack. I bought them a while ago and a couple of days later someone was crying about how they were out of stock. I got pretty lucky!
Redlinez
12-11-2006, 04:43 PM
You could try the General Exclaim UHP (is m+s rated). Best of both worlds and dumb dirty cheap $70 each in 17's.
Benhaze
12-11-2006, 11:55 PM
I believe the Dunlop Winter Sport M3s are out of stock in the 215/50/17 size from tirerack. I bought them a while ago and a couple of days later someone was crying about how they were out of stock. I got pretty lucky!
Thanks for the heads up... I also noticed Tire Rack run out of Michelin X-Ice which was my second choice... Oh well.
Redlinez, I've never heard of the Exclaims so I looked them up. They are good only in very light and occasional snow which is not good enough for my driving conditions. If I would go that route, I would use the Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 form our other Mazda6; they that are actually decent in snow but lack traction on ice. The other 6 car has steelies and X-Ice for the winter...
Kansei
12-12-2006, 12:14 AM
You could try the General Exclaim UHP (is m+s rated). Best of both worlds and dumb dirty cheap $70 each in 17's.
terrible in the snow. My roommate has them on his summer wheels on his Volvo (turbo rwd) and man oh man was it some crazy dorifto action when we got the first snow here. He's now firmly planted with some Blizzak REVO-1s :D
X-Ice tires are rated very well almost everywhere I read. Above Blizzak's almost everytime
Kansei
12-12-2006, 01:51 PM
X-Ices did well, but.. the first review I found (tirerack) placed them below both snow/ice Blizzaks
http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/tests/bs_blizzak_revo1/chart5.gif
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=65
mikeyb
12-12-2006, 02:53 PM
What about Nokian Hakkapeliitta 2s or RSIs? These are alot better then a Blizzak and will last longer. They also handle better then a Blizzak too. I sell these at work to BMW and Mini customers. They are awesome on RWD BMWs.
http://www.nokiantires.com/en/winter_passenger.aspx
nokian are supposed to be the best EVAR!
Kidding aside, I have never read anything bad about them. They are also priced well.
I would never buy blizzak. They don't last for shit.
mikeyb
12-12-2006, 05:33 PM
nokian are supposed to be the best EVAR!
Kidding aside, I have never read anything bad about them. They are also priced well.
I would never buy blizzak. They don't last for shit.
Blizzaks are good for the first season but are basically all season tires afterwards.
Kansei
12-12-2006, 05:43 PM
i am on season 3 on my ws-50s. nokians are awesome, i wish tirerack sold them.
Thanks for the heads up... I also noticed Tire Rack run out of Michelin X-Ice which was my second choice... Oh well.
Redlinez, I've never heard of the Exclaims so I looked them up. They are good only in very light and occasional snow which is not good enough for my driving conditions. If I would go that route, I would use the Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 form our other Mazda6; they that are actually decent in snow but lack traction on ice. The other 6 car has steelies and X-Ice for the winter...
I ordered my WinterSport M3s from http://www.mavistire.com/ProductCart/pc/_default.asp and they are showing them in stock currently. They shipped fast and were around $1 cheaper than Tire Rack after shipping. So far I've driven in one decent snow fall of about 5 inches which turned very slushy after a while and they were great. They are also decent in dry handling however they are a big step down from the stock tires obviously.
Skywlkr
12-18-2006, 02:28 PM
Got my tires and rims on Saturday. Went down to 17" with Continental ContiWinter Contact.
Don't mind the missing molding (thats a whole different story).
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/th_WinterTires004.jpg (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/WinterTires004.jpg)
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/th_WinterTires003.jpg (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/WinterTires003.jpg)
Rawyzf
12-18-2006, 03:37 PM
put snow tires on the stock rims and buy new rims in the spring to go with the stock summer tires in the spring?
This is the route I went. This way I think the winter tires still look good because I like the look of the stock rims. Then in the summer, the car has another look. It's almost like 2 different cars :)
Winter = Stock Wheels - Blizzak 225/45/18
Summer = Black ALT Sonix - Stock Tires
Elicious
12-18-2006, 04:04 PM
Got my tires and rims on Saturday. Went down to 17" with Continental ContiWinter Contact.
Don't mind the missing molding (thats a whole different story).
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/th_WinterTires004.jpg (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/WinterTires004.jpg)
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/th_WinterTires003.jpg (http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/skywalker4421/WinterTires003.jpg)
Nice wheels!
Rawyzf
12-18-2006, 04:07 PM
LOL...where is the molding for the door?
Skywlkr
12-18-2006, 04:11 PM
Nice wheels!
Thank you. A little nicer than I wanted for winter, but I was able to get them dirt cheap.
Door Molding....(bang) Someone took a shopping cart down the side of the car on thanksgiving. Had to have the door sanded, and painted. The peice was supposed to be in, but is now on back order from Mazda untill after christams. (pissed)
Rawyzf
12-18-2006, 04:17 PM
Thank you. A little nicer than I wanted for winter, but I go them dirt cheap.
Door Molding....(bang) Someone took a shopping cart down the side of the car on thanksgiving. Had to have the door sanded, and painted. The peice was supposed to be in, but is now on back order from Mazda untill after christams. (pissed)
Ah, bummer. The wheels look good though!
Benhaze
01-15-2007, 04:32 PM
Just fyi... The 17" stock wheels from the Mazda6 GT V6 (2004 & 2005?) don't fit on the Speed6. There is no clearance between the back face of the wheel spoke and the brake caliper because of the difference in the wheel offset and spoke design.
update: I stand corrected: the wheels do fit but it is very tight. see new posting...
Benhaze
01-15-2007, 04:39 PM
I ordered my WinterSport M3s from http://www.mavistire.com/ProductCart/pc/_default.asp and they are showing them in stock currently. They shipped fast and were around $1 cheaper than Tire Rack after shipping. So far I've driven in one decent snow fall of about 5 inches which turned very slushy after a while and they were great. They are also decent in dry handling however they are a big step down from the stock tires obviously.
Thanks for the information. Well appreciated!
rdandy5875
01-15-2007, 04:40 PM
Just fyi... The 17" stock wheels from the Mazda6 GT V6 (2004 & 2005?) don't fit on the Speed6. There is no clearance between the back face of the wheel spoke and the brake caliper because of the difference in the wheel offset and spoke design.
Which ones are those? The 5 spoke kind of curvy ones? Because I think those are the ones I have and they fit fine....
Bluesultan
01-16-2007, 09:12 AM
Which ones are those? The 5 spoke kind of curvy ones? Because I think those are the ones I have and they fit fine....
do yours look like this? these are the ones i'm considering
rdandy5875
01-16-2007, 11:45 AM
do yours look like this? these are the ones i'm considering
Those are what I have and they fit my car with absolutley no problems. I don't think those are the ones he's referring to.
Bluesultan
01-16-2007, 06:56 PM
Those are what I have and they fit my car with absolutley no problems. I don't think those are the ones he's referring to.
if he's talking about these, he's right, they won't fit...they're 16" wheels (shocked)
Benhaze
01-16-2007, 10:22 PM
do yours look like this? these are the ones i'm considering
Yes they do. I don't know how they can fit on rdandy's car if they are the same wheels. Wish I had taken a picture.
And for Bluesultan, I'm indeed talking about 17" wheels...
Bluesultan
01-18-2007, 08:16 PM
Yes they do. I don't know how they can fit on rdandy's car if they are the same wheels. Wish I had taken a picture.
And for Bluesultan, I'm indeed talking about 17" wheels...
so you have the same wheels as rdandy but they don't fit on your car and they do on his? :confused:
what other 17" wheels came on the 6's?
Bluesultan
01-24-2007, 09:59 PM
update: i ended up getting the 17" wheels shown in my post above. now i just need to get some snow tires :(
Benhaze
01-27-2007, 07:06 PM
Well it was bugging me so I decided to have a second look. The gap between the wheel spoke and the front caliper is so narrow (couple of mm) that is nearly impossible not to hit the caliper when you install the wheel. The wheel must be "kinked" a little on the opposite side of the caliper and then secured with the lug nuts. I wasn't convinced it would work only I could spin one wheel and verify it wasn't hitting the caliper.
Here are a couple of pics. I used a penny to give a reference point.
Bluesultan
01-29-2007, 11:56 AM
so they DO fit, right? i picked up some snow tires on Saturday and i'm hopefully going to have them mounted on the 17" stock 6 wheels and put on my car this afternoon.
Benhaze
01-30-2007, 05:40 AM
so they DO fit, right? i picked up some snow tires on Saturday and i'm hopefully going to have them mounted on the 17" stock 6 wheels and put on my car this afternoon.
Yes. It's tight but you should be ok. What tires did you get?
Bluesultan
01-31-2007, 08:30 AM
Yes. It's tight but you should be ok. What tires did you get?
i got them put on Monday night and there is like very little clearance but they fit. i got a set of Michelin Pilot Alpin's and they make a world of difference. i can stop without even having the ABS kick in while driving on snow and i can still break the tail end out in snow by getting on the throttle! (drive2)
ms6denver
02-26-2007, 11:06 PM
I bought the stock size Blizzaks and the car is a dream in the snow. I had a Subaru for years and I compare that experience to driving a bread truck after being in the snow with the MS6 and these tires. Just make sure you get the tire pressure right, mine are about wasted after two seasons because they were under inflated and shot the tread on the outside...Doh!
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