17" vs 19" winter tires

M

mazdafollower

:
18 CX-5
Hi, my CX-5 comes with 19" alloy wheels. Debating between 17" vs. 19" winter tires (buying a new set of rims in the first case, reusing OEM rims in the latter).

Wonder if you agree with this analysis, or have something to add. Thx!

1. Pros of 19" winter tires (Cons of 17"):
a - can reuse 19" OEM wheels, saving cost on a new set of 17" wheels
b - can reuse TPMS on OEM wheels
c - nice looking alloy wheels even during winter

2. Cons of 19" winter tires (Pros of 17"):
a - more costly tire swapping service every season, with extra step to separate tires from wheels
b - repeated removal of tires from wheels may cause damage to both winter and all-season sets of wheels, or scratches to alloy wheels
c - tire re-balancing is required every season, since wheels are no longer "permanently" attached to their own wheels

What about safety (guess none of the above is as important)?
 
What about it? The car comes with both sizes, and feels quite safe anyway.
The chore of swapping tires on rims is not something that anyone would enjoy. Your Cons points are all sound, plus 19" tires are quite a bit more expensive. You can get 17 and affordable good-looking wheels for winter, and make up the cost of rims in just a couple of years. We keep off-season wheels on the wall in the garage, high up, so they don't take any space.
 
Thanks yugrus! Comforting to know there're no particular safety considerations (17 vs 19) under snow conditions. Good point about constantly swapping out tires from rims too. Surprisingly this is what most people around me are doing. Possibly too cheap to invest on a spare set of rims.
 
When I was running my automotive business, this was an easy thing to sell- to people who can count...
The crucial thing is to have the same outside diameter for your winter rim - tire combo as your 19"s. Tires are taller, and more comfy!
 
have the TPMS sensors changed? They are not in the wheel, so there will be no cost there. The only cost you have is the wheels.
Up here it gets crazy when people start changing to winter rubber. Some shops have 3 week wait times. If you had the complete winter set of wheels/rubber, you can do it home at your leisure when it's time to change them.
The cost of the new wheels will be paid for after a couple seasons. Plus way less hassle. To me it only makes sense to have 2 complete sets.
As to the 17 or 19", both OEM sizes are the same diameter. Check out prices on wheels and rubber and decide from there.
 
You are correct Sekmor. The TPMS on a CX-5 is derived from the ABS sensors. There are no TPMS sensors in the wheels or valve stems.

Another pro to 17's is a better selection of winter tires to choose from at a lower cost that will help offset your wheel cost. Also, the 17's will give you some additional protection against the winter pot holes with their increased shoulder height. A few here (myself included) run P225/70R16 instead of 17's. All kinds of choices for you.
 
Thank you all! Looks like I should completely abandon the idea of re-using a single set of rims. As to TPMS sensors I have no clues at all, but thanks for correcting me! Your advice mean a lot as I've been using all-season tires (specifically from Mazda) for decades, and suddenly got this idea of using winter tires. Bad timing, as winter is approaching, not much time for research.. Much appreciated!
 
Although we normally don't use snow tires here, but all the advices above are excellent. I'd try to find a used set of 17" CX-5 rims somewhere if possible, or other used Mazda 17" rims from other model with same spec. They'll look nice on our CX-5 with winter tires. Then I'd get a set of good 225/65R17 snow tires which meets factory spec on size for 17" tires and won't throw off the speedometer / odometer reading. I can also easily swap tires by myself to save lots of labor cost each season.
 
It's a no brainer really; buy new 17" rims and dedicated winter tires. I have a GT like you with 19" rims. I bought a set of OEM CX-5 17" rims on eBay for a reasonable price. They were taken off a new CX-5 and had zero blemishes on them. Then I ordered a set of Blizzak DM-V1 winter tires from Tire Rack and had them mounted and balanced locally. I change them out myself in fall/spring, storing the other set in the garage on a rack I built (they need to be sored upright, not on their sides). With a hydraulic floor jack, it takes no time at all to swap them. Higher initial investment but lower ongoing cost and MUCH better for both sets of tires. Since they are OEM wheels, my CX-5 always looks "stock". Another thing I do when I swap the wheels is to thoroughly clean and wax the ones I just took off before I store them. Then when I put the other set on, they look great!
 
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Suggestion: source the wheels first. We found a set of Mazda 3, 16" take-offs and purchased them for $250, IIRC. The 225/70x16 is also the same diameter as the OE 17 & 19" tires and are often cheaper yet.
 
How long does the cold season last in Jersey City? You won't go zoom zoom on that weather anyway so who cares about alloys. Get some flat black steel wheels and good snow tires for cheap. You'll look commando and save some bucks to spend when you go touring on the 19's in the summer
 
Having previously always changed my summers for winters on existing rims with previous cars, with my 19" rimmed CX5 I decided to go for a set of 17" steel rims (Mazda) with Dunlop Sport 4D winters. I compared prices and choice for 19" winters vs 17". Decided to go with 17" as I wanted a specific winter for my type of commute. I've painted the rims matt black (personal choice) and will probably be swapping them over at the end of this month (no more struggling to find a garage to change the tyres). I await to see how the CX5 handles in the ice, wet, slush and snow that our Alpine winter throws at us, as well as the Dunlops.
 
minnesotaart said:
It's a no brainer really; buy new 17" rims and dedicated winter tires. I have a GT like you with 19" rims. I bought a set of OEM CX-5 17" rims on eBay for a reasonable price. They were taken off a new CX-5 and had zero blemishes on them. Then I ordered a set of Blizzak DM-V1 winter tires from Tire Rack and had them mounted and balanced locally. I change them out myself in fall/spring, storing the other set in the garage on a rack I built (they need to be sored upright, not on their sides). With a hydraulic floor jack, it takes no time at all to swap them. Higher initial investment but lower ongoing cost and MUCH better for both sets of tires. Since they are OEM wheels, my CX-5 always looks "stock". Another thing I do when I swap the wheels is to thoroughly clean and wax the ones I just took off before I store them. Then when I put the other set on, they look great!
Click to expand...

Missed this first time through. There doesn't seem to be consensus in the industry. Some websites agree, others don't. For example:

http://www.tirebuyer.com/education/storing-tires-for-longer-life
The best way to store tires is standing upright it puts less stress on the tires. If you have to stack your tires, try not to stack them too high. If your tire tower gets too tall, it could topple over and damage the tires.

However, if your tires are mounted on the rims, you should store them stacked, not upright.
Click to expand...
 
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