Replacement tires for 2.5L/18 inch wheels

[npaladin2000]

So, what's everyone's doing for tires? I'm noticing the OEM Dunlops I got don't like wet pavement very much, which isn't a good sign for winter, I'm going to want to replace them relatively soon. I know Continental has the ExtremeContact DWS in the appropriate size, and my experience has been great with that on my previous car. But Michelin released the Pilot Sport A/S 3 recently, which also looks really good. Anyone tried them out yet? The Contis, while great in snow, are a touch "squishy" when it comes to dry handling, and I wouldn't mind finding something almost as good in the snow and better in the dry and the wet.

 

[Pengaroo]

If it wasnt for the fact that I plan on moving to california in 18 months I would buy winter tires, my last car got wrecked during a snow storm. So far i havent had any issues with lack of grip in the rain. Kinda nervous how this car is going to handle snow.

 

[Chibana]

I'll be getting winter tires (probably not for this winter, though) for the OEM wheels. Whatever aftermarket wheels I go with will be for my summer tires, which will likely be BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2, if I can get them in whatever size I end up going with. I've read a lot of good things about those tires. I am a bit nervous about the OEM tires in the upcoming Michigan winter. The OEM tires on my 2005 Mazda3s were terrible in winter.

 

[Pengaroo]

I'll be getting winter tires (probably not for this winter, though) for the OEM wheels. Whatever aftermarket wheels I go with will be for my summer tires, which will likely be BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2, if I can get them in whatever size I end up going with. I've read a lot of good things about those tires. I am a bit nervous about the OEM tires in the upcoming Michigan winter. The OEM tires on my 2005 Mazda3s were terrible in winter.

You know for a fact if we were to buy snow tires it won't snow at all and vice versa, stupid midwest weather.

 

[Chibana]

You know for a fact if we were to buy snow tires it won't snow at all and vice versa, stupid midwest weather.

I *wish* it worked that way here in Michigan! I think I can remember maybe 2 winters since I've lived in mid-Michigan where we had little snow, but there was still some. Normally we get dumped on pretty heavily through January and February, with lighter amounts in December and March. We've already had a little bit of snow this fall. It didn't stick, but it fell, and I've scraped my windows twice already.

 

[geebosa]

I'm slowly getting it together for a pair of snow tires. Just got the rims and TPMS and next payday I'll get the Nitto NT-SN2 in 205/55/16. Currently running the Michelin Pilot Sport AS3 and really enjoying them. The conti;s DSW were also on my short list. If I bought the DSW conti's I'd run them at 37psi to stiffen the side wall a bit.

 

[npaladin2000]

I'm slowly getting it together for a pair of snow tires. Just got the rims and TPMS and next payday I'll get the Nitto NT-SN2 in 205/55/16. Currently running the Michelin Pilot Sport AS3 and really enjoying them. The conti;s DSW were also on my short list. If I bought the DSW conti's I'd run them at 37psi to stiffen the side wall a bit.

I'm assuming you haven't driven them in snow yet? As soon as you do, could you give me your impressions?

 

[Chibana]

I'm slowly getting it together for a pair of snow tires. Just got the rims and TPMS and next payday I'll get the Nitto NT-SN2 in 205/55/16. Currently running the Michelin Pilot Sport AS3 and really enjoying them. The conti;s DSW were also on my short list. If I bought the DSW conti's I'd run them at 37psi to stiffen the side wall a bit.

I'm a little confused. It's my understanding that this car does not use tire pressure monitoring sensors. According to the manual, my salesman, and TireRack, it uses the ABS sensors to sense differences in rotation of each wheel, negating the need for the sensors.

 

[npaladin2000]

I'm a little confused. It's my understanding that this car does not use tire pressure monitoring sensors. According to the manual, my salesman, and TireRack, it uses the ABS sensors to sense differences in rotation of each wheel, negating the need for the sensors.

Yeah I noticed that in the quick start guide too. That's pretty slick. Anyone else doing that?

 

[TerryFrench]

I'm slowly getting it together for a pair of snow tires. Just got the rims and TPMS and next payday I'll get the Nitto NT-SN2 in 205/55/16. Currently running the Michelin Pilot Sport AS3 and really enjoying them.

So what will be the dimensions of the tires to keep the wheels the same diameter? (else the odometer will be off: showing more miles than you really drive if the diameter is smaller).
I'm a little surprised as usually folks go for -1 diameter +1 size thickness. Going -2 is size, are you not losing too much stiffness indeed?

I'm looking at buying a winter tires+wheels set for this car. My previous car I went -1,+1 and -1 size on width also, but I could really feel the difference while cornering on dry road. That was with Michelin X-Ice 2, and the traction on snow/ice was great.

BTW no TPMS needed for the Mazda 3 2014. Send them back if you can as you got ripped-off. It's ABS measuring, and learn how to do the reset (button on left side) when changing wheels/tires as even tiny changes can trip the computer's calculations.
TPMS are better as they give more info and can tell you when all tires are low at the same time, but have a battery so don't last forever, often fail or are inaccurate. The ABS-sensor + computer solution is cheaper and will work when one tire at a time becomes under-inflated (the wheels turns a little faster). It might even tell if one axle has both tires deflated compared to the other axle, but if all tires get deflated at teh same rate (as if when not topping the air regularly), the computer will not register any problem as all wheels will turn at the same speed.

 

[iMaple]

How did you guys figure out that the car does not have tire pressure monitoring sensors and uses the ABS ? I didn't find anything like that in my quick start guide/OM.

 

[nitsuj]

I only knew because my wife's CX-5 uses the TPM.

For winter driving I found some blizzaks on closeout at tirerack for $169 each (got the last 4 apparently). While it doesn't snow very often, it does get below 40 F frequently and there are a lot of hills that stay shaded and a little icy during the winter here.

 

[iMaple]

This is great to know. I had no idea and it got me into reading about direct and indirect TPMS systems - cool stuff !(cool)

 

[npaladin2000]

It's an extremely slick system, but one thing I've noticed is that the cars that are using the actual TPMS sensors are now starting to report more information to the driver, such as the individual tire pressures on each wheel. Which is extremely handy, and might be worth the tradeoff for some.

I wonder how this system will react to changing tire pressures based on temperature? My old Elantra was a little sensitive on that note. If all four tires were to lose pressure due to lower air temperatures, sensing rotational differential wouldn't actually detect that pressure loss, would it?

 

[nitsuj]

It's an extremely slick system, but one thing I've noticed is that the cars that are using the actual TPMS sensors are now starting to report more information to the driver, such as the individual tire pressures on each wheel. Which is extremely handy, and might be worth the tradeoff for some.

I wonder how this system will react to changing tire pressures based on temperature? My old Elantra was a little sensitive on that note. If all four tires were to lose pressure due to lower air temperatures, sensing rotational differential wouldn't actually detect that pressure loss, would it?

The only time it went off in my wife's CX-5 is when the dealer didn't correctly calibrate the system when they put on winter tires. Since the CX-5 was new at the time it took them 3 tries to calibrate it correctly. After that no issues we changes in weather or otherwise.

 

[TerryFrench]

I cannot find the source I used for the TPM system using ABS, but that was some Mazda doc somewhere describing the system. (maybe in the instruction manual). It will mention somewhere that with snow chains, one needs to recalibrate the system. Only ABS-based TPM will need that, as they are based on the wheels speed differential i.e. diameter. A normal TPM sensor system will only need a reset to re-learn about its sensors.

Note: re-calibraring is super simple. Press the TPM button until it beeps

 

[TenOfSwords]

The workshop manual makes it clear that the TPMS is entirely ABS/DSC based (thank you Mazda).

It combines two detection methods:

1: Dynamic loaded radius detection: ABS wheel speed sensors are used to detects differences in rotation speed between the four wheels.
2: Torsion resonant frequency detection: ABS wheel speed sensors are used to detect changes in resonant frequencies of the individual wheel.

Which according to the workshop manual means that the system will detect if one or more tires lose pressure (1+2) AND detect if all four tires lose pressure synchronously over time (2).

 

[TerryFrench]

The workshop manual makes it clear that the TPMS is entirely ABS/DSC based (thank you Mazda).
2: Torsion resonant frequency detection: ABS wheel speed sensors are used to detect changes in resonant frequencies of the individual wheel.
Which according to the workshop manual means that the system will detect if one or more tires lose pressure (1+2) AND detect if all four tires lose pressure synchronously over time (2).

The #2 seems cool. Takes care of the main problem with ABS-detection

 

[TenOfSwords]

The #2 seems cool. Takes care of the main problem with ABS-detection

It's a really neat system. I recommend reading the technical description in the workshop manual (starts p. 8575 in this), because it's fairly easy to understand how and why it works and what its limitations are.

 

[SonicBoy]

How does the system handle the temporary spare? I assume the 2014's are using a donut?

Anyone know the offset of the 18" GT wheels? Also, are they 18x7 and not 18x7.5?