MB Wheels for Matrix 09 Base Model

[cary_white]

Does anyone have any experience with the MB line of wheels from Discount Tire either for 09 or earlier Matrix? I have found one that I like better than the Enkei BMBT wheel that one can order from SET for Matrix, Corolla and XD.

I am not only concerned about quality and performance but about availability in the future if replacement was needed.

Thanks for any help

[jdhog]

I couldn't get discount tire website to come up.

[2ar-fever]

Originally Posted by cary_white

Does anyone have any experience with the MB line of wheels from Discount Tire either for 09 or earlier Matrix? I have found one that I like better than the Enkei BMBT wheel that one can order from SET for Matrix, Corolla and XD.

I am not only concerned about quality and performance but about availability in the future if replacement was needed.

Thanks for any help

im looking at mb five x and seven x in a discount tire magazine ad right now, and they look nice. the lip looks pretty dainty though. beware of curbs(obviously) because it looks like the lip would get bent easily. alot of wheel companies have sprung up in the last 10 years, many offering good looking wheels, but often are quite heavy, and not as high quality as one might think.
as for future replacement, who knows if you could find these models if you break one rim in a couple of years.

my $0.02, im an enkie fan. imo they are the least expensive, expensive wheels. racing teams all over the world use them, which means their r&d is extensive. the same can be said for oz, bbs, ssr etcetera. their top end wheels are very expensive, but even the lower end wheels are reasonably light, very strong, made well and have superior design than cheaper wheels.

if you can get pics of the mb wheels and some enkie wheels compare the lip design. a wheel like the enkie j10 has a much stouter lip and takes alot more curb abuse. the lip is just one example of how a quality wheel is designed better than a cheap one.

[2ar-fever]

ok i just looked up mb wheels and apparently theyre made speciffically/exclusively for dicount tire. i didnt find out who makes them for them, but they have a few tuner wheels that look ok. the 17in GEAR model is 25.5lbs. kinda heavy imo. $140 enkie wheels are 21.5lbs. you are also paying a little extra for the name too it seems.
my point is weight is your enemy. heavy wheels are the worst kind of weight.
i used to autocross my corolla and learned some things about wheels. every one lb of weight you gain on unsprung weight, like wheels and tires, is like two lbs on the floor of the car, because the engine has to turn that extra weight, not just carry it. if you get what i mean.
as an example, lets say your stock 16in. steel wheel and tire package weighs 28lbs each, if you get an aftermarket +1 wheel and tire package that weighs 36lbs each, thats 8lbs x 4wheels = 32lbs. its like lugging a 60lb sack of onions around in your car all the time.
maybe it doesnt seem like much but over the life of your car it will lower you mpgs, and hurt performance a little. but of course handling and braking should improve.

[jdhog]

.....and that sack of onions will smell pretty bad after a while. LoL, did I miss something?

[2ar-fever]

Originally Posted by jdhog

.....and that sack of onions will smell pretty bad after a while. LoL, did I miss something?

lol, and just like a sack of onions, lower acceleration and mpgs will bring tears to your eyes...