Winter tire & steel rims questions

1917 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by spin156, Feb 23, 2007

spin156

Discussion Starter · Jan 2, 2007

I am in the market for some winter wheels and tires and have spent a lot of time searching the forum for pointers. I have a '06 XR 4WD with stock 16" steel wheels.

Since I live in NH, the common logic seems to be to go to 15" wheels for winter tires. The most popular size tires seem to be 195/65/15 for good winter snow&ice performance.

OK, here's where the questions start:

1. I am having a hard time finding 15" steel rims. I spoke with tirerack.com and they as much as laughed at me. I'm not going to waste money on alloys that will get pitted from road salt. Where do I get 15" steel rims? What's a good source?

2. Exactly what size rims should I get for the 195/65/15 tire size? Do I want 15x6 ?

3. Is there some "standard" bolt pattern for the Matrix?

4. Any specific issues with fitting the 4WD with winter tires?

5. Any suggestions for wheel covers for winter wheels? Is a spoked cover better or worse than a solid plate type?

6. Any suggestions or opinions on specific winter tires are welcome ;-)

Cheers,
Bill

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micven55

· #2 · Jan 3, 2007

I'm going through the same thing right now. My wife just traded in her 2001 Jetta, we have some Dunlap Graspic 195/65-15 snows on rims that are only 2 years old. I tried them on the matrix and the rims just don't work (the bolt holes don't match, but the brake clearance is fine, so 15inchers will work). I think I found some steel rims at www.discounttire.com. I have't had a chance to call yet, but I know that the matrix bolt pattern is 5x100 (the other common size is 5x114.3).

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/d...=2006&wd=15&pc=72514&rw=6&bp=5-100&vid=007410

This link should get you to the 15 inch rims that will work with the matrix (the picture shows a 4 bolt pattern but the discription is for a 5 bolt wheel). I've gotten wheels from them before for my sons sentra. In fact they are the ones show. Notice that there are two sets of holes, one for 4x100 and one set for 4x114.3. I'm assuming that the 5 bolt ones are the same way. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to call them on this yet.

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spin156

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 3, 2007 (Edited)

micven55, thanks for that link!

I looked around on that site and found another 15" steel rim:

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findWheelDetail.do?wd=15&pc=62768&rw=6.5&bp=5-100

These are 6.5" wide and $40 US (so, $8 cheaper than the others you linked to).
Anyone know of a reason not to use a 6.5" rim, as opposed to a 6" rim for 195/65/15's???

Also found some nice winter tires there (Yokohama IG10 Ice Guards @ $65ea):

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?cs=195&pc=44596&rd=15&ar=65

These guys ship tire/wheel sets FREE in the US/48 (sorry to our Canadian friends) and do free mounting and balancing for any wheelset.

Gotta have some decent wheel covers, too:

http://www.autoamenity.com/KartList/411.htm

These look nice for $55 US (also FREE shipping to US/48).

So, that's a full wheel set (rim/tires/valve_stems/wheel_covers), delivered, for $487 US ($567 CA).
I'm thinking that's going to be hard to beat. Those tires have received very good user reviews, too.

Whaddya think?

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Matrix1

· #4 · Jan 3, 2007

winter Tires and Rims

I bought a set from the TireRack for my 06 AWD, went with the Michelin X Ice and they had a specail on the rims.
$72 a piece.The price for just the tires locally was just over $600 so going for the Package out of the tirerack made sense ....Total was $762 or something like that including shipping.
Now I can take em off when I want to.....that alone made it worth the extra $$$

JR

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micven55

· #5 · Jan 3, 2007

spin156 said:
micven55, thanks for that link!

I looked around on that site and found another 15" steel rim:

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findWheelDetail.do?wd=15&pc=62768&rw=6.5&bp=5-100

These are 6.5" wide and $40 US (so, $8 cheaper than the others you linked to).
Anyone know of a reason not to use a 6.5" rim, as opposed to a 6" rim for 195/65/15's???

Also found some nice winter tires there (Yokohama IG10 Ice Guards @ $65ea):

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?cs=195&pc=44596&rd=15&ar=65

These guys ship tire/wheel sets FREE in the US/48 (sorry to our Canadian friends) and do free mounting and balancing for any wheelset.

Gotta have some decent wheel covers, too:

http://www.autoamenity.com/KartList/411.htm

These look nice for $55 US (also FREE shipping to US/48).

So, that's a full wheel set (rim/tires/valve_stems/wheel_covers), delivered, for $487 US ($567 CA).
I'm thinking that's going to be hard to beat. Those tires have received very good user reviews, too.

Whaddya think?

If you look closer they are all out of stock and if you read the bottom of the page they are customer trade ins. Nothing wrong with that except you never know when they will have some. I don't think there is anything wrong with the 6.5 rims for 195 tires, I believe the Jetta rims I currently have my tires on are 6.5.

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spin156

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 3, 2007

micven55 said:
If you look closer they are all out of stock and if you read the bottom of the page they are customer trade ins. Nothing wrong with that except you never know when they will have some. I don't think there is anything wrong with the 6.5 rims for 195 tires, I believe the Jetta rims I currently have my tires on are 6.5.

Thanks! All good points.

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echo7

· #7 · Feb 18, 2007

i have never used winter tires, I alwyas had Vans with all seasons and didnt had any problems handling them in the snow, last week we had a snow storm and it was my first time with the trix in heavy snow,, I immediately noticed the difference,, its was so light and theres too much skiding...

now my question is,, is there a big differencein using 4 winter tires against only 2 winter tires installed on front?

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Matrix1

· #8 · Feb 18, 2007

echo7 said:
i have never used winter tires, I alwyas had Vans with all seasons and didnt had any problems handling them in the snow, last week we had a snow storm and it was my first time with the trix in heavy snow,, I immediately noticed the difference,, its was so light and theres too much skiding...

now my question is,, is there a big differencein using 4 winter tires against only 2 winter tires installed on front?

I dont think you can, they have to be a matched set or It will screw up your AWD.
My Winter tires are the same size as my summer but yet they are Actually bigger.....
Hard to explain but it is what it is !

John R

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echo7

· #9 · Feb 18, 2007

oops i forgot to mention,, i have fwd..

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TRXR4KDS

· #10 · Feb 19, 2007

You have to use 4 winters. You are better off running the all seasons than just 2 winter tires on the front.

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Kanata_Matrix

· #11 · Feb 23, 2007

spin156 said:
I am in the market for some winter wheels and tires and have spent a lot of time searching the forum for pointers. I have a '06 XR 4WD with stock 16" steel wheels.

Since I live in NH, the common logic seems to be to go to 15" wheels for winter tires. The most popular size tires seem to be 195/65/15 for good winter snow&ice performance.

OK, here's where the questions start:

1. I am having a hard time finding 15" steel rims. I spoke with tirerack.com and they as much as laughed at me. I'm not going to waste money on alloys that will get pitted from road salt. Where do I get 15" steel rims? What's a good source?

2. Exactly what size rims should I get for the 195/65/15 tire size? Do I want 15x6 ?

3. Is there some "standard" bolt pattern for the Matrix?

4. Any specific issues with fitting the 4WD with winter tires?

5. Any suggestions for wheel covers for winter wheels? Is a spoked cover better or worse than a solid plate type?

6. Any suggestions or opinions on specific winter tires are welcome ;-)

Cheers,
Bill

1.Try Wal-mart , Costco? or any used rims from your local classified.
2.Any 15 rims with the both pattern 5x100mm will do. I do have a set of 15" steel rims (from Costco) on 195/65/15 Michellin X-Ice ran very well in the snow/ice.
3. 5x100mm ( or 5x4")
4. Nope
5. Solid plate type will protect the snow/salt better
6. Michellin x-ice baby...not too expensive and good rating...oh quiet too

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spin156

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 23, 2007

I ended up getting everything I spec'd in post #3, except for the rims. I got the ones that micven55 showed me in post #2. It ended up costing $512, delivered.

I am very happy with this setup. The handling is very good on dry roads and the tires are pretty quiet. We have not had a lot of snow this year, but on the few occasions that we did the car handled superbly. There was one noteable day when Rt 93 in Southern NH was a black ice disaster (thirty cars off the road) and I was out driving that morning and could not believe the performance of the Yokohama Ice Guards, combined with 4WD.

My experience with DiscountTire.com was excellent. They had what I needed and got my wheels within three days. All I had to do was wax the rims, put on some tire dressing, and mount them on the car. I did talk to TireRack.com and they are clearly not interested in selling steel rims. While they did not exactly laugh at me, I was kind of put off by the attitude. I understand that many people are very happy with them and I'm sure that I would have been, too, had I pony'd up for allow rims.

Thanks to everyone who posted for this thread. This is what a forum is for. I got all of my questions answered and ended up with a great solution.

Cheers,
-- Bill

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