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Comments
I need a rim and tire package and normally run Nokian tires but will need the tires shipped to me as the local Nokian is expensive for rims so figure I might as well go
with a Tire rack package then switch over to Nokian tires later on.
We get a mix of every kind of nasty weather so you never know what it will be doing outside and I travel all over NH, Maine and Massachusetts.
The Speed3 has a lot of power running through the front wheels so that will probably make a difference.
I'm used to AWD and dedicated snow tires.
Some friends suggested Michelin X-Ice tires my concern is when the roads clear up they are fairly dry until the next storm.
Was going to get Nokian WRG2's but they are more an all season tire. All that power through the front end might overwhelm them.
I guess I can just buy rims and Nokian tires and spend more money but was hoping for a Tire Rack purchase
just due to ease of buying.
Any suggestions especially on tires? Thanks
In their "Info Centre" they have a page of recommended winter tires. The top three winter tires are Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5, Toyo Observe GO2+, and the Dunlop Graspic DS2. The Michelin X-Ice is listed in the "better than average" category.
In their "Info Centre" they have a page of recommended winter tires. The top three winter tires are Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5, Toyo Observe GO2+, and the Dunlop Graspic DS2. The Michelin X-Ice is listed in the "better than average" category
They sure do, best winter driving tips around are on one of the Canadian sites I have. I've driven a long time in winter and love the Nokian tires but they tend to wear very fast when the roads are bare and I burn them up fast. I live about 4.5 hours outside of Montreal (Sud)
The Hakka 5's are replacements for the Hakka 1's which are an awesome winter tire. I bought Hakka Q's because they were more than a match for the weather here but I want a better balance of bare road and snowy slick icy wintry mix weather that we get and still get something that will last on the dry roads.
I was hoping the Nokian WRG2's would work but they are so new.
I'll check out the tires you mention for certain. Thanks
Did you try installing wheels without the TPMS sensors? If so, what happened? Is that idiot light beeping non-stop? Or does it just beep once, light flashing briefly, and then stays lit when you have wheels that don't have TPMS sensors?
Thanks!
Yes.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
None the less, it might beep once. Then it flashes for a couple of minutes then it stays on. It has not bothered me one bit. Any annoyance would be offset by the $300 savings for the TPMS. I'm not a big fan of that stuff anyway. Just like the stability control..... that stuff just irks me to no end. Hope this helps.
If you think that the light would bother you, I am sure you could get some black vinyl and cut a littl circle out to cover the light.
Happy snow running. The car is awesome with some good tires on it. The RSA are really bad in the snow.
i have a 06 mazda 3
Q: Will 18'' CX7 tires and rims fit on a 2006 mazda 3 or while i need to modify it in anyway?
Or if that is not possible, how thin a tire could I put on 6.5" rim?
My friend is interested is the Toyota Camry hybrid & there's an option for 18" wheels.
Also, what's the difference in ride and handling between a 16" and a 17, 18" tires?
Would you guys say something or just let it go?
I know nothing can't be done but i paid a little extra for "adapters" so they would not get damaged... Plus i have to go back because my steering wheel slightly goes right on straight road. (i kinda don't want to go back because i don't want more damage but i did pay for the service in the first place!) This is not the first time either, the other time, at Mazda, i had my tires rotated i had 2 small, deep scratches but by the time i noticed, it was days later.
When you guys get wheel work done, do you get scratches, chips on your rims? I swear it is so hard to find people/places that do a good job!!
**i forgot which member but they mentioned theres places that can fix rims... what kind of place is it? Thanks in advance (again)!!
Another ques, is a 17" compared to 16" more prone to road hazards?
As for mpg, a 17" rim weighs more than a 16" rim (if made from same materials). In a Mazda 3, the stock 16" rim weighs 18lbs, 17" rim weighs 22lbs. That's four more pounds at each corner. Due to rotational forces (and a bunch of other physics/math terms), more power is needed to get a car with larger and heavier rims going. The trick in getting larger rims, if you really want to increase performance and handling, is to get lighter rims, or else its all just for show. Ok, handling might be better due to a shorter sidewall, but you'll definitely be slower.
For a Mazda 3 hatchback, and all 'S' trim Mazda3s, smallest rim that will fit is 16" due to the size of the disc brakes, as they are larger than on the 'I' trims. 15" will not fit.
No, I either use my BMW indie shop or one of Tire Rack's recommended installers.
I swear it is so hard to find people/places that do a good job!!
I agree, that's why I always use a shop that has received good reviews from people I trust.
**i forgot which member but they mentioned theres places that can fix rims... what kind of place is it?
Here's one place that several of my automotive writer friends have used. No personal experience, however.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
The last set of tires I put on my old Mustang GT were Kumho. They were very good tires for the money. That may be the route I take. With the cost premium fuel heading rapidly toward 4 bucks a gallon, I don't want to spend an extra 800+ a year on tires. At least I get far better MPG than I ever had with the Mustang
I cross-shopped like crazy before I settles on the MS3. I came real close to picking up a 2003-2004 Mach 1, but I just couldn't get past the interior. Ditto for the Charger SRT-8. OTOH, I loved the interior of the GTO, but I couldn't stomach the Mutated Cavalier styling. I guess it all worked out. 23 mpg just isn't all that bad...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
Has anyone on here jumped to a 225 size?...if so did you go to a 45 or 40 series tire?
Daughter drove 20,000 miles in 10 months. We noticed a thrum-thrum sound. It turned out her tires are wearing unevenly. We checked alignment and it was fine.
AFTER we took it back to dealer, we found out that tires warrantee is for 12,000 miles.
Sister-in-law's Mazda3 only has 10,000 miles and shows same problem. Took it to dealer who says alignment must be the problem. If he can stall us for another 2,000 miles, this car will also be out of tire warrantee. Dealer could not refer us to a Kansas City location which will honor the warrantee on the Mazda tires.
We are NOT happy campers. I have NEVER heard of a tire with such a low mileage warrantee.
Is it too much to ask that I want wet and dry traction, great handling, reasonable tread life and a quite ride. I don't need to drive 149 miles per hour (V-Rated Tires) and I have been told that the car has a top end limiter set at 120 anyway.
Can someone give me a recount of their replacement experiences that turned out well.
The rear wheels have a negative camber that can cause the inside edges of the tires to wear excessively. The problem could also be exaserbated if you routinely carry a lot of extra weight in the rear seat and trunk because the wheels tilt progressively inward as the rear suspension compresses.
When tires wear in this manner, they may begin to cup (develop flat spots) on the inside portion resulting in that thrum-thrum sound you mentioned. Rotating the unevenly worn rear tires to the front, unfortunately, increases the noise level inside and if you rotate them at the dealer recommended intervals, it makes it more difficult to tell if the wear problem is on the front, rear, or both.
Before replacing my short-lived OEM tires I had the dealer check the alignment and was informed that the rear camber was not adjustable, only toe in, and it was normal for the tires to wear unevenly on this car and blah blah blah just live with it.
I've searched through various discussions here and elsewhere but have been unable find any solution. Mostly just confirmation of what the dealer told me. The only suggestion I could make at this time is to make sure that your alignment is adjusted to spec and be religious about checking your tire pressure.
The 12000 mile tire warranty does seem a bit pathetic, even for soft compound performance rated tire. But it's probably a non-issue unless you can show the uneven wear is being caused by defective tires rather than the car.
Good luck.
Agreed. On most of the other boards the econobox Mazda 3 is called "MZ3", and the hot hatch Mazdaspeed3 is known as the "MS3". There is only ONE M3, and it isn't built by Mazda.
As for tires, the OEM Bridgestone 050As on my MS3 are still wearing evenly at 18,300 miles. Well, three of them are anyway; the LR tire was taken out by a nail in the inner sidewall. I'm spending a few days at Putnam Park in a few weeks so I'll report back on how well they do after several hours of hot laps...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Then after buying a new set of Michelin tires I go to a different Mazda dealer to have the alignment checked. All of a sudden the alignment is way off. So they did the alignment and now 25K into the Michelins I am seeing the same issues again.
I stopped by the tire dealer where I purchased the Michelin tires for their opinion. Basically knowing I have the tires rotated regularly (by them) they thought this to be some sort of alignment issue. In the their words, "the tires are setting on the surface evenly".
So I contacted the service manager at the original Mazda dealership and explain my problem. He seems eager to help and makes an appointment to look at the car. Yepper, same old BS again plus this time he added that the tires I have on the car are too big and have a very aggressive tread pattern which causes excessive wear. Funny that the tires are the exact same size as the OEM tires and the tread pattern is just the Michelin rain tread pattern. So then I called a person who used to be a service writer at a Mazda dealership for his opinion. He tells me the Mazda3 is notorious for tire wear and rear brakes. Known problem! He told me to call the service manager at the dealership to discuss. That was a mistake as well since I heard the same spin on the tire wear situation but in a more civil manner than that from the service manager at the original dealership where I bought the car.
Funny how well trained the service people are at these Mazda dealerships to lie though their teeth to cover up a known problem and just pass it on the customer. How stupid, like I will buy another Mazda after this headache!
Saturday dawned clear and warm...
Photo Courtesy of PHOTOMOTIONONLINE.COM
As the ambient temperature approached 90F the limitations of the stock rubber became evident. After about 15-20 minutes of track time the tires started to go away. Tire pressures were 35/38 cold but they just tended to overheat if I started to really push. And I certainly wasn't driving that hard; I barely saw 110 on the main straight. I could have easily hit 130 had I wanted to. If I keep the sled I'll definitely need a tire trailer as well as a set of R compound rubber and track wheels. I also need to sort out the traction control and perhaps upgrade to more suitable brake pads. The stock pads worked fine but I'll want something with a bit more bite to complement the upgraded tires and the higher speeds they will allow.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
A couple of questions: first, what is the deal with getting your street ride on the track? Do they have regular open days?
The events that I learned at-and now instruct at-are driving schools conducted by chapters of the BMW Car Club of America, AKA BMW CCA. As the official description says,
"BMW CCA driving schools are designed to teach drivers how to safely improve their driving abilities and explore their cars’ capabilities. Students, using their own cars, get one-on-one instruction from experienced instructors. Our overriding emphasis is on safety, and safely learning how to control the car in emergency and higher performance conditions. The school is conducted on a paved, closed, and controlled course to minimize risk to persons and equipment. This is not a racing school, practice or preparation for racing, and it is not a timed, competitive event or speed contest."
The schools are typically held on weekends, with Friday usually being reserved for instructors and Advanced students.
I see you're wearing a helmet. Were there any other requirements?
The helmet must have a Snell MA2000 or S2000 rating. Your car must also undergo a pre-event inspection as well as a trackside inspection.
How about the cost?
@$200-$400 for the two day event. Cost depends on the track and chapter. You also must be a BMW CCA member($40/yr).
Also you state inflation pressures as "35/38", I assume meaning 35 front and 38 rear. I'm sure you know the factory recommends 2 pounds more in the front "34/32". Why the reversal? Did you do this to try to lessen understeer?
Yes, you normally increase front tire pressure to reduce understeer, but I went with the recommendations of an experienced MS3 track driver and I thought his numbers were spot-on. The front tires run hotter due to all the work they have to do-transmit power, turn, and brake- so the pressures tend to even out front to rear.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
1. 215-50-17 ultra high performance all season, weight per tire is 22lbs
2. 205-50-17 ultra high performance all season, weight per tire is 25lbs
I know weight matters, but so does extra friction with the wider tire.
This is ridiculous.