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Can I special order a 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited?
I'm ready for a 2014 Highlander..I like the features on the limited..but, I 'do not' want the 19" wheels it comes with. Can the Limited be ordered with the 245/60-18 tires/rims as come on the XLE....Thanks
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It would probably be easier to visit a tire shop or two in town and work out a swap. Then you'd get the Limited that you want, immediately drive to the tire shop and get the better wheels and tires installed, with a nice credit toward the price. (I say "better" because I don't like getting stuck with bigger wheels either).
Some dealers might work with you on this although I ran into a stubborn Hyundai dealer who didn't take the hint a few years back and agree to swap wheels with another model on the lot. He didn't get a sale either.
Thanks for the reply...I don't really want to take a hit on new tires and rims and don't see the dealer swapping them out (but I will ask), so I would rather get it done by Toyota if I could order it that way.
Please let us know what you find out. Maybe your local dealer will be more accommodating than the one I went to was. Lots of people like bigger wheels, so it's really a chance for the dealer to upsell someone.
Wouldn't there be a discrepancy with the speedometer when you change the size of the wheels?
From what I understand that can be adjusted
Bigger wheels have lower profile tires, so the overall diameter remains the same.
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I'm leaning towards special ordering the limited but now wondering the pros and cons of the 19" wheels. Is the ride compromised or improved or is the issue the cost of subsequent tire replacement?
To quote and paraphrase tirerack.com:
Bigger wheels look better.
"Using tires with shorter sidewalls ... quickens steering response and increases cornering stability."
"Low profile tire sidewalls can be pinched more easily between the road and the rim because shorter sidewalls cannot accommodate impact as well as taller sidewalls."
"Wide tires tend to float on loose surfaces ... [reducing] snow traction and hydroplaning resistance".
The "increase in weight can lead to longer stopping distances, as well as increased suspension and brake wear."
Assuming that these general rules of thumb apply to the new Highlander, you should gain some handling performance and lose a bit of durability (and about 70 pounds of load capacity). And if the 19" tires wind up being a bit "fragile" for your style of driving, you may have to replace the occasional tire (or wheel).
Tirerack will sell you a set of Bridgestone Ecopia's for either trim - a set of those in the 19" size will be about $55 cheaper than the 18" ones, so the lower cost rule of thumb doesn't always hold water. Hard to know if a replacement in the 18s would be easier to find in the boonies than the 19s.
Unless you "off-road" a lot (say, extensive commuting in Manhattan with all those potholes, lol) or drive a lot in the snow or wet with all-season tires, it's probably a wash and not worth trying to swap down to the smaller wheels.