Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

zodiac2004

Just wondering - how much would replacement tires cost in the 20's.
Probably a grand each - what. And those low profiles won't last very long either.

nippononly

I used to be the kind of guy who drove a car until it was completely worn out too - then I joined CCBA!

I am really hoping that with the two cars I have now, I can stay on the wagon and drive both until they wear out. I like them both a lot in their own ways.

For years I have been advocating for lighter, more basic cars, the opposite of the direction the industry is going (towards computerization, remoter and remoter driving experiences, etc). Not to mention better fuel economy, which has fallen substantially over the last two decades, with the pinnacle probably around 1990.

So I have put my money where my mouth is. And what the heck do I need a ton of power for in my commute car? It spends 3/4 of its time below 50 mph anyway, with short bursts of 65 in between.

mark156

Maybe I'm the only one but I can't stand those big wheels on any car.

I like regular factory wheels, chrome wheels look OK if they are the factory design. But basically, I like the regular polished aluminum wheels that comes from the factory.

Mark

michaellno

When I was ready to put new tires onto the Focus a couple of months ago, I briefly entertained the idea of getting some slightly larger aftermarket wheels. The Focus has 15" on it currently, and I took a look at some 16" on Tire Rack.

Ultimately, I couldn't justify the cost and ended up buying some 15" tires.

Later this summer, I might be getting the L300 back, and I've told the wife that I am seriously considering putting some aftermarket wheels onto it. The current 16" chrome wheels are pretty dirty from the brake dust - a common problem with this model, I've been told - and some new polished silver wheels with a more open spoke design would make the car look better, IMO.

I've seen pictures of L300's that have 17" and 18" wheels - while they look pretty nice, it would be difficult (if not impossible) to find all season tires that I could use in the winter.

steine13

No, you're not the only one.

Let's just say I don't care for them; don't want into a pillow fight here on CCBA.

-Mathias
(14" on Civic, 15" on Sienna, 16" on Vibe. All stock, all steel cheapies.)

jaserb

The nice looking 18" alloys from the RX8 will bolt right onto an MPV. I've debated getting a set on eBay - our PeeVee has the factory spoiler, privacy tint, ground effects, and fog lights. 18" wheels would look smooooth on it. Ultimately I worry about ride quality and the cost of replacement tires but it'd be about the sweetest looking minivan around.

-Jason

guss

I agree , factory wheels are usually fine with me. I can not do the steelies with hub caps though.

The best thing about people upgrading their wheels is that if you go on some of the enthusiasts web sites you can pick up their brand new (old) tires cheap. I bought a set of 4 with 2k miles on it for the price of one. The kid I bought them from was upgrading to 18's.

anonymousposts

But I think the 20's look pretty good.



Kind of dark right now but we will take more pictures when Gee gets the running boards on (and we wash it).

anonymousposts

To date the mother-in-laws 93 Accord is running strong. IIRC, she has replaced the thermostat and put new tires and brakes on it. Otherwise it's just been gas, oil change, and go.

mark156

Anony... Oh my, if that's your MDX, you have totally ruined it. That looks aweful. But, if you like, it's your car and I hope that you and Gee are happy.

Also, the ride will be much harsher with low profile tires.

I shouldn't say anymore.... I might get in trouble.

Mark :surprise:

jjtj

I think it depends on the application as far as appearance goes.. however, I don't think most people take into account the increase in rolling mass that they are adding to the vehicle. This can drastically reduce ride quality and increase wear on ball joints and other suspension parts. It also puts way too much load on the OE braking system, which becomes a safety factor. And if the overall tire height goes much beyond factory, you effectively numerically lower your gear ratio which negatively affects acceleration, and distort the factory speedo & odometer calibration. Not that I'm against aftermarket wheel/tire upgrades, just some things to keep in mind.

guss

I kinda like those. The open spoke design cuts down on there being alot of chrome like you see on most larger wheels.

corvette

Too much to keep track of between following both the auto shows and MacWorld. I actually would probably be a better fit for "Chronic Computer Buyers Anonymous..."

woodyww

I agree with jjtj--I'd be concerned about extra wear on the suspension components with hugely bigger rims. And good luck trying to get a 20" tire mounted, or purchased, if you're away from a major metro area & blow a tire. At least the stock Acura (or whatever) tire sizes are probably readily available.

A few years ago I bought a set of 5 brand new-looking 16" bmw E-39 alloys w/the new tires still on them out of the want-ad for $400. I really kind of wanted 17"s for summer use, but really nice ones were at least $1700 for 4. The 16"s look really nice, & I got basically a free set of new summer tires, & can put my snows on the winter-beaten stock wheels.

To me, there's something about a "factory look" that usually looks right. So I'd prefer to go with a rim made by the car mfg. if going to a larger size. Usually easy (if expensive) to do with a bmw, but maybe oem 17"s are the largest size avail. for the mdx (?).

woodyww

My G4 e-mac coughed up a hard drive last week. I hadn't backed up in 2 1/2 months. So I had to lug a 50 lb. CRT computer 1/2 way thru a giant mall to get to the Apple Store, which was mobbed. I was there for 2 hours waiting to see the tech guy (you can't just leave your broken whatever off to be fixed). It was a real nightmare. The store was full of surburban mutants waiting to get their i-pods fixed, & the employees seemed like jerks.

I was gonna order a new Mac from Mac-Connection, because I was so ticked off at the Apple Store. But instead, I bought a new G5 i-mac, wireless kybd. & mouse, flat panel 17" screen, 3 yrs. applecare, printer, & 2 years of this bogus ".mac" service that I can't figure out, right there, for about $1700 (ouch).

The new G5 is beautiful, & I hopefully won't have a heart attack if I ever have to take it in for service as it weighs maybe 12-15 lbs. Oh, & I had purchased applecare also on the old e-mac so the $400 repair should be free.

Uh, I guess I'm getting a wee bit O.T. for this forum, huh.....

gee35coupe

All hooked up on a wireless connection. I'm always gonna be here.

As for the wheels...They are a straight +3 upgrade according to all the tire places. The total diameter is supposed to be close to stock.

There are tire shops all over the place where we live. And there are models these days with 20's as standard equipment. The tire size is 275/45/20 so there is still plenty of sidewall. The ride isn't all that much degraded. The MDX rides rather stiffly to start out with.

Now I have noticed a little decreased stopping power and the gas mileage has decreased a bit according to the trip computer. And for that reason I'm not as happy as I thought I would be. I got the wheels for half price but one of them is slightly bent. There is a little jiggle at higher speeds. I may have done it myself but I'm not sure. There's a wheel repair shop close though.

I'm not sure how long I'm gonna keep em on the rig. I love the way it looks. And it drives and handles fine. But knowing they are sucking up so much power concerns me. I hate that gas mileage computer. My Civic Si had 17's on it and they effected it the same way. I had the OEM's put back on right before I sold it and it drove like a different car. I just didn't have a mileage readout glaring me in the face.

corvette

...the employees seemed like jerks.

Really surprising, as I've heard that it's difficult to get hired to work retail at an Apple corporate store.

Tech support and customer service in the computer industry as a whole stinks to high heaven. I wrote a thesis paper in undergrad on the subject, as I worked in the field at the time (and still do on a limited basis). Hope you didn't lose anything valuable on the drive!

I think CCBA *is* the off-topic forum...

corvette

I went from 195/65/15 low-rolling-resistance tires on my Jetta to 225/50/16 performance tires, and saw the highway mileage drop from 25 to 23-24 (EPA rating 26). Didn't notice a huge difference in power, though.

I was skeptical, but the wheel repair thing really works. One of the Altima's wheels was bent when I got it.

anonymousposts

Not so crazy about the front and rear view though. I think it would have been better (and cheaper) to get fatter tires and install the running boards. Gee usually has excellent taste in wheels though so I'm surprised I'm not thrilled with the results. Oh well, at least I still have the Accord.

racer63

I actually do a -1 fitment for winter tires, going from 195/60-15's on 6.5's, to 185/70-14 on 5.5's. Same diameter but much narrower for better snow traction.

These are a set of old K-car steelies complete with that vintage wheelcovers. Same 5x100 bolt pattern and they clear the brakes, so why not?

The family holiday present was a new juiced up Dell, complete with all the software I could add in, a 19" flat screen monitor, printer/scanner, and a broadband connection order, all ordered through Employee Purchase Program pricing with an additional 30% off. Close to $2000 of hardware and accessories for $1100.

I hope to be as successful a buyer with my next car purchase.

woodyww

Well, waiting for 2 hours just to leave my computer off, & the fact that they didn't help me get it into the store, really affected my attitude. And I'm now on my 4th or 5th Mac.

To make it worse, I just saw that Steve Jobs announced a new Model at macworld, which will blow away the G5 I just bought, for the same $$. I was desperate tho because I'd sold or thrown out all my old computers.

But, this G5 imac is beautiful, very sleek looking. And the 3 ys. of applecare is a bargain at $100--$150 or so for desktop models. Great telephone tech support, & a 3 yr. warranty. I think my experience at the Apple Store was my first bad experience ever owning a Mac. Oh, & the dead hard drive of course.

*...the employees seemed like jerks.*

woodyww

I find the look of wheels can be so subjective. And it's really hard to tell until you get them on your car, unless you see the exact wheels on the same vehicle as yours. I bought an almost new set of bmw 17"s for my 5 series a couple of years ago & didn't like the look much (just because of that particular style, not the size). But I sold them for about what I paid.

I do recall the stock tires on the MDX as looking a tiny bit.....skinny maybe, for the size of vehicle. But personally, I think the craze for giant rims has gotten a little bit nuts. I remember when some of the hottest cars--60's Pontiac Firebirds & GTO's, etc, had 14" wheels.

mark156

Gee and Anony.... maybe a nice gold package would work for the MDX.... and couldn't you use a TV antennae on the top?

Your MDX will the sharpest looking on the street!

M. :P

corvette

...maybe a nice gold package would work for the MDX.... and couldn't you use a TV antennae on the top?

Wonder if you can find spinners for the MDX? Actually, I don't see those around anymore. Wonder what happened to all of them?

mark156

Corvette, you are right, I don't see many spinners around either.

I'll never forget going to the Lincoln Mercury dealer near my home in California and looking at a new Navigator. Next to the MSRP sticker was an addendum sticker showing the price for new low profile tires and huge spinner rims... posted at $11,000! That pushed the MSRP to over $70,000 for a Navigator. I was absolutely shocked.

First, I just don't care for the look of over-sized wheels on car/trucks. Now that it has been brought to our attention that changing factory wheels to over-sized wheels and how it can effect suspension parts, ride and gas mileage, I like them even less.

But, a car is a personal toy and if someone likes them covered in after market parts, wheels, gold, etc, more power to them. I just find it unattractive.

Mark

woodyww

I find over-sized wheels--well, it depends on the wheels. But esp. with the bright chrome ones from after-market mfgs., usually on SUVs, bmw's, & Mercedes, often look garish to me, & imo can make the vehicle look like it belongs to an LA gang-banger or drug dealer.

With bmw's, I rarely think they look "right" unless they have actual bmw wheels. Fortunately, bmw usually makes about a zillion styles & sizes for each range of models over the years, so there are lots to choose from. Sometimes you can even use wheels from say a 7-series--or whatever--on other models if you get "fitment rings" from the tire rack.

I think I mentioned I had these beautiful factory 18" alloys on my '98 Range Rover. But I'm glad I never had to buy new tires for it--I shudder to think.

corvette

That was how I chose the wheels for my winter tires--which ones at Tire Rack most closely resembled a set of factory wheels. It still really changed the look of the car, but I like it.

ghulet

...about oversized wheels and tires: first, I think if cars were meant to have 20" wheels and tires, they'd be manufactured with them (with the manufacturers reaping the profits instead of the aftermarket), just from ride/handling/suspension wear/safety standpoints. Second, I don't generally like how oversized wheels look, I don't need the extra attention from the 'kids', let alone from cops or thieves, which given my usual luck would be their main attractors. Third, don't 'normal' wheels and tires cost enough? Geez, last time we got tires for my brother's Blazer (a nothing-special car with nothing-special 235/15s), they were around $500 installed, for Firestones, not exactly the best brand around any more (forgive me, we were in Indianapolis); were they nice Michelins or something, probably more like $700-800. I may be in a different tax bracket than everyone else here, but that's a lot of money to me. Why would I want to spend twice as much on tires that wear out twice as quickly or on wheels that attract what I consider to be negative attention and get bent up in our wonderful Chicago potholes? I don't get it, sorry. Not to be negative, but have any of you with apparently endless automotive budgets considered doing something a bit more constructive, like, I dunno, paying off your mortgages or putting money into an IRA or a college fund? I must be getting old or something, sorry for the rant! :P

andre1969

that reminds me, I'm going to have to get new tires soon for my Silverado (235/75/R15). Funny thing is, even on a full-sized truck like this, I don't think the wheels look under-sized. Now it might help some that they're those 15x8 truck rallye wheels, so while they're nothing special when it comes to diameter, they're very thick, especially for that era, so they have a nice, filled-out look to them.

Now you'd think that on a big car, those big 20's, Dubs, or whatever they call them might not look too bad, but I think that sometimes they look even worse on a big car than a small one. Most small cars nowadays are pretty tall, especially in proportion to their length, so sometimes it almost seems like they need a bigger wheel to fill them out. But with really big cars that have oversized aftermarket wheels, like some 70's mastodon, it ends up making them seem buffoonish, and they come off looking like some HotWheels toy. There's a local guy who has a '75-76 Electra hardtop sedan with rims that must be 20" or so, and it looks just awful. The car itself is very attractive, kind of a platinum color with matchng tinted windows, but those wheels just mess it up. This dude actually stopped off at my house one day when I wasn't home, and asked my roommate if I'd be interested in selling my '79 NYer. God only knows what he might have done to that! Although I guess I shouldn't talk...after all right now it has 15x7 wide offset copcar rims on it, little dog-dish hubcaps, and raised white letter Firestone Firehawks!

steine13

Guss,

OK you asked for it... these are fairly lousy pictures, but in January, whatcha gonna do:


more pics

Cheap car, 4 new tires, 4 new dampers... I'm still under $1200 and for that, it's a fun ride. No wonder Honda built a reputation building cars that can go 209k miles and the last thing you worry about is the engine.

My first Honda car.. I'm just all a-dither with excitement ;-)

-Mathias

kyfdx

Sweet... I'm jealous..

jefferyg

Congrats Mathias. I have a friend who would give you your money back tomorrow on that little ride. He's been looking for a CRX around that same model. He runs his own car audio business and has been looking for a car to trick out and use to demo products.

corvette

My dad had one of those (Si hatchback of that vintage) in teal. His ended up with the wheel covers from the next generation Civic because the paint flaked off the original ones. It looks like your car has the same ones (off of a next-gen Civic). They are cool cars.

Only thing to watch is that there was a silent recall on something in the ignition on those cars. I have heard lots of alleged stories of the engine going 300,000 miles, even with lax oil change practices, and I tend to believe them.

kyfdx

Yeah.. be careful.. that engine could go south at any time in the next 6-7 years.. Now that I think about it, you should probably let me take it off your hands for $800...

guss

How did you ever find that?

The big question is how did you get it past Mrs.Stiene, because you now have the same 2 cars(Vibe&Civic) seperated by a generation.

I had 2 Hondas in the eighties,back when they were cheap to buy used.After looking at your pics I'll bet they are still running somewhere.

If we are running an auction, I'll give you your cost plus 10%.

asafonov

The big question is how did you get it past Mrs.Stiene, because you now have the same 2 cars(Vibe&Civic) seperated by a generation.

How are the Vibe and Civic two generations of the same car again?

woodyww

That's a pretty good rant! Maybe sometime we could start in on Run Flat tires, which I'm developing a phobia for as they're supposed to be hideously expensive to replace (& you have no spare). But I suppose if I had the $$ to blow on a new 'Vette or BMW, I'd get over it.

RE: "apparently endless automotive budgets"--the last time I was in a small town in the Midwest, visiting a branch of my family that, well let's just say, they're not in the Yuppie class, more working class, & they were talking about all the $$ they had spent on brand new SUV's, & their payments too I think. I didn't say a word.....

stickguy

remember, people on the forums are not "normal" car people (that is, most people have no clue about their cars). That goes for features and quality too. They just know if it makes them look "cool".

So, I bet you would be shocked by how many BMW buyers either didn't know that they have runflats, or if they did, have no idea what it means (and don't care in either case), as long as everyone knows they have a Beemer.

Vette buyers might be different, but only the smaller % that aren't posers.

As to the mid west, remember that it is probably so much cheaper to live their (vs. the coasts) that maybe they can afford the SUVs since they don't have 2.5K mortgage payments! And besides, they probably laugh at you for paying 2-3X as much as them for a smaller house (depending of course on where you are).

At least they are buying new cars, which is really the improtant thing, right?

guss

How are the Vibe and Civic two generations of the same car again?

Both are small,very reliable,4cyl,commuter cars designed by the Japanese separated by 12 years and 200k miles. How long is a generation, 20 years? I was exaggerating a bit.

corvette

Around $200 a tire in the staggered 17" size, which is in the same ballpark as a non-runflat tire in the same class. I just hope I don't have the headache of trying to find someone willing and able to repair leaks in them.

volvodan1

Maybe if you used Corolla instead of Civic it would make more sense.

woodyww

I was partly going on the owner's survey of the Mini in R&T, & one of the things they complained about was the runflat tires. But if I had a new 3-series, I probably wouldn't care about anything except enjoying the car.

Maybe it's-- what the heck are you gonna do if you're on vacation in VT or Northern NH & you blow one of your runflats, or 20" SUV tires? Of course, we could all just get 10 y.o. Camrys.....

anonymousposts

Our mortgage is at 4.1% for 15 years, we have plenty of equity, and we pay extra every month so it will probably be paid off in 10 years IF we stay here that long. Gee contributes the maximum each year to his ROTH IRA. I have stock and 401k at work. I contribute 5% of my pay to each because my employer matches up to 5%. We save plenty. So, other than buying 20's and cars we don't really waste a lot of money. No $400 purses or $300 pairs of shoes here either. We just drive what we like and like what we drive.

The wheels are growing on me. Sure the gas mileage went down a bit but we didn't plan on driving it that much when we bought it anyways. The bulk of our miles will go on the Accord. As for wear and tear, if 20" wheels are enough to wear out the suspension, engine, and transmission on a SUV that is capable of towing 4500 lbs then my faith in Honda is unwarranted and about to end.

The tires were about $750. Not bad. The stock Michelins were about $150 a piece. $150 more for tires isn't that big of a deal. Besides, we got the replacement warranty and roadhazard coverage.

anonymousposts

for a Civic Si like that one. Couldn't find any in decent shape. They all had tons and tons of miles or had been the victim of a bad episode of "Pimp My Ride".

nippononly

used SIs are so HARD to find. :-/

steine13

Well, don't fret. This one has tons of miles, and "decent shape" is relative.

The radio reception is lousy, probably antenna broken.
The interior light is not working. Fuse is fine.
The AC isn't working.
The rear defroster isn't working.
There is a rattle in the passenger door.
The driver's outside seat bolster is worn through to the foam rubber.
The suspension is better with the shocks, but still a little lose front... new bushings are REALLY painful to install.
The clutch chatters on takeoff at rpms below 1000.
The glove box broke and is in the trunk.
...

Driving a beater is an exercise in figuring out what to do and what to leave alone... I could easily spend $2,000 on this car and it would make NO sense.

New cars for $15,000 are pretty darned cheap, boys and girls....

-Mathias

corvette

Your post brought back some memories:

IIRC, the antenna is an easy replacement.

My dad's mechanic (Honda dealer in E-town) resurfaced the clutch on that car due to a similar problem. Said it was similar to grinding a brake rotor. I don't think it involved removing the transmission. That dealer was always good about providing cost-effective repairs.

You can only lock the driver's door with the door open if you pull the release while locking the door (it's somewhere in the owner's manual).

jlawrence01

Well, don't fret. This one has tons of miles, and "decent shape" is relative.

If you need a car that is in perfect shape, you have to buy a new one.

My trusted independent mechanic did his semi-annual inspection of my old beater and came up with a punch list of future maintenance projects.

Things like:

-small rattle in the door frame.
-blown fuse that controls the idiot chime.
-air conditioner compressor almost shot.

I figure that I could get them all fixed but I never use the air conditioning and I hate the idiot chime.

One of the reasons I selected my mechanic is something that he said later on. He told me that except for certain models, he ***EXPECTS*** current models to last 200k miles WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE and that he is disappointed if his customers don't get it.

Mathias, I give you credit. You always come up with some interesting deals.

woodyww

That was $1200, with 4 new tires, & 4 new shocks/struts included??? Nice going!

woodyww

It seems like you usually get pretty killer deals on the cars you do buy....so blowing $1500 on tires & wheels doesn't seem extravagent. There are bmw nuts that spend insane (to me) amounts of $$ on "upgrades" that would make that expense seem paltry. And wheels are removeable & easily re-sellable, if you decide to.

Smart to get the replacement warranty and roadhazard coverage on the tires.....