Low profile tires on economy cars

[FrozenPilot]

Have you seen the price of tires for higher-end cars these days?

Of course, people have wanted better handling cars. It wasn't too long ago 195/75/14 was a fairly standard size for midsize cars. But with such a tall sidewall, you're really limited in what you can do, even with tire construction. There is added safety in being able to avoid an accident from a handling perspective.

With 17" wheels on the Camry, its the SE model, the sporty one. Its also got sport-tuned (sic) suspension. Thats no econobox. Granted, Toyota's idea of sport is like Honda's idea of standard in the Accord. Comparatively speaking, all midsize cars (Accord, Altima, 6, Malibu, etc.) all use similar sizes even with upgraded size wheels.

 

[Tosh]

Originally Posted By: jsharp
Yes, it was her choice but she's not a car person. She didn't consider the cost of every last replacement item when she purchased it.

By the sound of it, she didn't even consider the cost of the FIRST replacement item?

There still may be hope: Perhaps there's a 60 series tire available that won't affect the diameter too much.

If a Camry is an econobox, what is a Corolla and a Yaris? Rat trap and s#!tBox?

 

[jsharp]

Geez, maybe I should have made the title "Why 55 series tires on family sedans"

I seriously doubt if 10% of the people that buy cars look at the cost of any replacement parts before they purchase. Certainly they aren't likely to on a "family car" car as generic as a Camry.

She was surprised as I was and I question the reasoning behind Toyota's tire choice. That's all.

She ended up spending $580 for standard sized Goodyears + tax and mounting charges. Hopefully they'll last a bit longer than the OE Michelins...

 

[Jett Rink]

jsharp: I'm not going to join the "serves her right for not investigating the replcement cost for all the parts" crowd. I think the typical Camry buyer purchases the car based on reputation for dependability, low maintenance, and low running costs over the period of ownership. Aside from this tire surprise, I'm just guessing she might be satisfied with the car.

That's how it is with automobiles. Or it has always been with me. Just when you think you're getting lucky somehow, BAM!, something unexpected will get you.

I don't believe 17" is that rare. I'm pretty sure I've seen those on Accords and Altimas out on the road in that size. My BMW has 225/45/17 on it. You need bigger wheels than that if you want to stand out for a wheel and tire package that's got alot of "bling and street cred" (according to my nieces and nephews).

 

[mpvue]

17" is very common now, for a lot of reasons: better handling (which is for safety too, not just turning fast) and larger brakes. sure the fashion roght now is low sidewalls, but there are other benefits. I was worried for my parents when they bought a '99 chrysler 300M w/ 17" wheels. but, turned out mastercraft (off brand) makes a real good tire in the size they needed.
don't forget, too, everything is more expensive now. operating costs are high all over; annual inspections, brakes, gas (of course), alignments, etc.
my VUE has what was an uncommon size: 235/65 16. very expensive at first. now not so bad.

 

[leftlane]

I believe a economy car can look good with 14" wheels. Ive had compliments on mine from people that dont even like the body style of the 01 corolla. Here's a pic of mine with borbet wheels that match the car better than anything else I could find.

http://media.twango.com/m1/original/0076/17ed09884be7491781fde562786d9a09.jpg

I would have preferred the 15" wheels but didnt have the money for them after the cost of tires was figured in.

 

[rpn453]

I like that manufacturers offer lower profile tire options on affordable cars. Why should I have to spend a bunch of money and have a big, powerful, less efficient engine just so my car can handle good? I actually wanted sporty wheels and tires in an economy car when I bought my Mazda3, and I generally prefer OEM wheels to aftermarket ones. I have 205/50R17's, but could have bought the hatchback with 16" wheels or gone as small as 15" on the sedan. The brakes are too big to fit 15's on the hatchback.

leftlane, those wheels do look really good on that car. That may be the best looking Corolla I've ever seen! I'd estimate that 1 set of aftermarket wheels looks good (to me) for every 20 I see.

 

[leftlane]

Thanks rp. I agree many aftermarkets dont look good to me either.

 

[Jett Rink]

leftlane: hey, that's a good looking Corolla. You need to forward that pic on to Toyota HQ. I am generally not a big fan of mods at all, but you really hit the right note on this one. A 2001? Looks like it just came off the showroom floor.

Quite a few guys on BMW forums put these aftermarket black wheels on their cars and I just don't get that at all.

My wife's Volvo is temporarily out of action (I'm waiting on a part). So she is driving her mom's new Honda CR-V. I took a look at it, and it also has 17" wheels. This car would look a little odd with tiny wheels, in my mind's eye.

If you want to really save money on costs (upront and operating), I'd think that a Honda Fit might be tough to beat. That car interests me alot, for some reason. Lots of space, too, when you fold down the rear seat. If the wife totals the Volvo, I'm gonna lobby her on the Fit. Although that would be a mighty big change from her big Swedish vehicle. I just think Honda has done a good job with the Fit, now that the Civic has grown way out of its small car image.

 

[oilyriser]

Has anyone heard of potholes? Go fast through a deep one with 17" rims and you risk instant loss of air pressure and loss of control control.

 

[Jett Rink]

For a demonstration of how NOT to pick an aftermarket wheel and tire package, try this on for size:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/czech-it-out-1965-buick-lesabre-400/

Some nut out in California has pimped out a Buick 1965 Lesabre 400. Old school Detroit Iron meets MTV's "Pimp my Ride." Not good.

I'll warn the mother-in-law to avoid driving fast though potholes large enough to blow out the tires and lose control of the vehicle. If like myself, she'll say she's always sort of followed that principle no matter what she was driving. Unless it was a tracked vehicle with a 50 cal mounted up top.

 

[TomH]

Originally Posted By: astraelraen
55 series isn't low profile lol. Maybe for an SUV.



Given that response, I would venture to say that you probably aren't that old.

When I first started driving (back in the mid '80s), a 50 series tire was about as "low" of a profile tire as you were able to find, and these were usually found on Corvettes and the like.

So yeah, a 55 series to a lot of people on this board was, and still is, a low profile tire.

 

[leftlane]

Thanks Jett. Its at 89k right now and has always been garage kept with zaino z2 wax so the paint looks good other than the chips on the front of the hood that have touch up paint on them. Getting aftermarket window tint and wheels were all that I changed. Swapped the cd player and tape radio around since that dealer had them in the wrong places so now the radio is up top where its more safe to mess with while driving instead of being down by the console where its hard to get to with the drink filled cup holders and shifter in the way.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: oilyriser
Has anyone heard of potholes? Go fast through a deep one with 17" rims and you risk instant loss of air pressure and loss of control control.


You're thinking of the ridiculously low profile tires that are only really found in the aftermarket. 215/55 has about the same sidewall height as 185/65. 185/65R14 is not low profile, IMHO.

 

[rjundi]

My biggest qualm with these low profile tires is winter tires get really pricey and requirement goes up since they usually are wider and don't perform quite as well.

 

[RacerE7773]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
I agree completely. I miss the days when my small econoboxes came with 155-80-13 tires. So cheap to replace. Even my Cavalier now I'm happy has 195-70-14's, not 15's or 16's......
Same here witn my 2000. I wanted Dayton's for it (had them on my tempo from 9 years ago and liked them), but since they aren't easy to find I'll go with either Firestone or Bridgestone.

 

[CapriRacer]

RacerE7773,

Uh ..... ah ..... I don't know exactly how to say this, but Dayton is an in house private brand line wholly owned by Bridgestone - and in some respects so is Firestone. I'll bet there are Dayton brand tires that before they get put in the mold so they say "Dayton", could have wound up in a "Seiberling", "Firestone", or "Bridgestone" mold.

 

[jsharp]

OK, for the folks who think this is a standard and easy to find tire size, let me tell you the rest of the story -

As I said before, We ended up ordering a set of Goodyear Assurance TripleTred's priced at $580. We got a note on Wednesday that the tires were finally in stock and ready to be installed or picked up. I took the car in yesterday morning since my daughter had a long trip to make this weekend.

Opps, by the time I got there they'd already mistakenly sold them to someone else. And, they had no other tires of this size in stock.

So I told them to find me something NOW since I needed them that day. That's why I had ordered what I wanted 10 days ago.

I sat and listened while they called 10+ tire stores within 50 miles of where I live. They managed to find only 3 models of tire in stock anywhere.

A low end Bridgestone with NO treadwear warranty.
A middling Cooper with a 50K teadwear warranty.
A Goodyear Regatta 2 with a 75K treadwear warranty.

None of them even close to what we wanted but we took the Goodyears since we were desperate. At least they knocked the tire price down to $100 each. Probably a loss for them but I could care less after wasting almost an entire day and still not getting what I wanted.

My daughters comment was right on the mark. "I hope I never have one of these go bad on a trip. Who knows how long I'll be stranded."

Hey, but the bling is high on these 17" 55's eh? That's important on a 4 cylinder automatic Camry...

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

"Opps, by the time I got there they'd already mistakenly sold them to someone else."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I doubt it was a mistake.

 

[Steve S]

They look stupid.