Tire Rack WTF

[ScorpioGTX1]

So I was just playing around on Tire Rack today, and was completely baffled when I discovered that they force you to buy $220 TPMS sensors with wheels that do not fit the OEM ones.

A friend of mine suggested looking up the wheels on a car that does not require TPMS in order to circumvent this ridiculousness.

So I looked up wheels for a 1990 Mazda Miata, since the hub size is identical to the 2. Not only are you able to avoid being forced to buy expensive TPMS sensors by doing this, but the increase in wheel selection was incredible. There is about 4X as many wheels available for the Miata on Tire Rack then there are for the 2. And as far as I can tell, there is no reason as to why any of these wheels wouldn't fit the 2.

Take a look:

Mazda2: http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/resu...lse&filterNew=All&filterWeight=All&sort=Brand

Miata: http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/resu...lse&filterNew=All&filterWeight=All&sort=Brand

 

[Mazda233]

I am new to this forum, I tried to reply to the above but screwed up somehow, reply is on the Cork Sport torsion bar thread.

 

[scoobs]

You are right, I can get the wheels I really wanted all a long "Kosei K1" this is weird. Thanks for the thread!

 

[Joker2]

It is a NHTSA requirement that tire installers must install TPMS sensors when mounting tires on wheels for cars newer than 2007. So why the TR hate? Just doing their job.

 

[ScorpioGTX1]

It is a NHTSA requirement that tire installers must install TPMS sensors when mounting tires on wheels for cars newer than 2007. So why the TR hate? Just doing their job.

Because they force you to buy them even if you live in Canada, which doesn't require TPMS. It's just a cheap cash grab.

 

[Minimazda]

I just had a new tire put on a rim last week from tire kingdom and they didn't even ask about my tpms...which I don't have on my new rims. They also put it on my car so it just depends on where you go =)

 

[inspekt]

I also bought wheels from Tire Rack shopping for a 95-97 miata. That's the way to get a good offset. I'd go back and check again, just this week there were a few really good looking new enkei and motegi wheels added, as well as that enkei compe wheel that people have been curious about. They actually don't force you to buy tpms. I bought my sparco assetto gara wheels and tires from them, and then we used my TPMS from the stock touring wheels and it worked completely fine!

 

[DKaz]

Just list your car as a 05 Toyota Echo or something.

 

[ScorpioGTX1]

I also bought wheels from Tire Rack shopping for a 95-97 miata. That's the way to get a good offset. I'd go back and check again, just this week there were a few really good looking new enkei and motegi wheels added, as well as that enkei compe wheel that people have been curious about. They actually don't force you to buy tpms. I bought my sparco assetto gara wheels and tires from them, and then we used my TPMS from the stock touring wheels and it worked completely fine!

If the wheels you're planning to buy can fit the OEM TPMS sensors, then yes, you don't need to buy TPMS sensors from TR. But if the wheels in question can't fit the OEM sensors then they make you buy theirs.

 

[Gravity]

Or you coudl hit up 1010tires.com in Canada. They have almost everything TR has (better i thought actually), and no stupid TPMS bs.

 

[genericmoniker]

And they now offer free shipping

 

[Font Motorsports]

Or you could ask me since Tirerack is one of my distributors.

 

[Font Motorsports]

I'm not really that fond of how Tirerack handles the wheel options on their site. There are so many wheel on there that do fit the 2 but somehow doesn't end up on your final search options. If you know a wheel fits on the 2 and you see that it is sold on Tirerack then i can definitely get that for you.

 

[Installshield 2]

Tirerack is GREAT for tires in my experience, and TERRIBLE for wheels...and they often change how the website works, for a while they wouldn't let you buy a single tire from the site...it HAD to be in pairs...pretty funny for people that have a full sized spare (my gf's car, the sidewall on the spare rotted and she only needed a single replacement)...When i called and ordered over the phone the guy literally said 'we didn't really think of that'...and not long after i noticed they removed that from the site...

in either case...i bet just calling them avoids problems like this...TireRack is the Apple of the automotive industry...they control everything to keep it simple, but it just gets annoying...If you tell them over the phone you already have pressure sensors that will work, they'll probably stop fighting you about it...but yeah, you have to search other cars with the same wheel specs to get the full lists most of the time...dumb...

 

[Joker2]

when searching for wheels i use early mx-5 Miata and early BMW 3 series which also take 15x7 4x100 sizes.

 

[racercentral]

With replacement wheels are any of you using hub centric rings--and/or spacers? How many inches or mm of spacers can be used safely for track or autocross use? Are you using longer studs? Wouldn't be fun to become a three or even two-wheeler.

 

[Joker2]

no rings
autocross my 2 and no problems
some sanctioning bodies allow up to 10mm spacers, some 1/4"
most do not allow any

I have 15x7 Team Dynamics Racing Pro 1.2s (same wheels are used in Spec Miata, M30, BTCC) they are not the lightest but I have yet to damage one on potholes or tracks and I have shredded an RE-11 tire and drove like that for about a mile. They also have good runout and balance well for street use. The set I use for Miata for Track do not get balance and they are fine at Miata speeds 80-90 mph and for autocross. The Mazda2 has not seen the track yet but has autocrossed for 2 seasons in HS and STF

 

[ANGRYEAGLE]

You have to call and speak to a rep there. I was buying wheels for my MSP and they also added the TPMS automatically.
I called and talked to a sales rep, and ordered straight from him without the TPMS. You should also check your state laws
ConcerningTPMS. Some states it is illegal for a mechanic to mount unless your TPMS is active.