Winter Set up Advice Please.

[Rumblestiltzkin]

Does anyone know if 16's will fit on a Mazdaspeed3. I am looking into a winter set-up since winter is a little worse than expected and just getting started for the season too. So obviously I don't want to spend a ton but want my ride to still look good and perform in the winter. Do 16s look too small no matter what season it is? are 17s better for appearance and for saving money on snow tires. I can buy a wheel and tire package for a little more than just tires for my stock 18's. Has anyone gone this route or in my same shoes. Where is the best place online to buy. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[mrlilguy157]

try edgeracing.com

i've only seen 1 car on 16's, and the caliper was so close to the wheel in front that you couldn't slip a peice of paper between them.

go with 17's at edgeracing.

 

[Hirudin]

As far as the best place to buy: www.tirerack.com is probably the biggest (kinda like the Best Buy of wheels). They have the best web page I've seen (specs, info, selection, etc.) and usually the best prices (for both wheels and tires).

There's also www.discounttiredirect.com they've had some very good deals in the past and are likely to again. The big difference here is the shipping is "free" (AKA it's already included in the price of the tire).

 

[jp4130]

Tire rack has come through everytime for me.

 

[jma57]

Does anyone know if 16's will fit on a Mazdaspeed3. I am looking into a winter set-up since winter is a little worse than expected and just getting started for the season too.

Yes they do, I just mounted the set I bought from the TireRack yesterday, http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Whee...elModel=E3&wheelFinish=Bright+Satin+Sil+Paint
I got them with Winterforce tires, 215/55/16. To me the setup looks just fine, there is adequate caliper clearance. The package was 758.00 delivered w/o TPMS sensors. I'll post a pic when I get a chance

Hope this helped.

 

[jma57]

Some pics,
Should give you an idea...

 

[clos561]

Does anyone know if 16's will fit on a Mazdaspeed3. I am looking into a winter set-up since winter is a little worse than expected and just getting started for the season too. So obviously I don't want to spend a ton but want my ride to still look good and perform in the winter. Do 16s look too small no matter what season it is? are 17s better for appearance and for saving money on snow tires. I can buy a wheel and tire package for a little more than just tires for my stock 18's. Has anyone gone this route or in my same shoes. Where is the best place online to buy. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

i recently bought a set of 4 fd rims. They are 16x8 50mm offset and they fit fine, the tires look good and i can get really cheap tires for it 60 shipped from websites. They dont look too small, i am painting them black and cant wait to get them back on my car

 

[Rumblestiltzkin]

Thanks the advice guys. I will let you know what happens.

 

[Dream]

Good luck finding anything in stock for 18" snow tires. I just went though this problem, most places are sold out right now and dont get much more in. I just went to my local Discount Tire and got a 17" wheel and tire combo for just under 1k. I ended up getting Graspic DS-2 tires on the Enkei GF1 wheels, its the only combo they could get for me today, otherwise I would have had to wait a few weeks.

 

[Rumblestiltzkin]

Good luck finding anything in stock for 18" snow tires. I just went though this problem, most places are sold out right now and dont get much more in. I just went to my local Discount Tire and got a 17" wheel and tire combo for just under 1k. I ended up getting Graspic DS-2 tires on the Enkei GF1 wheels, its the only combo they could get for me today, otherwise I would have had to wait a few weeks.

That is basically the same route that I am taking. I found some Graspics for 300 (slightly used though) and ordered some wheels from tirerack for a pretty good deal. I will put pics up. Have you used the Graspics in the snow yet?

 

[Dream]

There ok, much better than the stockers thats for sure. Im use to hakka's so these dont even compare to those but I didnt have time to wait on the hakka's. The side walls are soft and you can really tell. I dont think I would buy them again, but they definetly get the job done.

 

[Rumblestiltzkin]

Thanks. I will put them to the test over the next few days. There is a storm coming tomorrow and I will have them on just in time so I dont have a lot of time either. of course there will always be something better but we will see how they do.

 

[builthatch]

I got them with Winterforce tires, 215/55/16.

winterforce MS is an incredible tire...

 

[mazdaspeednut]

Yes the sport edition 16's fit on a speed3 as I have the exact same setup on mine. Small world... cool