Most cost effective solution for winter

ctbear

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I live in the Pacific Northwest and we don't really have bad winters. It might get to low or slightly below 40s, but we rarely get snow. We do get a lot of rain though.

It's now September and I am starting to think about the tire situation in winter. This is my first winter with a performance car like the CTR and I really don't know what to do. I know it is irresponsible to drive in the stock tires (even with our mild winters). But I really don't know much about different tire sizes, wheel offsets and all that jazz.

Context: this post is me asking for suggestions of the most cost effective way to last through winter. I plan on driving in the stock wheels as much as possible. I do not have easy access to a garage (will have to borrow space at my parent's). I did purchase the tire and wheel package since I read a lot of the horror stories about bent wheels.

After reading a bunch of posts here I come up with two solutions.

1. Buy another set of cheap 18 inch wheels, and put Michelin AS3s on them. This will most likely cost me upwards of 2000+, which is not impossible to afford but still a lot of money. I will have to find a place to store the OEM wheels during the winter. Question: which wheels do you guys recommend? I ideally would like to just pop the OEM wheels off and put the new ones on. I have no idea how to look for rubbing and all those issues.

2. Buy a set of AS3, tires only, and bring them to a local dealer to mount on the stock wheels. They don't seem to come in OEM sizes and I will have to buy 245/35/20. I think I can deal with the speedometer inaccuracy and a set of tires seem easier to store than wheels, and much cheaper to buy. Downside is I will have to mount the tires before and after every winter, and the costs to do that can add up.

I apologise this seems a lot of rambling. Hopefully you guys understand what I'm asking. Thanks.
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baldheadracing

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Given that you have the wheel/tire warranty, and assuming that your roads are decent, then just get the 245/35x20 Pilot Sport A/S 3+.

Next summer, switch back to the CSC6's and run them until they wear out, i.e., the tread depth isn't sufficient to avoid hydroplaning, and then mount and leave the A/S 3+ on all year 'round.
 

tinyman392

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I live in the Pacific Northwest and we don't really have bad winters. It might get to low or slightly below 40s, but we rarely get snow. We do get a lot of rain though.

It's now September and I am starting to think about the tire situation in winter. This is my first winter with a performance car like the CTR and I really don't know what to do. I know it is irresponsible to drive in the stock tires (even with our mild winters). But I really don't know much about different tire sizes, wheel offsets and all that jazz.

Context: this post is me asking for suggestions of the most cost effective way to last through winter. I plan on driving in the stock wheels as much as possible. I do not have easy access to a garage (will have to borrow space at my parent's). I did purchase the tire and wheel package since I read a lot of the horror stories about bent wheels.

After reading a bunch of posts here I come up with two solutions.

1. Buy another set of cheap 18 inch wheels, and put Michelin AS3s on them. This will most likely cost me upwards of 2000+, which is not impossible to afford but still a lot of money. I will have to find a place to store the OEM wheels during the winter. Question: which wheels do you guys recommend? I ideally would like to just pop the OEM wheels off and put the new ones on. I have no idea how to look for rubbing and all those issues.

2. Buy a set of AS3, tires only, and bring them to a local dealer to mount on the stock wheels. They don't seem to come in OEM sizes and I will have to buy 245/35/20. I think I can deal with the speedometer inaccuracy and a set of tires seem easier to store than wheels, and much cheaper to buy. Downside is I will have to mount the tires before and after every winter, and the costs to do that can add up.

I apologise this seems a lot of rambling. Hopefully you guys understand what I'm asking. Thanks.
If you rarely see snow, then I'd say that a normal all-season tire would work for you in the winter. I was able to get a set of 18" Enkei Raijins 18x8 with Michelin PS AS3+ 245/40/18 for about 1700 dollars including tax from Fitment Industries/Custom Offsets/SD Wheel (all the same company), though they also gave a small discount for local pickup. TireRack offers a discount for local pickup as well and actually offered the same package for about 50 bucks cheaper, but Fitment allows for 6 month, no-interest financing through Affirm. So if you can't eat up 1700 bucks up front, it is possible to digest them as six 300 dollar payments.

The one thing to keep in mind about mounting tires is that if you have a "false" end to a winter, it may also be a bit of a headache. I remember during April this year in the midwest we got 2 snow storms (6+ inches of snow) though the snow melted (from the roads) the next day. A lot of people who mounted their summer setups the first week of April weren't too happy. If you did tires only that could cost you.
 

youCTR

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This is really really out-of-the-box thinking but check for BMW wheels and tires on your local BMW forums, Craigslist, Facebook, OfferUp, etc. With enough patience, you'll be able to find someone trying to dump their OEM wheels and tires on the cheap. It may take some time since you'll most likely want to find a square setup of 18s or 19s (most BMWs run staggered) but it's entirely doable. Also time to start studying up wheels and tires, lol. You did ask for most cost effective...not the easiest.
 

baldheadracing

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This is really really out-of-the-box thinking but check for BMW wheels and tires on your local BMW forums, Craigslist, Facebook, OfferUp, etc. With enough patience, you'll be able to find someone trying to dump their OEM wheels and tires on the cheap. It may take some time since you'll most likely want to find a square setup of 18s or 19s (most BMWs run staggered) but it's entirely doable. Also time to start studying up wheels and tires, lol. You did ask for most cost effective...not the easiest.
If you're considering going that route, Acura MDX take-off wheels from a wrecker are probably more cost-effective and may be a better offset than BMW wheels. I don't know which specific MDX wheels clear the Type R front brakes, however, the ones that I have seen on a Type R are really, really fugly.
 


youCTR

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If you're considering going that route, Acura MDX take-off wheels from a wrecker are probably more cost-effective and may be a better offset than BMW wheels. I don't know which specific MDX wheels clear the Type R front brakes, however, the ones that I have seen on a Type R are really, really fugly.
BMW 18" non-fugly wheels and tires for $400! https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/wto/d/rockport-set-of-4-wheels-and-tires/6969474397.html

According to BMW Style Wheels, this is Style 237, square 18x8 setup http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/bmw/237

Offset calculator sets this at 24 mm extending outward over stock wheels https://www.1010tires.com/Tools/Wheel-Offset-Calculator
Note: many fit aftermarket 9.5" +35 on the Type R which extends outward 38 mm over stock

Throw on some 72.6 mm to 64.1 mm hubcentric rings https://www.amazon.com/Hubcentric-Rings-Pack-Hubrings-Centerbore/dp/B00DIK3HBI

Conical M14x1.5 lug nuts https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N07EDTO

Done! For under $500. Although, the tires (245/45R18) on these BMW F10 wheels are taller than what should be recommended to be on the Type R (245/40R18).

Edit: here are some BMW 18s wheels-only for $250 if OP lives near PDX part of PNW https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/wto/d/gresham-bmw-5-series-wheels-5x120-18/6964472827.html

BMW Style 123, 18x8 square, either +20 or +43, depending on which E60 it's been pulled from http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/bmw/123
I'd say double check the stamp on the inside of each of the wheels to make sure you're getting what you want to get.
 
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Tev42

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Check the aftermarket wheel thread, tons and tons of ideas. Sure the initial expense of a second set of wheels and tires seems like a lot but if you're looking for something to get through winter then you don't have to spend a lot on wheels. Having a set for summer and a set for winter will also make each set of tires last longer so you can almost negate that expense knowing that you wont have to buy tires as often if you have two sets. AND, the indirect TPMS means you don't have to worry about syncing any wheel sensors to your car. Just swap and calibrate.
 

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I am not about to change from the OEM wheel and tire dimensions for the street. The Honda engineers put a lot of effort into designing the suspension to eliminate torque steer and understeer. That's one of the things that makes the car so much fun to drive. Wheel offset, diameter, and tire width are important in that equation. The OEM offset is -60 which puts the rubber in the proper relationship to the suspension.
The issue with the tires is not tread pattern, but reaction of the tire compound to low temperatures. T
he only true UHP 20" winter tire that I could find was Pirelli, expensive, but pretty much maintains the handling characteristics. It worked well in New England last winter.

I then found a set of OEM wheels with 1/3 worn Falken tires on e-bay for about $1200. So, I will have the winter tires put on them, now will at least not to have to change the tires on the wheels each season, and will have the extra summer tires when the OEMs wear out. Storage: if you do it properly it doesn't take much more space to store wheels on tires than just tires
 

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I've bought used rims with used tires mounted. Find a set from someone that's moving down south and letting them go that already have very good all seasons or, better yet, snows already mounted on them. You should be looking at hundreds... not thousands. The craigslist postings are spot on. I think I paid $300 for a set of prelude rims that had decent all-seasons when I bought my RSX that came with summer tires. Had it 3 winters and just swapped rims out.
 

Tev42

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I am not about to change from the OEM wheel and tire dimensions for the street. The Honda engineers put a lot of effort into designing the suspension to eliminate torque steer and understeer. That's one of the things that makes the car so much fun to drive. Wheel offset, diameter, and tire width are important in that equation. The OEM offset is -60 which puts the rubber in the proper relationship to the suspension.
The issue with the tires is not tread pattern, but reaction of the tire compound to low temperatures. T
he only true UHP 20" winter tire that I could find was Pirelli, expensive, but pretty much maintains the handling characteristics. It worked well in New England last winter.

I then found a set of OEM wheels with 1/3 worn Falken tires on e-bay for about $1200. So, I will have the winter tires put on them, now will at least not to have to change the tires on the wheels each season, and will have the extra summer tires when the OEMs wear out. Storage: if you do it properly it doesn't take much more space to store wheels on tires than just tires

18x8 +60 is stock wheel size

18x203.2 mm if changing the width of the wheel to mm for easier calculations

203.2mm / 2 = 101.6mm is the center point of the wheel, + 60 means the wheel mounts at 161.6mm from the inside edge of the wheel (161.1mm of backspacing)

Going Aftermarket

18x9.5 inches same as 18 x 241.3mm to account for mm

241.3mm / 2 = 120.65 is the center point of a 9.5 inch wheel, so to get the wheel to mount in a manner that is the same as OEM you would need a +41 offset (120.65 mm + 41mm give 161.65)

+41mm is weird but it exists, +40mm easier to find and changing by a millimeter probably isn't going to cost too control much on that long left sweeper turn that's on the way to your office that you only seem to hit traffic free once a week (personal problem for me)

Getting the precise positioning of the kingpin axis to intersect with the center line of the tire's contact patch for a negative scrub probably isn't 100% reproducible but you can get close.

I went a bit different with 18x9 at a +35 and yeah it doesn't hold as well (the all season tires don't help) but its kind of fun letting the car get a little more sideways than is possible on stock wheels.

The stock type R can make anybody a good driver because its on rails 99% of the time.
 


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ctbear

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Thanks for everyone's input. I decided to go with the simplest solution to my situation - a set of PS AS3+ at 245/35/20 to be mounted on the stock wheels. If I don't notice enough of a difference between the OEM tires, I might just run them all year round and sell the OEM ones.
 

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I ordered some rims online and they are 18x8.5 +35 and the vendor came back saying that they recommend 18x9.5 +38. This is my first year with the Type R in the winter, should I go with their recommendation or stick with the original 8.5”? I’m thinking of wrapping them on 245/35/18 to give the tires some more meat on them as Canadian winters can be pretty brutal.
 

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I don't have my CTR yet but I'm also looking, and I've seen fellow Canadians typically opt for 225 or 235/40 for tires. 40 ratio at least, haven't seen lower from who I've asked.
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