Topic: Wheel confusion for winter

[GapBoyPCS]

Hi everyone,

I'm pretty car savvy, but this time around I'm having a hard time deciding on winter wheels   .

I picked up a 2012 Focus SE with Sport Package and 215/50R17s, and I'm already set on the tire brand I want and wanting TPMS sensors in each wheel. It seems all the shops I speak with all have different ideas what I should get for steel wheels and tire sizes. Oddly enough, from independent tire shops to dealerships, the quotes I all got seem to be within ballpark.

My wheels are a 5x108 bolt pattern. Some shops are quoting me aftermarket hub-centric wheels. Some are adding that it's just a Volvo wheel (or a Volvo steel wheel would fit), and gave me the model number. I go online to search for the manufacturer, and it has a totally different model number for a Volvo steel wheel.  I'm also being told that if I like the OEM look of the wheel covers, the aftermarket rims won't hold the OEM covers. Others claim a 2006 and earlier Ford Taurus wheel would fit, but I get mixed stories on that too. Ford dealers are quoting me OEM steel wheels, which are a bit more expensive, but it's still fairly reasonable compared to the aftermarkets. The upshot is they can accept the OEM wheel covers with no problem.

As for tire sizes, the thinking is thinner is better, which means either a 215/55R16 or a 195/65R15 (all OEM sizes on the Focus). I've gone through tire size calculators, and the 195s are making me a bit uneasy with over 1% difference on the odometer. Some dealers are saying it fits with no issues. Then again, the base Sport Package comes with 215/55R16s. I also do a lot of highway driving, I'm thinking the days that there are no mounds of snow to plow through the GTA (like trekking the 401), it might be better having a wider footprint on dry or wet pavement (I'm more unsure about the 20mm drop in tread width).

Bottom line questions:
1. Should I opt for the OEM rims if possible?
2. Should I stick with a 215 tread width, or drop down to a 195?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

[tpl]

If the OEM wheels are available in 15 and the 195-65/15 tires are a recommended OEM size for your car AND the TPMS stuff works on those wheels the if it were me that is what I'd go for.   You will be travelling a bit slower than the speedo reading.... not a bad thing in winter imho

I can see the point of going to the 16" tires tho'.  I presume the tires you have chosen are available in both sizes.


FWIW my GTI came with the option 18" wheels and the spare wheel was 16" with a 205-55/16 tire.  So that was a no-brainer. My winters are OEM steelies with 205-55/16.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Here is the 1010Tire size calculator so you can verify for yourself what sizes will work.

http://www.1010tires.com/tiresizecalculator.asp

For the Outback I went from 225/60R17 to 225/65R16, somewhere around a .4% variance.

[GapBoyPCS]

If the OEM wheels are available in 15 and the 195-65/15 tires are a recommended OEM size for your car AND the TPMS stuff works on those wheels the if it were me that is what I'd go for.   You will be travelling a bit slower than the speedo reading.... not a bad thing in winter imho

I can see the point of going to the 16" tires tho'.  I presume the tires you have chosen are available in both sizes.

FWIW my GTI came with the option 18" wheels and the spare wheel was 16" with a 205-55/16 tire.  So that was a no-brainer. My winters are OEM steelies with 205-55/16.

Good call on looking at the spare wheel.  I just looked at it and even though it's a temporary spare, it's a T125/80R16.

As for the 15's, yes, they are standard on the S model in North America. Thing is, I can't find anywhere else in the world where the Focus is being sold with that size of wheel. Everywhere else, a 16-inch wheel is standard.

Here is the 1010Tire size calculator so you can verify for yourself what sizes will work.

Thanks. I just punched the sizing in and got this:

Stock Tire - 215/50R17            Tire 1 - 215/55R16         Tire 2 - 195/65R15 
100 km/h                                    100. km/h                     101. km/h
Speedometer Difference: -            0.599% too fast            1.921% too fast
Diameter Difference: -                    0.59%                         1.89%

I think the rule is 3% variance is the maximum, no? Looks like I might be going 16's.

[johngenx]

Wider footprint is better in the dry only.  Wet and snow performance is better with a long, skinny footprint as opposed to a short, wide one.

You have to gauge how often you'll be driving on bare roads vs. snow/ice, and what are the worst conditions you MUST drive in.  Edmonton has poor snow clearing, very cold conditions (lots of polished ice, especially at intersections) and so I always equip our vehicles with the tires most biased towards snow/ice performance.  My wagon also spends lots of time on poor mountain roads.  But, lots of people in Ontario drive most of their winter on bare pavement, and while I would NOT use an "all-season" tire, I'd be tempted to use a tire with a little more dry road ability.  The Michelin X-Ice is probably the way I'd go.  Tirerack's tests suggest the X-Ice is still very capable on snow/ice, but is better on dry roads than comparable tires.  The WS-70 gives up some dry performance for better snow/ice.  Where I live, I went WS-70.

The beauty of the 195/65-15 size is the low price of the 15" tire and availability of pretty much any decent snow in that size.  The downside is the small wheel look, and the taller sidewall that will compromise dry road handling.

[Angry Chicken]

Hi everyone,

I'm pretty car savvy, but this time around I'm having a hard time deciding on winter wheels   .

I picked up a 2012 Focus SE with Sport Package and 215/50R17s, and I'm already set on the tire brand I want and wanting TPMS sensors in each wheel. It seems all the shops I speak with all have different ideas what I should get for steel wheels and tire sizes. Oddly enough, from independent tire shops to dealerships, the quotes I all got seem to be within ballpark.

My wheels are a 5x108 bolt pattern. Some shops are quoting me aftermarket hub-centric wheels. Some are adding that it's just a Volvo wheel (or a Volvo steel wheel would fit), and gave me the model number. I go online to search for the manufacturer, and it has a totally different model number for a Volvo steel wheel.  I'm also being told that if I like the OEM look of the wheel covers, the aftermarket rims won't hold the OEM covers. Others claim a 2006 and earlier Ford Taurus wheel would fit, but I get mixed stories on that too. Ford dealers are quoting me OEM steel wheels, which are a bit more expensive, but it's still fairly reasonable compared to the aftermarkets. The upshot is they can accept the OEM wheel covers with no problem.

As for tire sizes, the thinking is thinner is better, which means either a 215/55R16 or a 195/65R15 (all OEM sizes on the Focus). I've gone through tire size calculators, and the 195s are making me a bit uneasy with over 1% difference on the odometer. Some dealers are saying it fits with no issues. Then again, the base Sport Package comes with 215/55R16s. I also do a lot of highway driving, I'm thinking the days that there are no mounds of snow to plow through the GTA (like trekking the 401), it might be better having a wider footprint on dry or wet pavement (I'm more unsure about the 20mm drop in tread width).

Bottom line questions:
1. Should I opt for the OEM rims if possible?
2. Should I stick with a 215 tread width, or drop down to a 195?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

The Mazda3, Focus and Volvo S30 all share the same platform so it's probably not that big a surprise that you were recommended Volvo steelies. 

You've already got some good advice about tire size from others.  Typically it's better to go down a section width in order to make for a narrower contact patch which will cut through the snow better.  That said, that is the traditional wisdom but some manufacturers are recommending that you stay with the OE size coupled with a modern studless tire so as not to affect too much the basic balance, tracking and handling of the car whose suspension geometry is optimized to the OE tire size.  I went with 205/50/17 (same as OE) for my Mazda3 and have been well pleased with the result.  With the possible exception of ultimate deep snow traction, I have given up nothing in terms of ice traction and have retained much of the car's fun-to-drive character for the 4.5 to 5 months that the winter tires will be on the car.

...just playing devil's advocate.

[GapBoyPCS]

Wider footprint is better in the dry only.  Wet and snow performance is better with a long, skinny footprint as opposed to a short, wide one.

You have to gauge how often you'll be driving on bare roads vs. snow/ice, and what are the worst conditions you MUST drive in.  Edmonton has poor snow clearing, very cold conditions (lots of polished ice, especially at intersections) and so I always equip our vehicles with the tires most biased towards snow/ice performance.  My wagon also spends lots of time on poor mountain roads.  But, lots of people in Ontario drive most of their winter on bare pavement, and while I would NOT use an "all-season" tire, I'd be tempted to use a tire with a little more dry road ability.  The Michelin X-Ice is probably the way I'd go.  Tirerack's tests suggest the X-Ice is still very capable on snow/ice, but is better on dry roads than comparable tires.  The WS-70 gives up some dry performance for better snow/ice.  Where I live, I went WS-70.

The beauty of the 195/65-15 size is the low price of the 15" tire and availability of pretty much any decent snow in that size.  The downside is the small wheel look, and the taller sidewall that will compromise dry road handling.

The "worst" conditions I'd be driving in would be a snowstorm or freezing rain (usually when I'm on my way home or going into work). If there are any major storms coming, I'm not on the roads. The worst snow conditions would probably be in my subdivision where the plows haven't gotten to our streets (a few inches max). Other than that, it'd be driving on Highway 401 in the Greater Toronto/Golden Horseshoe Area of Ontario. Most of my driving on good days, in general, is at highway speeds.

I'm leaning towards the X-Ice 2, only because of my current experience with them. I have that on my other vehicle, and have put maybe 45 to 50,000 km on that set over two winter seasons with varying snow, ice and temperature conditions. I've run Nokian WRs, Hakka R's, and Gislaved NF5's before. All tires have been an overall positive experience.

[GapBoyPCS]

The Mazda3, Focus and Volvo S30 all share the same platform so it's probably not that big a surprise that you were recommended Volvo steelies. 

At first, I was more surprised I was told Volvo versus Mazda. Now that I'm digging into things, I think a Mazda3 has a 5x114.3 pattern, and older Volvo 5-bolts could work. I would have thought that all three would share the same bolt pattern.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Given the circumstances of your typical drive, I think the X-Ice2 are probably the right choice. I had Arctic Alpins and they wore really well.

I've switched to Blizzaks because around here, snow and ice grip are more of a concern than how long they last.