Topic: Buying tires and rims shouldn't be this hard

[blur911]

I've been trying to find decent 18" rims for my Cayenne S, watching Kijiji for used OE and shopping the internet.  I have a set of 22" and can't stand the ride, but they look great in black.  I had more or less settled on a set of DAI that are available in black on several online retailers. 

I thought I'd shop locally first and tried several shops, one said they were backordered until August, several never replied to my calls or emails and one told me DAI rims had no fitment for the Cayenne, but never replied when I asked for alternatives.

So, I decide I'll try online, 1010tires has the DAI rims so I call them, I ask about fitment because DAI doesn't list one for the Cayenne, he says they have a contract with DAI or something and can get rims regular retailers can't, so that's why the local guy couldn't source them.   I'm in no hurry at the time so I decide to wait for free shipping, which came around again last week, so I order them.

I get an email the next day, they say the DAI rims don't have the load rating for the Cayenne.

After several increasingly disappointing  emails I find that they first guy didn't check, they only check fitment when an order goes in.  I ask about another set of more expensive rims that I don't like as much, but will do.  They reduce the price, but as I told them, I can still get them cheaper at the Tirerack so I told them I was sorry but it looks like we  can't do business and cancelled my order.

I give up on finding anything for this season and decide to swap tires on my OE winter rims.  Today I got my new Dunlop Signature HP tires installed, I ask the tire shop manager if he thought they balanced up ok as they appeared to have a bit more weights than I'd like and I'm told I received the premium balancing package using their best machine.   
I ask him what I should do if they shake, he says they won't shake,
I ask again and he says bring them back in, but give them 100km and a heat cycle.

After about 80km I actually pulled over on the side of 401 to see if the wheels were coming loose,  it was shaking so badly, they were tight.

Can't win.

[johngenx]

Porsche owner problems?

 

[wing]

Got me some sailun 20s on my Lexus.   Good compromise over 22/18

[blur911]

Tried them again today after letting them sit.
There is an intermittant thrumming vibration and one of the fronts feels like it isn't round up to about 70kph.
They pull to the right.
Anything over 90kph and the steering wheel vibrates annoyingly.  Over 120 and it's beyond annoying and feeling like something is falling apart.

I'll have to see what they'll do for me tomorrow. 
Of course we're supposed to drive the Cayenne  to NB next Wednesday while towing a motorcycle trailer.

[ArticSteve]

If time is of the essence you'll need to drop another $70 and see what another shop's balancing machine reports.  If they balance up then it's the tires and you'll have more amo then to deal with the original sellers.

[tortoise]

What he said.  I'd search for a place with road force balancing.

[Brig]

How very irritating.     Hope the problem is solved soon.

[blur911]

They will be re-balancing and checking them on Monday, they have a set of GY Eagle LS2 that fits if they don't work out.  No replacements available right  now for the all-new Dunlop Signature HP.
I guess the Eagle LS2 would be appropriate for the application.  We'll see.

[blur911]

I spent another $150 and got the Eagle LS2 tires.  No more pull, still some shaking but not anywhere as badly, I think it might be my rims contributing. 
I'll see how they feel after a heat cycle.   I'll also keep my eyes open for a deal on rims.

They treated me pretty well at the Goodyear on Moira in Belleville, Peter is a good guy to deal with in my experience.

[Angry Chicken]

Try Z Racing in Mississauga.  That's where I got my last set of rep Golf R rims for my track tires. 

[Firm]

Were they balanced on a RoadForce unit? If not, don't spend another $ until you've had them done on a RF. I thought it was all BS for years, until I ran into a similar situation with the SLK. A trained tech with a RF unit can tell you exactly what's going on, will balance them to minimize the issue and will also be able to tell you where to install each wheel to balance out any pulling forces.
Around here it's about $80 to have it done and I wouldn't install tires on a FGC without it. My Firebird's will run smooth on friggin ovals, but in my experience anything German is very sensitive to this stuff.