help! stuck between rims. cant decide.

[lucsious]

my signature picture is the wheels I am speaking of. I will try to take bettr ones when I get back into town. These are the Grand Touring/Track .v2 wheels from the factory.

yeah looks good. but i ended up ordering the 20's anyway.20 30 8.5 front20 30 10 rear

and if i dont like them on then ill go to 19's

[im Z king]

hey Jen, so how bout buying what YOU like? not what your BF (lucky bastard) may think or anybody else fot that matter...i mean you get to drive it on a daily basis, you're the one that has to be seen in it, who gives a rats a** what people think.....unless you're one of those people that buy s*** just to impress other people..btw are you????.than i guess you could listen to what people say and go with that....

[lucsious]

i also listened to my tire guy to. that it would be a bad move. as when it came time to sell the rims it would be way harder if they where double staggered.so took his advice, besides. i can always buy just the front 19's if needed

[im Z king]

so were narrowing things down, so now your bf opinion is out of the picture, so its just your tire guy and me? or is there other people too?is your bf out of the picture completely? or just his opinion?

hey so how bout and a TV ? i'll fly to canada if i have to, i'll beat the s*** out of George St Piere if i have to but i will get you

[K03sport]

245 30 20 front275 30 20 rear i believe.

ive googled sooo many pics of 350 z's with 20's and 19's. as well as talked to owners of both. i can email you the pics. or just google: 350z 20"it looks good i think

I realize that we (the repliers) are adding to the difficulty of this decision, but some of the math just doesn't add up. I find it hard to believe that 19" tires are more expensive than 20"s

Not knowing what brand or model tire you are choosing, I choose low, mid and high priced (according to the tirerack.com) tires to show what is out there. I picked tires from two categories - Ultra High Performance Summer (UHPS) and Max Performance Summer (MPS). Prices do not include road hazard warranty.

19s - does not include all availableLow - Hankook Ventus S1 evo (Closeout) (MPS)245/35ZR19.....US$139275/35ZR19.....US$139

Low - Kumho Ecsta SPT (UHPS) 245/35ZR19.....US$170275/35ZR19.....US$183- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mid - BFG g-Force T/A KDW 2 (noisy) (UHPS)245/35ZR19.....US$225275/35ZR19.....US$248

Mid - Yokohama ADVAN Sport (MPS)245/35ZR19.....US$278275/35ZR19.....US$295- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -High - Pirelli PZero Rosso (MPS)245/35ZR19.....US$349275/35ZR19.....US$307

High - Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 (MPS)245/35ZR19.....US$340275/35ZR19.....US$359

============================

20s - Only found 3

Low - Pirelli PZero Nero (MPS)245/30ZR20.....US$205275/30ZR20.....US$318

Mid - Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus (UHPS)245/30ZR20.....US$275275/30ZR20.....US$312

High - Yokohama ADVAN Sport (MPS)245/30ZR20.....US$331275/30ZR20.....US$352

So, it does appear that some 20" tires can be had for less than some 19s, but it will depend on what brand, model, and performance category of tire you choose. Also, road hazard varies with each tire and believe me, you will want a road hazard warranty with these tires. Expect to add US$30-45 per tire for road hazard. Most shops will include RH with free rotation and balance as a service to the customer.

As far as what tire to get...well here are some comparison charts for the UHPS and MPS tire categories. Take it with a grain of salt if you wish.

19"UHPS Chart20" UHPS Chart

19" MPS Chart20" MPS Chart

[lucsious]

whats road hazard?

[K03sport]

whats road hazard?

The Road hazard warranty is a warranty that is offered by the tire retailer that covers damage to the tire caused by road hazards - i.e. nails, screws, potholes, etc. If the tire is damaged by something and it cannot be repaired with a tire plug, the tire would be replaced at no cost. There is usually a mileage or tread depth limit and depending on the miles/tread depth on the tire, the warranty would be pro rated.

Example - A tire with 5k miles (almost new) may be replaced by a brand new tire if damaged and not repairable, but a tire with 15k miles might be at 50% of its life and therefor you would only recieve 50% of the tires value towards a new tire. But different stores will have different stipulations like time as the below warranty shows.

Here is the Tirerack's Road hazard program:

We all do a lot of driving. There are potholes everywhere, debris on the roads and plenty of obstacles to avoid. Properly maintained tires can generally handle the bumps and scrapes but inevitably one unforseen road hazard can leave you with a tire in need of repair or replacement.

Tire Rack supports the tire manufacturers' warranties for all of the tire brands that we sell. Those warranties apply to tires that become unusable for any reason within the tire manufacturer's control, typically covering materials and workmanship. However, these warranties do not apply to causes and conditions beyond the tire manufacturer's control, such as road hazards. Because of this, many drivers desire the additional security and peace of mind that a Tire Road Hazard Service Program provides.

Road hazard damage is damage that occurs when a tire fails as a result of a puncture, bruise or break incurred during the course of normal driving on a maintained road. Nails, glass and potholes are the most common examples of road hazards.

With Tire Rack's Tire Road Hazard Service Program, your tire repair or replacement is reimbursed (to the extent and subject to the conditions, provided in the Program Certificate).

- Tires are covered for 36 months from the date of purchase or until 2/32" or less of tread remains, whichever occurs first.

- Repairs are reimbursed up to $25 per tire per occurrence.

- During the first 12 months, you will be reimbursed for 100% of the original cost of the tire covered by the Tire Road Hazard Service Program, subject to the limitations set forth in the Program Certificate. Beyond the first 12 months, the reimbursable amount is calculated by a proration of elapsed time, not to exceed 36 months.

- The following tires are not eligible for the Tire Road Hazard Service Program: + Competition tires + LT Metric sized tires + LT Flotation sized tires + Trailer tires

- The following vehicles are not eligible for the Tire Road Hazard Service Program: + Any emergency service vehicle. + Any vehicle used for hire, commercial, towing, construction or postal service. + Any vehicle used for farm, ranch, agriculture, or off-road use. + Program is only available to customers living in the 48 contiguous States. Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, APO/FPO, Canada and Mexico are excluded.

- Additional exclusions and limitations are described in the Program Certificate.

Does this help?

[lucsious]

wow thanks. ive never heard of anything like that here though.i know if anything happens to our cars or tires. and its the citys fault for not fixing the roads. or cleaning them they cover us. but ill have to ask my supplier. i know he ordered me nankang tires. and they are being shipped with my rims. which he directly ordered from tsw. so i dunno.

[lucsious]

yea see canada isnt covered by tirerack bottom of page reads(+ Program is only available to customers living in the 48 contiguous States. Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, APO/FPO, Canada and Mexico are excluded)

[alphapig]

@ diamonds

[im Z king]

k? What about the diamonds?! It's not on her finger....right ?

[lucsious]

what??

[luvmiG]

Variano will look great in my opinion. Very tasteful mods! I wouldn't go bigger than 19's

[K03sport]

yea see canada isnt covered by tirerack bottom of page reads

Just their road hazard. You can still buy their tires. But don't feel bad, Alaska and Hawaii aren't covered either.

With you being in Canada, I realize that things happen a bit differently than in the US. Not all brands or styles may be available, especially when it comes to cars. Also, commerce aross borders has its limitations.

edit: edit #2 wow...Nankang. They are really going for the bottom of the barrell. I've seen mixed reviews on these. Most say they're okay for the money, but for a few bucks more, going with Kuhmo, Hankook, Sumitomo, or General will get you a better tire. I can see why your wheels and tires are the same price whether you get 19s or 20s. II suspect your tire shop isn't going with better known brands like Kuhmo or Hankook becuase it will eat into their bottom line. In tires, it is possible you get what you pay for as is the case with most goods.

Doing some research, it appears you will be getting the Nankang NS-II tire. These are the cheapest tires (price wise) in any of the sizes that you would use. They look very similar to the Yokohama EVS-100.

Best of luck.

Modified by K03sport at 10:09 PM 4/29/2009
Modified by K03sport at 10:23 PM 4/29/2009

[im Z king]

Well, some shiftpig guy with an Infiniti told me to look at the diamonds, so I asked him, what about the diamonds???? It's not like they're on your finger? Am I right? Btw has your bf gave you a big rock yet?

[lucsious]

Just their road hazard. You can still buy their tires. But don't feel bad, Alaska and Hawaii aren't covered either.

With you being in Canada, I realize that things happen a bit differently than in the US. Not all brands or styles may be available, especially when it comes to cars. Also, commerce aross borders has its limitations.

edit: edit #2 wow...Nankang. They are really going for the bottom of the barrell. I've seen mixed reviews on these. Most say they're okay for the money, but for a few bucks more, going with Kuhmo, Hankook, Sumitomo, or General will get you a better tire. I can see why your wheels and tires are the same price whether you get 19s or 20s. II suspect your tire shop isn't going with better known brands like Kuhmo or Hankook becuase it will eat into their bottom line. In tires, it is possible you get what you pay for as is the case with most goods.

Doing some research, it appears you will be getting the Nankang NS-II tire. These are the cheapest tires (price wise) in any of the sizes that you would use. They look very similar to the Yokohama EVS-100.

Best of luck.

Modified by K03sport at 10:09 PM 4/29/2009

Modified by K03sport at 10:23 PM 4/29/2009

yeah they can get all sorts of tires but as im not into performance i just wanted a cheap tire. as well as i hear cheap tires last longer due to the fact that there harder.and i drive alot so thats better for me.

[ldstang50]

Jen do you know how to check what the tire wear is on a car? Do you know what a UTQG rating is? These are numbers that tell you how hard a tire compound is.If you're worried about tire wear, yes a harder compound will last longer, but poor alignment can destroy a harder tire.

[lucsious]

no what is a utqg?and im aware of alignment can cause tires to wear unevenly. so ill bet getting alignment done to

[ldstang50]

utqg is just the fancy term for treadware. as you said early, the higher the number (usually) the harder the tire. and usually they last longer

[xjmxstac]

It's a 3 digit number eg. 120, 200, 480. It essentially determines your tire's lifespan. Harder compounds last longer but offer less traction, while softer compounds have excellent traction, but have shorter lifespans. The smaller the number, softer the compound and vice versa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTQG
Modified by xjmxstac at 1:16 PM 4/30/2009

[K03sport]

As the guys above me have stated, the treadware number (UTQG) indicates the the tire's potential life span.

Most R compound (street racing tires) will have a UTQG rating below 100, which means they will wear out really really fast.

A lot of the UHPS and MPS tires I listed above have a UTQG rating around 220, which is decent. Some even had numbers in the 300s which is great considering we are talking about the upper end of performance street tires.

However, you need to look at the Temperature and Traction letters too. They use letters to indicate ability. Here is there listing bases on the best to the worst --> AA, A, B, C.

A tire with Traction AA and Temperature A, means that it offers maximum traction and the rubber can withstand high temperatures before it starts to break down and just go away.

So, even though you are looking for c-h-e-a-p tires, doesn't mean you have to get no name tires. The Nankang NS2 in the 30/35ZR spec will be a 200, A, A. So, they will offer decent treadware, good traction, and withstand high temperatures.

A budget UHPS tire I listed above, the Kumho Ecsta SPT, is rated at 320, AA, A. so for not much more money, you get a longer wearing tire that offeres more traction.

[JETPILOT]

Don't forget the harder a tires tread compound is the worse it is in the rain. A good rain tire is soft. So if you drive in the rain a lot then a 200 treadwar would be a good compromise. My TOYO R888 tires with 100 treadwar rating are amazing when it's wet out. Standing water does not apply here.

[lucsious]

wow im learning alot..lol thanks.so how long do tires last usually as i drive 3000 miles every 2.5 months

and ive never owned a car long enough to find out..lol but definately keeping my z forever!

[K03sport]

wow im learning alot..lol thanks.so how long do tires last usually as i drive 3000 miles every 2.5 months

well, it is all based on how you drive. Some people can burn through tires 15k km, others will get 40k km out of the same tire.

A tire in the 200 UTQG range may last 20-24k km, but again, it is all dependant on how you drive. A heavy foot and max corning Gs will make a tire wear out faster than mild "normal" driving.

Most UHPS and MPS tires will not come with a treadlife warranty because the mfgr knows that tire will be used for its intended purpose and they won't expect it to last more then 15k miles (24k km).

[lucsious]

great thanks so much

[g20ryder]

i would go with the vairano. i don't like the studs on the vortex and for the diamonds, they don't look bad.

[K03sport]

Jen...is it okay to call you Jen?

Any update with these wheels and tires. Just curious.

[lucsious]

Jen...is it okay to call you Jen?

Any update with these wheels and tires. Just curious.

yes of course, you can call me jen, that is my nameand they should be in by wednesday, on by the weekend.and i will post pics asap. went with the vortex 20's, all in cost me 2800

[quiksilverx181]

yes of course, you can call me jen, that is my nameand they should be in by wednesday, on by the weekend.and i will post pics asap. went with the vortex 20's, all in cost me 2800

Oh hi, noticed you were from my350z. Not a bad choice on the rims. I do have to say that if you are simply building a car for show, its lookin good so far.

[lucsious]

Oh hi, noticed you were from my350z. Not a bad choice on the rims. I do have to say that if you are simply building a car for show, its lookin good so far.

thanks, hate my350z bunch of haters over there..loland yeah show for now, engine mods next year.