The5ickne55

I just bought a 100% stock XD on 100% stock steelies with caps on them. I want some nice lookin rims, but I want to keep the current tires, because my dealership has a tires for life program.

Can I buy new rims and keep the tires? I am looking at a LOT of real nice 16'' rims... but idk if they will fit, do I have to get new tires with them?

Also, do low profile tires wear faster?

scion_jon

you should just get 18's

ack154

iTrader: (7)

The trouble with most of those "tires for life" program is you don't always get to pick your tires... or at least you have to pick from a small selection - or they just give you what they want to give you. Not to mention that you would have be sure to keep them maintained - proper pressure, rotated all the time to be eligible.

They may be "free" but I'd rather get the wheels I'd actually want and then choose my own tires.

pyroman131

To answer your question here, you'll have to select 16s that fit the same lug pattern as the xD. A good resource to get you started is to check out wheel and tire Web sites that offer package deals.

One that I'd recommend is http://www.tirerack.com.

The cool thing about this site is that you can narrow down their inventory to products that exactly fit your vehicle. As a plus, they have a little JAVA program that lets you view what the wheels look like on your car.

I used this Web site to locate the wheels I'm going to purchase for my 08 xB. Being able to see what they look like on your xD visually is another selling point.

As long as you select wheels that will fit your tire and/or your tire can be stretched (if necessary) without degrading ride quality or tire life, than you should be fine. Just ensure that you follow suit with the terms and conditions for your tires for life program.

EDIT:
As a plus, purchasing wheels in size 16 is a great option for you because you're not only keeping your ride quality at stock (for economy purposes), but you're also spending less on wheels. So you can swap out looks and things like that as you begin to mod your car - which you will, because it is inevitable since you bought a Scion.

As for earlier comments from other users regarding personal preferences regarding tires, I'd suggest talking to representatives at your dealership to see what options you have regarding purchasing different tires that may well qualify for your program. This way you might be able to get good all-season tires or tires geared for road conditions depending on your geographical location and what weather conditions you face on your commutes.

IMO, low profile tires would wear faster simply because of their size in nature. Since the sidewall is smaller, it is harder for the driver to discern whether or not air is required (provided you do not have TPMS sensors or do not regularly monitor your air pressure like you should). Your driving habits could also wear the tread. If you drive like your xD is a '79 Pontiac Trans-Am, then yes - your tires will wear fast. If you opt for low profile tires, ensure that you are taking the necessary steps of tire longevity. It is, after all, required of your tires for life program.

GeoUSA

Good topic; thanks. Have been considering options for my xD. So far I like the look, weight, and cost of Slipstreams.

One other thought about tires for life... While I firmly believe in properly servicing my vehicles, I like to do my own oil/filter changes and hose/belt inspections. Some of the tires for life programs require that you use all of the dealership's recommended services. With a typical 5000 mile service approaching $100, you will end up paying for the tires.

RoadKing

Take it from someone who used the customers for life program for the last 3 yrs, it's a scam! You are required to keep up all your scheduled services with that dealer, and yes you pay $90 for a basic service. And, we did get the new tires, but I had to drive the vehicle until the tires were near bald (64,000 miles)before they'd replace them!

That tire program is monitored by an outside company, and they have strict guidelines for replacement. Luckily for me I know a guy in the service dept and he pushed it through .001 of an inch sooner than the guideline calls for. His hands were tied, but he got it done because they had to put 3 patches on the tires over the course of about 15k miles.

Don't bother with tires for life, you'll pay for 2 or 3 sets with the overpriced service charges, for years, before they'll pony up for a $200 set of tires.

As for tires/wheels, I'm in the same boat. I don't want to sacrifice anymore ride quality for looks. I have 18k on my stock 16's and I hate the road noise on the hwy.

Does anyone have tire recommendations? Or is this the best it gets? I'm afraid to go with a bigger wheel and have even less rubber between the wheel and the road....

xDTool

16's and 17's shouldn't affect ride quality too much, you'll still have plenty of rubber on the sidewalls.

As for road noise. The xD is in general a little louder of a vehicle. Minor things can help, sound deadening, and in my experience, Some of the nicer tires will help to bring down the road noise a little. I really dislike the OEM Bridgestones in pretty much every aspect.

RoadKing

I figured as much since it's a small car, but I miss the quietness of my Tacoma

I was going to look into sound matting, have you done it? I'm wondering how easy these things are to pull out the seats and carpeting, etc.

What's a "nicer tire" that won't break the bank? I'm really surprise at the road noise these tires give off.

Thanks for the info!

xDTool

I havnt done any matting with the xD, but I've helped fully dynamat a Honda Fit. Just takes some patience, and DIY's are always helpful, as well as a 2nd pair of hands. Just do your research if you plan to try, and let me know how it works out.

As for quiet tires, really have do to some research. Check out tirerack, each tire is rated on a scale, and one of the ratings, is noise comfort, and another is ride comfort. Another way to get out of the "breaking the bank" area is to pick a better size than the oem. the oem size sucks hard. I'd try going with something like 205/55/16.

Murphys_Law

iTrader: (3)

go with tc stocks their cheap

papo

get some rotas and call it aday.

jrgillespie630

i'm sticking with 16's and stock tires as well. Hit this site up, they have a feature that lists the wheels that will fit your stock tires...got these for 450 out the door with free shipping, can't wait for them to get here!http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=7&vid=012610

xDTool

Thats not too bad, if you are looking for the dirt cheap. Sportmax you can get rims sub 100/ea and they have japanese styling. They will be heavier, but they are a bit more solid IMO than some of the thinner spoked rotas and konigs out there.

the_professor

16" will give most tire choices.