Tires and Wheels Package

When it comes to saving energy and protecting the environment, many want to do their part. Drivers would jump at the opportunity to drive an efficient, low-emissions hybrid like the Toyota Prius that would also help them save at the pump. However, many of us do not want to pay the price for this vehicle that can exceed $20,000. With the launch of the 2012 Toyota Prius c, purchasing this vehicle just got much easier!

The one thing you may want to change on your Prius c is the wheels. Prius c One, Two and Three come with 15" steel wheels and hubcaps. Has drabness from those plain wheel covers caused your eyes to wander over to our Upgrade Garage? Unfortunately, the 175/65-15 Original Equipment Bridgestone Turanza EL400-02 won't accommodate any wheels wider than 6". So if you're going to change wheels, then upgrade to 16" wheels and a 195/50-16 (Prius c Four factory option size) tire.

What wheel would be the best option for this new vehicle? It's all about your preference and what you're looking for from a set of wheels. There are many good choices to consider, but if you have the red or black sand Prius, I'd take a look at the machined with black accent Protocol from Verde.

Machined with Black Accent Verde Protocol $104*

Kumho Ecsta 4X $85*

2012 Toyota Prius c FAQ:

1. How much does the Tire & Wheel Package including the Verde Protocal and Kumho Ecsta 4X cost? It's currently available for a price of $756*.
    
2. Won't running larger wheels and tires increase rotational weight and rolling resistance, therefore hurting fuel economy? Yes, there are some negative effects to the increased size. You can mitigate this by experimenting with air pressures of 42 psi in the front and 40 psi in the rear (that's 7 psi above the factory recommended air pressure of 35 front and 33 rear). For most drivers, this will provide a good balance of fuel economy, treadwear, steering response and ride.
    
3. Can I re-use my current TPMS sensors? Yes, a shop can transfer your O.E. TPMS  sensors.
    
4. What other options do I have besides the 195/50-16 size mentioned? 185/60-15, 185/65-15, 185/70-14 and 175/70-14 are all compatible, however you still must consider the tire width versus rim width as you make your choice.

*Prices subject to change

Over the last several years, more and more car manufacturers have been offering larger wheel and lower profile tire options for new vehicles, even on lower-optioned models. Beyond the cosmetic appeal of a larger wheel, the accompanying lower profile tire is normally focused more on high-speed handling and grip - which makes the larger wheel option very popular. From standard 18" wheels and tires on a Toyota Camry to standard 22" wheels and tires for the Ford Edge, more vehicles come equipped with unique sizes that are often in short supply when they need to be replaced. If you're frustrated that the low profile tires don't provide the comfort you desire, we can help.

Besides our years of experience in "plus sizing" vehicles for performance tires and wheels, we can also offer "minus sizing" options for many vehicles. This allows you to move away from low profile / high-performance oriented tires and towards a more comfortable ride and better durability. While most often this practice is done when selecting a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package (where a taller and narrower tire can help with protection from potholes and enhanced deep snow traction), we can also apply the same information to find a smaller diameter wheel that'll fit safely with the appropriate tire size to maintain speedometer accuracy for most applications. Not only would deep snow traction be enhanced with minus sizing, but the cost of the Tire & Wheel Package is usually lower than the package maintaining your vehicle's original size tires and wheels.

To gain a better perspective of minus sizing, read "Size Selection of Winter / Snow Tires."

When it comes to light, fast, compact European hatchbacks, the MINI Cooper S has been the only game in town. With the release of the FIAT 500 Abarth,  MINI finally has some serious competition. The 500 Abarth adds a whopping 59 hp and 72 ft. lbs. of torque compared to the FIAT 500 Sport. That's a lot of power for a 2,564 lb. car and some serious power for those front tires to handle. 
 

If you have an Abarth on order, then you'll be counting on 195/45-16 all-seasons or the optional 205/40-17s. The 195/45-16 Original Equipment options for the vehicle are either the Grand Touring All-Season Continental ContiProContact or the High Performance All-Season Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season. The optional 17x7 is equipped with the 205/40-17 Max Performance Summer Pirelli P Zero Nero tire.

Given the Abarth's sporty suspension and short wheelbase, factory choices may not be ideal. In my opinion, the 16" tire choices offer relatively subpar grip, while the vehicle's ride is compromised with the 17" wheels. If I had an Abarth on order, I'd select one of the 16" options and sell them to a FIAT 500 Sport owner and look at a 205/45-16 Tire & Wheel Package.
 

If you're looking for wheels for a 500 Abarth with a black exterior and red mirror caps and red side stripes, I'd take a look at the black painted O.Z. Racing Alleggerita HLT. For the red-colored vehicle with black mirror caps and black side stripes, the red painted Alleggerita HLT is a great choice. With a white or gray Abarth, there's a number of Alleggerita finishes that'll work.
  

When looking for a tire that offers great dry and wet grip, predictable handling, optimal balance between steering response and ride compliance and relatively low noise take a look at the 205/45-16 Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport.

O.Z. Racing Black Painted Alleggerita HLT $279*

O.Z. Racing Red Painted Alleggerita HLT $299*

Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport $105*

Mounted, balanced and ready to install, the Tire & Wheel Package including the Black Alleggerita is $1,712*, while the package with the red painted (special order color) Alleggerita is currently $1,792*.
 

E 'in poi, è su come Donkey Kong (It's on, it's on like Donkey Kong).
 

2012 FIAT 500 Abarth FAQ:

1. Can I run 205/45-16 sized tires on my Original Equipment 16" wheels? Yes, the O.E. 16x6.5 wheels will accommodate the 205/45-16 tires.
    
2. Would the Sparco Assetto Gara be a good fit for the vehicle? The wheel is a good  choice as well, however I personally like the Alleggerita design a little better. If you're open to either design, the Assetto Gara costs less and is priced at $1092* (the red painted Assetto Gara is estimated to be available in June).
    
3. How do the above 4-100 wheels fit on 4-98 bolt pattern vehicle? You can install these wheels with the provided wobble bolts. Wobble bolts are bolts with floating seats. Each bolt seat moves slightly upward to accommodate the 4-100 bolt pattern.

*Price subject to change, excluding shipping

Enkei has been best known for offering high-quality wheels that are lightweight and durable for smaller sports cars. Recently, the company introduced the Raijin wheel that features the classic split-spoke design for larger sport sedans and even SUVs in an 18" diameter.
 

The Enkei Tuning Series Raijin combines the very desirable spoke design that has become a timeless classic with the latest MAT technology to provide additional strength with less aluminum. Raijin wheels are a great fit for the following vehicles:

• Audi A4
• BMW 3 Series
• Subaru WRX
• VW GTI
• BMW X3

Available in a black painted, gunmetal painted and hyper silver finish, make the wheel a part of your next Tire & Wheel Package.

Since the warm weather has come upon most of the country earlier than normal this year, I've recently been receiving many inquiries for new performance tires and alloy wheels. While much of your wheel choice comes down to your own cosmetic taste and price, wheel weight and quality are also important factors to consider. 

Lighter wheels can make a noticeable difference in the handling of low torque, lightweight vehicles, like my 1994 MAZDA Miata. Looking for a light, high quality and attractive performance alloy wheel for my vehicle, I took a look at the options available from Kosei. While many of their styles look great, I chose the K1 Racing. Below is a photo of my vehicle with the wheels.

Many racers, autocrossers and drivers in the SCCA STR use this wheel due to its great combination of durability, weight and affordable pricing.

When it came time to choose the right tire, I went with the Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 due to its impressive ratings in our Tire Survey Results. I'm going on my seventh year with these wheels, and the silver paint with clearcoat finish still looks like new. I haven't had any issues with bent wheels and to me, the style still looks fresh. 
 

The warm weather is here, so enhance your vehicle's look with a Tire & Wheel Package today!

I've been seeing more posts and questions about the Enkei Tuning Series Raijin wheel on the BMW forums. Enkei has been producing high quality wheels since the 1950s and is well known by racers and tuners.
 

This lightweight performance wheel is hub centric for the BMW 3 Series in most sizes and offers outstanding quality. The wheel even carries a lifetime structural warranty. One particularly popular fitment is a staggered 18" setup for 2006-2012 BMW 3 Series cars (often referred to as E90 and E92 on the forums). This 18x8 front and 18x9.5 rear set-up weighs in at approximately 21 lbs. per wheel. The wheels allow for use of the popular sizes of 235/40R18 up front and 265/35R18 on the rear. 
 

The wheel is available in three finishes:

• Black Painted
• Gunmetal Painted
• Hyper Silver

Raijin Black Painted

Raijin Gunmetal Painted

Raijin Hyper Silver

The Enkei Tuning Series Raijin is available for many vehicles besides BMW. Audi, VW, even Nissan 370 Z and Infiniti G37 car fitments are available. The warm weather is here; so enhance your vehicle's look with a Tire & Wheel Package today.

When I took my summer tires off this past fall, I discovered a nail in one of the tires. It was stuck in so deeply that it was below the level of the tread and was straight in the middle of the tire. Since I wasn't using that tire for the winter, there was no rush to take care of it. However, now that the weather is warming up, I am installing my summer performance tires again. 
 

This week, I had the tire taken off and inspected. Luckily, there was no further damage and the tire was able to be plugged and patched. The internal patch is important for a long-term repair. A simple plug can be forced out over time, but a patch and plug should last the life of the tire. For more information on repairing a punctured tire, read "Flat Tire Repairs."
 

Spring is one of the best times to be a driving enthusiast. Winter / snow tires are great at what they do, but aren't nearly as fun to drive on dry pavement as performance tires. 
 

Are you ready to have some fun this spring? Check out our Tire & Wheel Packages. 

You've seen them all over the place and now you want to know where you can get a set of Rockstar rims from KMC XD Series? Tire Rack has you covered. These wheels are one of our best sellers. The KMC XD Series Rockstar comes in three coveted finishes: machined with black accent, chrome and black. They're even available for your heavy duty dually. Go big or go home because these bad boys rock out in sizes 16" to 24" for your Dodge Ram, Chevy Silverado, Ford F150, JEEP, Hummer and many other off-road vehicles.  

Do you need tires to go along with a set of Rockstars? Then build your ideal Tire & Wheel Package today!

Rockstar (black)

Rockstar (chrome)

Rockstar (machined with black accent)

Thanks to the success of its custom color's program for the Alleggerita, O.Z. Racing is offering the same program for the Ultraleggera HLT. The HLT manufacturing is used to make larger wheel sizes lighter than they would otherwise be. For the Ultraleggera, nearly all 20" and most 19" sizes are produced using the HLT manufacturing process.
 

O.Z. Racing's color program is designed for tuners and enthusiasts seeking a distinctive wheel finish that stands apart from the usual silver, black or grey options that are by far the most common in the wheel industry. A few of the available colors include: red, orange (pictured), white and gold. 
 

O.Z. Racing builds and finishes each set of these wheels to order in Italy. Special orders in this program will take approximately 60 days to deliver. If you're willing to wait, the reward is a distinctive set of wheels that combine unique color with the high finish quality characteristics of all O.Z. Racing wheels. The Ultraleggera HLT can be ordered by itself, or you can select a tire to create a Tire & Wheel Package. To see if the Ultraleggera HLT is available for your vehicle, shop by vehicle. 

Last week, I had the chance to get behind the wheel of a couple fantastic American sports cars at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving: a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS, RS package. 

Just as a side note, Bondurant has been using Goodyear tires exclusively for many years on their cars, when applicable. The main exception is with their Corvette ZR1 program, which is in conjunction with GM, where they use the Original Equipment Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP. 

A key point taught during the school was weight transfer. We learned how to use it to maximize the grip of the vehicle's tires. One of the biggest concerns I hear from owners of high-horsepower vehicles is the tires just don't hook up in the corners.

Do you have a good car equipped with the right set of performance tires (such as the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar EMT or Eagle F1 Supercar G: 2 RunOnFlat) and drive with the proper technique? Then the car will go where you tell it when the weight is in the right place - if you need to turn, make sure your weight is where it needs to be.

Do you remember the Hyundai Excel? It was Hyundai's first serious push into U.S. market. Well, if you can conjure up an image or recollection of the vehicle, you can appreciate how far Hyundai has come with the new Elantra.
 

The 2011-2012 Elantra GLS is a nice-looking car at a reasonable price. If you feel like adding a little sportiness to your car, you can easily do so without spending a lot of money.
 

From 15" to 20" sizing, there are over 100 different wheel options available. With new wheel styles being introduced and some classic wheels on clearance, there are plenty of ways to add flavor on any budget. For example, the Sport Tuning 15" wheels are currently marked down to $49-$55* per wheel.

Sport Tuning T5 $55*

Sport Tuning T6 $49*

Sport Tuning T10 $55*

Your Elantra GLS either came with 15" wheels on the 195/65-15 Hankook Optimo H426 or optional 16" wheels running on the 205/55-16 Continental ContiProContact or 205/55-16 Hankook Optimo H426. Regardless if you have the 15" or 16" set-up, or even want larger wheels, be sure to find a Recommended Installer near your home or office for easy installation.
 

Are you wondering how a two-toned wheel will work with Elantra's overall styling? You can get a pretty good idea by taking a look at this wheel style on the 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe which debuted at the Chicago Auto Show:

2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra GLS FAQ:

1. Will the Sport Tuning Wheels accept my original Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors? Yes, your installer can move your existing TPMS sensor to these wheels.
    
2. I also want to get new tires. Can Tire Rack mount, balance and deliver the tires and wheels so they're ready to be installed? Yes, if you decide to purchase tires, we offer free mounting and balancing. I would consider the Yokohama AVID ENVigor as a good choice to improve overall performance and wet grip. The total for this Tire & Wheel Package with the Sport Tuning T6 is $668.***

*Limited stock, prices subject to change

***Including TPMS sensors, excluding shipping

Many vehicles are offered with optional sport packages which usually include upgrades to the engine, wheels, tires and braking system. When replacing your current rotors be sure you're getting the same level of performance from your new rotors. Centric takes the guess work out of purchasing Original Equipment replacement rotors.  
 

If you own a performance vehicle like the Audi RS4, Porsche 911, Corvette or BMW M3 that came with factory cross-drilled and vented rotors, the Centric Plain 120 Series Rotors will be made to the exact specifications.
 

Plain 120 Series Rotors feature a layer of Electrocoating that provides long lasting corrosion protection. The black Electrocoating is applied to the entire rotor with the exception of the braking surface which gives a more attractive rust-free appearance when compared to your Original Equipment rotors.
 

Centric also offers value-added benefits such as balancing, split castings for better heat transfer and a double disc ground braking surface for a non-directional friction area.
 

When looking for brakes online, be sure to shop by vehicle.

Are you looking to dress up your Chevy Impala but want something more unique than your standard chrome or silver painted wheel? Then consider the light grey painted 18" MSW Type 23 that's been marked down from $144 to $89.
 

The Impala provides a great combination of performance, low road noise, ride comfort, passenger room and versatility. Kumho's 235/50-18 Grand Touring All-Season Ecsta LX Platinum does a great job of accentuating these qualities while maintaining a good balance between value and overall capability. Moreover, the price of this Tire & Wheel Package comes in at only $1144***. 
 

MSW Type 23

Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum

Impala and MSW Type 23 FAQ:

1. My vehicle has 5 lugs but the wheel pictured above has 4 lug openings, how will I know I'm ordering the proper wheel? If a wheel happens to be made in both a 4-lug and 5-lug version, we'll normally use one picture on our website to represent both. In this case, we used the 4-lug version. As long as you enter your vehicle's information properly into the Upgrade Garage, you'll get the correct, compatible version of the wheel.
   
   Typically, the 5-lug version of a 5-spoke wheel is more appealing to the eye because of better symmetry. With five lugs and four spokes you can either have a spoke aligned with a lug opening or the lug openings between each spoke. You can't achieve this same symmetry with five spokes and four lugs.  
    
2. Tire Rack's Upgrade Garage suggests a tire size of 245/45-18, however you're suggesting 235/50-18, why? Both sizes are compatible, but I like 235/50-18 slightly better since that's the O.E. size used on the Impala LTZ and Impala SS. It's also minutely taller, so that helps a little in reducing the amount of fender gap between the top of the tire and the bottom of the fender.
    
3. What's the difference between the following O.E. sizes and the above 18" sizes? The O.E. LS and LT size is 225/60-16 (26.7" overall diameter) and 235/50-18 (27.3" overall diameter) which are about a half-inch wider, while the 245/45-18 (26.7" overall diameter) is approximately another half-inch wider compared to the 235/50-18. For more on tire sizing, read "Calculating Approximate Tire Dimensions."
    
4. 18s are nice but I want to run 20s on my Impala, will they fit? Yes, as long as you pick a compatible wheel and run 245/35-20 as a tire size.
    

***Includes TPMS sensors, excluding shipping, limited stock, prices subject to change