4 Steel rims, TPMS, and hubcaps

[Adoepner]

Hi everyone,

I have moved to 14" wheels on my 2012. My set of 4 15" stock steel rims, TPMS sensors, and hubcaps are now up for grabs. The rubber on the rims is shot and I can have it removed prior to shipping the rims ... but local pickup would be best. Make me an offer!

Andrew
Trenton, ON, Canada

 

[KangaRod]

I know it’s been a while, but do you still have these?

 

[Adoepner]

They are long gone. If the 14” conversion is an option for you, I recommend it. Lots more tire options. And rims are a dime a dozen.

Andrew

 

[Don]

If the 14” conversion is an option for you, I recommend it. Lots more tire options. And rims are a dime a dozen.

That kinda, sorta flies in the face of reality. I drove a Miata for 20 years which came with 14" tires and eventually *most* owners had to upgrade to 15" wheels because the choice in 14's was so very limited, while there are still tons of great choices in 15's - Eventually, all the really good 14's went out of production because there were so few cars still using them and there were literally no high performance tires left in 14 suitable for a Miata . . . . and who wants to drive a sporty car with crappy tires??

For an iMiEV owner who wants to continue using LRR tires for best range and performance, I think there are actually zero choices in 14's.. I upgraded my personal iMiEV to a set of 15 x 5.5 BMW Mini wheels, with the front pair narrowed to 5 inches so I could use 175/55R15's in place of the stock 145/65's and 185/60R15's on the rear in place of the stock 175/60's. Tires are Continental EcoContacts which are not true LRR's, but the meatier front tires greatly improve the balance and make it handle like a sports car instead of an understeering pig - I can now literally toss it into corners at least 20 mph faster than the yellow advisory signs . . . . and avoid having to slow down and then speed back up again, which is always a plus for getting better range

For the true iMiEV enthusiast though, it's pretty hard to beat the stock Dunlop LRR's on stock wheels . . . . except for the price. Thankfully, on a well aligned car, driven sensibly, they will last 35,000 miles - I've never worn out a set of them, but rather had to replace them over time when they got beyond 7 years. Stock Dunlops are what I keep on my wife's personal car

Don

 

[Adoepner]

Hi Don,

We’ve had this conversation before and I politely disagree. There are actually a lot of 14” options. 165/65R14 are great on the front (Mitsubishi Mirage and Chevy Spark) and 185/65R14s (Kia Rio) are good for the rear to preserve the stock front/rear size ratio as close as possible. Another option for the rear that I have tested with success is 175/65R14 (Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Kia Accent, Mazda 2, Toyota Yaris).

I can see that you had trouble finding 14” sport tires for your Miata, but lots of ecobox cars are still on the road on 14s, so there is no dearth of 14” tires. All the above listed models are contemporaries of the i-MiEV. True, there are no sport tires, and true there are no LRR options, but to say that the market is limited is simply not accurate. Tires in the above sizes are very available and quite a bit less expensive than options in the OEM sizes.

Respectfully,

Andrew

 

[Don]

. . . . but, there are still zero 14 inch options for LRR tires, which is what most EV drivers would be looking for. Also, I would imagine it's pretty hard to find same brand, same model tires in the front and rear sizes (which would be important to me) especially when you have to source them from different make/model cars found in wrecking yards.

"Hello all, I have successfully fitted 14" x 5.5" steel wheels to my 2012. It required a bit of work … but it works! I did this to open up a larger market of used wheels/tires from other compact cars since replacing the stock-size tires are expensive."

I understand that you are happy to drive on used tires to save a few bucks, but since you cannot tell much about the tires prior life just by looking at them, you may be putting yourself at risk buying used tires which have been run low on air at some point and the resulting heat
may have damaged the inner carcass of the tire, so it's at risk of blowing out on you at any time. When I was a broke a$$ 17 year old, I bought used tires too, because I couldn't afford anything else (and I had a few blow on me too) but it's not something I would ever do again, so switching to 14" wheels and selling your OEM wheels just so you can buy cheaper used tires just doesn't make a lick of sense to me. There are better places to save a few bucks than compromising on your safety. Long story short, be careful recommending this to other owners - You may be doing it, but it's still not a good idea

If you are ever at fault in an accident which harms other people and an investigation finds what you are using for tires, you are opening yourself up to a huge lawsuit, because what you are doing is not only a bad idea, it's also illegal and would probably void your insurance coverage. Saving a few bucks now might cost you your house and everything you own later . . . .

Respectfully . . . . and I wish you well,

Don

 

[Adoepner]

Hi Don,

Tires in the 14” sizes from my previous post are readily available new. I’m not advocating that people go combing a junkyards for 20 year old rubber.

If the debate here is used/new - I’m with you. Buy new tires.

If the debate here is going to 14” or not, not being able to buy new LRR tires would be a good reason not to switch (should you insist on having LRR). You should be prepared to lay out some cash for some pretty rare tires in this case. I personally don’t have a need for LRR tires as I seldom need every last km of range out of my Miev.

My point is if someone is looking to source new tires without breaking the bank, 14s are a pretty good option and are very available new at a tire shop near you (just not in sport or LRR) in sizes that work for the Miev. Many cars are still on 14” rubber, some still in production like the Mirage and the Spark.

14s are a viable option.

Andrew