Winter / Snow tyres

[redneck]

contact them!!!

VOILA

VOILA2

[sami_remote]

:g:

what's that about?! bs as well! go to a normal tyre dealer and order winter tyres for the needed size. if new wheels are needed order wheels that come with tyres that do fit them. lexus might be a unique brand but it's not from outer space, mate. if you encounter problems pm me and i will talk to a lexus dealer nearby! :afro:

you would have to transfer the money plus fees plus shipping...but i can't believe that no common tyre dealer in the u.k. can get winter tyres for your lex.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I know this is shocking. I have spoken to 3 seperate Lexus dealers + 2 independent tyre dealer in the past month and all are making me go in circles. The last Lexus dealer that I've been dealing with has been one of the more understanding ones - imagine how the rest are! Now you can understand why I am going crazy :g:

[redneck]

check link above

[knjazandre]

what a crazy story!

Look, maybe the best way to manage the trip is following:

you plan your trip to Alps through Germany,

there you locate the nearest to your route Lexus dealer,

then you call him or send fax, email, etc. with your winter tires order,

you come over , change wheels ,

store your summer wheels at the dealer,

drive your way and enjoy the holiday,

on the way back same procedure backwards.

Is that an option for you?

:g:

[unregistriert]

Again: save your beloved Lexus ---> Ryanair!!!

Then rent a Subaru in Switzerland. :g:

[sami_remote]

contact them!!!

VOILA

VOILA2

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello!

I contacted 4x4styling today, they are very nice and helpful people!

They told me that I can keep my existing wheels and they are good and just buy the tyres from them. And guess what, they have my size!!!!! :g: Ok so they offered me the following choices:

Bridgestone Blizzak WS50 (235/55/18) @ 1024 Euro (5 set)

Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 4x4 (235/55/18) @ 1096 Euro (5 set)

I need some urgent advice as they said that they do not have many in stock:

1. What do you think about 235/55/18 winter tyres, are they safe? I hear before on the posting that it is best to use 225/60/17. Is there a big difference? the 4x4styling people said it was safe.

2. Which is a better tyre from the above two. I have no idea of the difference and the price is very similar! :afro:

3. Am I ok to use the above tyre to drive 1000km X 2 on the motorways? (I am driving from UK to the Alps and back!)

I feel much better today. At last I speak to a dealer who knows about winter tyres :g:

Thanks!

Sami

[sami_remote]

More information found on the tyres:

LM25: http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tireselecto...sproductid=1096

WS50: http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tireselecto...ssproductid=189

[InderNett]

They told me that I can keep my existing wheels and they are good and just buy the tyres from them.

I would never do so!

Tyres are not intend to be changes several times on the same rim!

So if you want to keep the tyres you have just now for summer and take the others for winter it is better to take complete wheels.

Just take the offer on 4x4Styling for 4 complete wheels ( € 1.368,- incl. 20% tax is a fair price ).

It's unusual to take a 5th winter wheel. In case of a damaged tyre, the 5th summer wheel would be just good enough for the way to the next garage.

By the way, winter tyres are no substitution for snow chains - so even if you have winter tyres it is definitely a good idea to have snow chains (even if you are not sure if you need it or not...). Of course, it's much easier to buy snow chains somewhere there...

bearbeitet 21. September 2005 von InderNett

[redneck]

I would never do so!

Tyres are not intend to be changes several times on the same rim!

So if you want to keep the tyres you have just now for summer and take the others for winter it is better to take complete wheels.

Just take the offer on 4x4Styling for 4 complete wheels ( € 1.368,- incl. 20% tax is a fair price ).

It's unusual to take a 5th winter wheel. In case of a damaged tyre, the 5th summer wheel would be just good enough for the way to the next garage.

By the way, winter tyres are no substitution for snow chains - so even if you have winter tyres it is definitely a good idea to have snow chains (even if you are not sure if you need it or not...). Of course, it's much easier to buy snow chains somewhere there...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it sounds as if sami primarily wants the tyres for this one winter trip. in this case, no sweat changing the tyres on the rim. in the other case, indernett is right!

1. taking 5 winter tyres you get a better price.

2. driving to the next garage in the deep winter with one summer tyre out of four can cause the same probs!

3. snow chains...leave the church in the village, as we put it. in the deep mountains with high slopy terrain...YES!

but again, you might prefer a complete set...maybe on steel rims. they put a lot of salt on the roads which is aggressive to your alloys!

[sami_remote]

Hi All,

Thanks for your advices.

I am likely to use the tyres again in the following winter (this is a trip I am going to do again). So maybe the wheel/tyre combo is a good idea at it is not that much more expensive (1368 EURO vs 1096 EURO). I guess this will also mean that my summer tyres/wheels are perfectly intact! :wub:

Sorry but I do not understand the german website, do you know if the wheels are steel or aluminium? http://www.4x4styling.com/Angebot_Neu/winterraeder_S.htm

Also, one thing which is always confusing me are those sizes. The combo stated on the website says the size of the tyres are: 255/55R18 - I remember seeing a couple of posts up that 225 is the best size? It seems that 30 is a big difference? Sorry I don't understand this size business too well, I hope someone can tell me what this means! :lol:

Thank you,

Sami

[redneck]

they are alloys...but that's fine as long as you can save your original alloys, am i right? :wub:

again an explanation of the size...255 is the width of the tyre...55 is the percentage of it (255/100x55=140) which represents the "height" of the rubber from the rim to the top.

in general, slim tyres are better for snow.

me, for example, i got 8.5x18 wheels in front and back, but 225/40 in front and 255/35 in the back. both tyre sizes fit the same size of the rim. 255 is too wide for winter tyres in my opinion.

[InderNett]

in general, slim tyres are better for snow.

Yes and No!

Slim tyres are better on wet and sludgy snow!

On mud, ice or on a hard snow cover wide tyres are better...

And regarding the snow chains... as much as i know (and i am frequently traveling through the alps) there are a lot of passes that are not allowed to be taken without snow chains in winter...

Sami, you see, for every solution there are good and bad news, there is no perfect snow tyre, there is no perfect size... you allways have to compromise...

And if there is only one good offer - don't bother, just take it!

[redneck]

on ICE...i wanna see that... :ph34r:

[sami_remote]

Hi All,

Thanks for the feedback.

It is quite interesting as I also contacted a very good US tyre company http://www.tirerack.com/ - these guys are one of the biggest in the USA and have a lot of RX330 customers (I assume this is the same as RX300 in Europe), they said that they CANNOT recommend winter wheels/tyres unless they are 17 inch. The tyre they recommend is 235/65/17

Now the interesting part is that 4x4styling tells me that they CANNOT recommend a tyre/wheel which is smaller than the default size that is supplied. They said that 17 inch is too small for the RX300 and it is NOT recommended.

My final choices are:

. 235/55/18 with Bridgestone Blizak LM25

. 235/65/17 with Bridgestone Blizak LM18

What do you think? The prices are not very different, which ones would you go for? Are there ANY pros/cons on each? I think I am getting near my final answer now! :ph34r:

Thanks,

Sami

[RX-Men-8]

I think 4x4styling is afraid some 17" rim models will not clear the brake calipers. But there will be models that fit. Both of your options are 235 wide, so the only tradoff you have is looks vs comfort (and cost). 18s look better, but have a harder ride and will be a bit more expensive (wheel and tyre).

Cheers,

RX-Men-8

[unregistriert]

es ist kein zuckerschlecken immer die passenden felgen für die bremsen UND optik zu finden. ich hätt da noch welche rumliegen in 18" für den RX..... :ph34r:

[redneck]

translation:

it is no sugar licking :ph34r: to get the right rims for the brakes AND the optic. i got some 18" for the rx...

[unregistriert]

man das ist ein deutschsprachiges forum. "Sugar Licking" ist natürlich ENDGEIL...... verreck :ph34r: :clap: :clap:

[redneck]

17" inch is not too small since the rx is sold with them in germany.

[sami_remote]

Thank you all for the expert advice provided. You guys really know your stuff! After some thinking I think I will go for:

1. New set of 18 inch wheels made with a special coating for winter conditions (salt etc...)

2. Tyres: Bridgestone Blizak LM25 235/55/18 - this is apparently one of the best tyres on the market? :ph34r:

3. Set of 5 of wheels/tyres

4. Set of 4 snow chains

Have I made a good choice?

Thank you,

Sami

[sami_remote]

There is an interesting article over here on "how to choose the perfect winter tyre size":

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=126

I don't know how true this "minus sizing" technique is but according to them I should use 225 width + 17 inch wheels! (my existing are 235/55/18)

:ph34r:

[redneck]

nice article...SAMI, GO FOR THE TIRES YOU HAVE CHOSEN!!! THEY ARE FINE!

very good choice...i hope you will report us your expirience and satisfaction after you have returned from your winter trip. :clap:

PROST :ph34r:

next year i would like you to have at our euro meet... :clap:

jens

[sami_remote]

Hi All,

Thank you for your advices again. I have chosen the following wheels:

http://www.4x4styling.com/felgen-reifen/Be...080&Marke=Lexus

The above wheels + the Bridgestone Blizak LM25 for a set of 5 was about 2000Euro.

I will let you know the experience once I put them on :)

Redneck - thank you for your invitation to your Euro meeting, I would love to come if I can.

Regards,

Sami

[sami_remote]

Hi All,

One last question (I promise!).

Do I really need snow chains? I have been going to the destination for several years and have rented cars in the past which already have winter tyres and I have never used chains.

I've asked a couple of friends and some say it is essential and some say that I don't need it unless I am doing some serious off-road (which I am not)

What do you think? When do people use snow chains?

Thanks,

Sami

[PhoneDrome]

Go for it :thumbup: Its better to be save!