4 Tyres need replacing so Wheel Swap time???

[Giblets]

Looks like it will cost me approx £850 to get new quality rubber fitted to my 3.0d Sport so I'm considering buying some 20" rims with tyres already fitted and selling my 19's for whatever I can get for them.

There seem to be a few options on ebay albeit most with cheap rubber which I don't really want.

Any pitfalls to look out for, or places I should look?

Not worried if rims and tyres are used as long as condition is decent and there is life in the rubber.

Cheers

[shaunos]

Hi Mate,

I just went through the same experience, except my car was running 20" wheels and I was looking to down size to 19's.
I spent AGES trawling and following Ebay ads and other sources and it always boiled down to the fact that I might find suitable wheels somewhere but the tyres would usually be near their end of life so I would end up paying a few hundred quid for the wheels and 3months later having to get them re-shod anyway...

In the end I just opted to get new rubber all round...

~S.

[Giblets]

Thanks mate,

Why were you looking to go down to 19's?
Is the ride that bad on 20's?

I'm actually not massively precious about the wheels, but figured I might end up being able to upgrade them for little extra cost over replacement rubber for my 19's.

[B1G JV]

ebay and pistonheads are your best bet. Also keep a look out in the local free paper and the Ad-Trader/Autotrader back page ads.
Quite often an advert in the Ad-Trader saying 'Wanted' usually brings a few sets out of people's garages, like me who has a garage full of wheels and never has the time to advertise them... although be wary of this approach too, as it can also cause some unsavoury characters to go out thieving!! So worth mentioning something with diplomacy regarding this in the advert.

I swapped my 19's for the 20's and still have the 19's lying in the garage with brand new rubber on. I'm in two minds whether to use them as a spare set or get rid and free up the space.

[shaunos]

Why were you looking to go down to 19's?

Mostly down to cost of tyres, though in fairness 19's aren't that much cheaper than 20's and I do like the solid five spoke wheels on the facelift cars....

But, I do also like the deep dish effect of my current wheels.... see below...



I ended up swapping the 295/40/20 contis for a set of 295/45/20 Hankook Ventus tyres and keeping the wheels...

~S.

[CondorX5]

Don't you run the staggered 20" standard set up with 315/35R20 at the rear then?

[shaunos]

Hi CondorX5,

Yeah they should be staggered but these are the wheels that were on it when I bought it.....

~S.

[RichB]

Hi,

I have a 55 plate 3.0D and I did this myself. I collected a set of 20" 5 spoke 4.6IS wheels from different ebay sellers. The wheels cost me just over £300 in all, then ~£700 for a set of matched Kumho rubber fitted and balanced (which have proved to be excellent).

I think the 20s (especially of this type) look superb, a massive improvement to the look of the car, it looks 'fatter' and more aggressive. The ride has changed barely at all.

I don't think you will be disappointed if you do it.