[Chris740i]

Luke, Thank you for the reply to this thread, as well as the time you spent on the phone with me. Grab a cup of Coffee before you read on, it's a long post! I took my wheels to the local tire shop, and they measured them at 8.5" wide (can you say rub??). Glad there was only less than 1K on this set of tires before I realized the last owners wheel offset goof, the tires and rims were new when I took delivery of the car. No damage to car, wheels or tires due to the very minimal rub. I am definitely purchasing new wheels (and tires too). I originally thought about the Inspirations, and you pointed me towards the Visions. After thinking about it, I am actually swaying a bit more towards the Magics. whaddaya think?? I think I want a bit more conservative look. I also am going to downsize to a 17" wheel, giving me more choices on for tires, now and for replacing in the future, also a little smoother ride, not to mention a little bit in $$ savings when comparing 17" wheels and tires to 18" wheels and tires. I'll buy 17" same size front and rear so I can rotate for maximum wear. Your tire size selector recommends 235/45 17". I have a good friend who used to be in the tire business, I am using a bit of his knowledge base to help my decision, he has never steered me wrong in the past (no pun intended). I have never been a big fan of Goodyear, Dunlop, Goodrich, Conti, Michelin or Pirelli. I think people pay for the name, and that's it. My ego doesn't need the "Bling Bling" factor (and cost) for these tires. I have personally had horrible luck with Pirelli (sidewall splitting AND poor mileage), and also poor luck with Michelin (ride, noise, and again, poor mileage). A big concern is blistering/bulging sidewalls which I have seen on some expensive tires. I have personally have had great success with Bridgestone (Potenza) and Firestone (Firehawk) tires in the past. I think they are well kept secrets in the tire world. Firestones also don't scare me as I don't own a Ford Ex-"PLODE"-r. I have narrowed down to Bridgestone (re950, re750, re730 gen2, s3 pole position), firestone SZ50 EP, Yoko AVS DBs2, and the Kumho supra 712 and exta mx, and am reading the reviews for the benefits and tradeoffs. I know, very different tires across the board, BUT I'm swaying to my top 3 of the 8: the SZ50EP, the 730 GEN 2, and the Kumho 712. I am curious about any advanced feedback you may have on the new RE750's, and any input you have on the Yokos. The Kumho's are intriguing because of the bang for the buck factor, and I have Kumhos now. They seem to rate well, even for their price. The Kumhos seem to be the "little-tire-that could", compared to the more famous brands. In the long haul, For around $100 each in the 17" size, I can buy 3 sets for less than 2 sets of competitors brands that seem to have equal or lower mileage and performance ratings. Or if I trash one the replacement cost is cheap. And, I could use the extra savings to help buy an extra set of blizzaks for a pure winter performance tire. I think people that post reviews on the board tend to have higher expectations, and are then let down or unrealistic about the performance of the more expensive tires, while being more than satisfied, having their expectations exceeded, with lesser expensive kumhos (or other lesser known/priced brands). Seems the reviews tend to have a direct correlation to the price in some cases. I also get a kick out of the people who even remotely think they could pass off using these ultra high performance tires in the snow with any expectations of traction, but I'll reserve any more comments on that for another thread altogether. I just can't justify shelling out 150+ per tire (up to near 300 for some models) on ANY tire if they are going to wear out quickly, or if the quality is overrated versus actual performance versus the price. Read this post and digest it when you get a chance. If it's easier, just send a reply rather than a long post and I'll give you a call. I will be purchasing probably around tax day or just thereafter, and I'd assume give you the credit for the sale rather than one of your co-workers for the help you've been so far. I'd also like to know where I could post my current tires and wheels that are pictured on the car in the photo for sale; you did mention something about posting them in some forum someplace when I talked with you on the phone last week. They are Alloy Technologies (A-TECH) model 629 Chrome wheels, 18x 8 (or 8.5), with Kumho Ecsta Supra 245/40ZR18 tires.
-Chris