FocusCanada Forums

Hey Guys.
Looking to get some winter rims and skins installed on the new car.

Where is a good place to get reasonable prices on packages?
Let me know!


-Anthony.

This is my opinion, for what it is worth. First I recommend highly you get Michelin X-Ice Xi3. I am on my third set (on the Taurus) since 2001. More important, please do not mount them on black steel rims. Instead, find a set of factory rims on Kijiji (or similar) for your car that are larger diameter (Plus One: 16" if you currently have 15" or 17" if you have 16") for your summer tires, and then mount the X-Ice on your original rims. That way you will have a stock looking vehicle in winter with fantastic traction and if you go Plus One, with a lower profile summer tire, you will improve the handling in rain and dry conditions during the summer.

Thanks for the tips man! I've got a few places quoting for me. Wow expensive!!!!!

I had a used almost worn set on the front of my focus last year for winter and even worn they stuck like glue and never got stuck anywhere.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are some before and after photos of the Taurus with winter and then summer tires and rims.


This is my old Taurus wagon with the stock 16 inch alloy rims and Michelin X-Ice winter tires (just before we installed the summer rims/tires.)


This is the same Taurus, with 17 inch alloy rims and Michelin Hydro-Edge summer tires (the after photo). My opinion, a much better looking setup than the stock rims. We swapped rims and tires just before the first snow (October) and back in April or so.

The expense was up front. Once you have two sets of tire, winter and summer, each lasts the same time, but you do not need to replace them as often because each set is only used half a year. What offends me is aesthetics. You buy a gorgeous car and either drive it with inferior tires in winter, with less control (i.e. greater risk) or you go to the tire store, pay them to swap your tires twice a year or you buy those crappy steel wheels at exorbitant prices.

In winter, if you check out the rims on many cars, you can tell who is using winter tires with those ugly, black, no hubcaps, steel rims. Good for them, they are safe, but ugly. If they swap tires, they are paying quite a bit twice a year, but again good for them because they are safe. But if you search Kijiji (or similar sites) you can find slightly larger diameter rims that look good, mount lower profile tires (Plus One) on them, get better handling, for summer use. Swapping complete units twice a year is straightforward. Just don't forget to torque your rims after you do so.

I should mention (and finally answer your original question) as to where to buy tires. Four summers ago, I needed replacements for my summer tires. My dealer here in Saskatchewan could not get me 17 inch Michelin HydroEdge replacements (these tires are fantastic in the rain). Since we were driving down east (on nearly bald tires), through Chicago, I decided to stop in South Bend, Indiana at a place called Tire Rack.

My preference is to support my local dealer. Except he could not find my tires anywhere in Canada. When I stopped at that Tire Rack headquarters in South Bend and inquired, yes he had a set. But he said I needed sixteen inch for the Taurus, not seventeen. No, I informed him, the rims are seventeen inch. He went outside with me and verified. While we were outside, I asked why Tire Rack had the Michelins, and why my dealer could not find any in Canada. He told me, in almost a conspiratorial whisper, Michelins don't sell that well in the USA, because, they were French, you know.

To make the story short (oops, too late), the tires cost me about $100 less than my Canadian price. Then again, if they had to be shipped and with the exchange rate, that price would probably be higher. But at that time everything worked for me. This will probably be the last summer on that set.

Michelin no longer makes HydroEdge, so my next tires will probably be Michelin Pilot Sport or Primacy.

I got my winter tires from Canadian Tire. It was for my other car, not my focus. The focus still has the all seasons on and had no problem so far.

(01-13-2016, 03:26 AM)ANTHONYD Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for the tips man! I've got a few places quoting for me.  Wow expensive!!!!!

For a local shop check out Tires23 in Mississauga (Dixie / 401) and for online sales check out http://www.quattrotires.com - based in Quebec they will have a better selection than most Ontario based sellers (Quebec law requires winter tires for all cars) and I've found their prices pretty good in this 45% dollar world.

I've had good experiences with Hankook Ice Bear, Yokohama Ice Guard and most recently Falken Eurowinter - all would be lower cost options to the Michelin.

Good luck - and welcome back.

Thanks Ken! I'm sorted for the time being, but I've bookmarked the company for future tire needs!!!

I this is an old thread but...

http://www.pmctire.com

This company is also from Quebec, but they have pricing that is better than almost everyone, and great selection too. I have purchased several items from them in the past.

Anthony I seen your old green focus at Kenny u pull . I was walking by it and I seen an old school focaljet sticker on the fuse box . Only green sedan I knew of was yours Lol !