Question about alloy wheels

outlaw777

Hey I'm thinking of buying 16' alloys off the net (just the alloys not the tyres) has anyone bought alloys off the net before? How much roughly would it cost if I went to my local garage and asked them to fit them on for me? Also would I be able to fit the alloys onto my existing tyres since they have no alloys on them at present?

Nile

Hello outlaw777

I'll move your thread to the 'Motoring & Public Transport' board.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

tomstickland

The tyres will depend on the wheel size compared with what you have at present.
If they are larger diameter wheels then they will require lower profile tyres to keep the rolling radius about correct.
Most tyre places will fit tyres to the wheels and fit them to your car.

Make sure that the wheels you want to buy are the correct pcd (hole pitch circle diameter) and the correct offset (distance "outwards" from mounting flange to centre line of wheel).

anewman

May be a good idea to get new tyres anyway unless your current ones are quite newish.

For a quote on cost just give a tyre place in the phone book a buzz and say exactly what you want doing, and they should be happy to help. Namely removal and re-fitting to new rims, which will also need balancing etc which is automatically done as part of the service. Shouldn't cost anymore than about £50 I would imagine.

If you have space to keep some of the old wheels there's a slight chance they may come in useful later as spares.

Phill_555

Hi outlaw,

I used to into car modifying and the first thing I would suggest is joining an internet forum dedicated to your car, eg Ford Focus car forum etc. There will be people there who will give you expert advice on what size alloys and tyres for those alloys will fit onto your car and which are too big and require further work.

You will have to buy the alloys and tyres together as your existing tyres will not fit over the large 16inch alloys as 'steel wheels' are much smaller compared to alloy wheels

When I bought the 16inch alloys for my fiesta I got a garage to fit them as they have to 'balance' them and rolling road test them to make sure they are safe. This will not cost you much-ring round for quotes. I put the new alloys in my boot ontop of an old rug where i asked them to place the old steel wheels after fitment.

When i eventually sold the fiesta i took off the alloys myself and sold them seperately on the car forum I belonged to. I obviously got less than what I bought them for new but you will get more that way than keeping them on the car and selling them to the average joe. Or you can ebay them also and just arrange a company to pick them up from you and deliver to buyer.

Conor_3

Just remember that once you've fitted them, you need to inform your insurance company as it is a modification. There's usually at least an admin fee to pay.

anewman

You'll need to tell your insurance company you have a pine fresh air freshener costing 89p hanging from the rear view mirror next or risk invalidating your policy.

Have to wonder what happens if you buy a car second hand that comes with alloys that wasn't supplied with them as standard, but when you buy it you assume they were standard. Surely they can't invalidate your policy on this basis?

MrsTinks

Technically I think they can... if they really wanted to be difficult. It's your responcibility to know if the vehicle is modified not theirs to guess I'm not saying I agree! Just how it works on paper. Then again some things they might be hard pressed to spot on a crumpled wreck, alloys would stand out though... I'm a firm believer in notifying insurance companies even if just to avoid giving them ANY excuses
Phil is right though - check with owners clubs and dedicated forums - the advice there is fantastic (I used to be part of the MX5 forum and OC, the advice there was so valuable) and they can tell you exactly what to look out for. But as others have said it's unlikely your tyres will fit alloys. Unless of course they are exactly the same measurements as your current rims which I'd have said was unlikely
ANd whatever you do... don't buy run flats... £130 a tyre... *sigh*