I just purchased some 15" Mas MGRs (1/19/00) from Discount Tire, along with 195/50/R15 Dunlop Qualifiers, for a great price. I think these wheels are so sweet. They're almost like Ferrari wheels or something, and they're just what I wanted. I wanted a five-spoke design that was smooth and soft--not hard edged, complicated, or flashy. These are perfect. If you're thinking about new wheels, make sure you know what fits before you buy. I've heard of people buying used wheels and then--OOPS--the wheels had a five bolt pattern and wouldn't fit the Accord's specialized size. Actually, most four-lug wheels won't fit, either. Most cars with four lugs have a distance of 4.5" between the lugs (110mm), but our 3rd Gen Accords only have 100mm between them. The only other cars I know of with this size are Acura Integras. You also must be sure the new tires are the same overall diameter as the stock ones. "185/70/R13" is the description that was written on the sidewalls of my stock tires. The first number, in this case “185”, describes the width of the tire, in mm, at the road interface. The second number, “70”, is a percent of the first number. It gives the height of the sidewall (the distance from the road interface to the wheel rim), also in mm. The third number begins with a letter (usually “R” for “radial”) and it is, as you probably know, the diameter of the wheel that fits the tire (in inches—whacky, huh?). So here’s the calculation for the overall tire diameter for my stock tires: (.70*185*2/10/2.54) + 13 = 23.20 inches In case the above is not clear, multiplying by “2” accounts for the fact that there are two sidewalls. Dividing by “10” converts mm to cm. Dividing by “2.54” converts cm to inches. My new tires are 195/50/R15s. (.50*195*2/10/2.54) + 15 = 22.68 inches So my new tires are a little shorter than stock. I won’t include the calculation, but this means if my speedo was accurate with the stock tires, I can now “legally go 76.7 mph” in a 75 (oh boy)! My mileage will also seem "improved" (too small to notice, probably), and if I ever sell the car, the odo will say it's a bit older than it really is. For my swap, a little bit of difference in diameters isn’t really a problem. |
