wheels/tires help

The size should be molded into the wheel somewhere, possibly on the rim behind the spokes. It doesn't matter, though--195/50-15 is the right tire, and will work fine on either wheel width.

None of those is necessarily true. Tires and balancing skill make the difference.

When I switched from 14" to 15", I could feel no difference in ride or handling. I did it because 15" tires are cheaper and offer more choice.

OK, I like the looks, too.

Good move, as long as they never see snow or ice. Emphasize NEVER.

Lanny, Thank you for your comments and giving me confidence to go with the

195/50/15. Unfortunately they will see some snow (currently 12"). Not that I intend to drive in the snow but I would hate to think that it would be impossible. Any suggestions as to what might be the next best 195/50/15 choice for me that could handle occasional snow. Thanks.

If you're *very* careful, an all-season tire will probably get you home in one piece; it's not something most folks would do for fun. The best is probably the Bridgestone RE950. But for reliable snow and ice grip, you'll need four true winter tires, such as Bridgestone Blizzak, Dunlop Graspic, Toyo Observ, or Nokian Hakapelliita.

Consider that the cost of four winter tires on steel wheels is probably less than your collision deductible. Alternatively, for that money you could buy a ton of bus tickets or a fair number of cab rides.

is there something special about the miata (light weight, short wheel base) that requires high end tires, or are they just appropriate because the car can handle so well? i have only owned a civic crx and a corrolla before and found them to ride well year round on mid rage tires purchased from big chain stores like costco. the brigestone re950 does not seem to come in

195/50/15 and are also quite pricey. as an alternative would a toyo proxes 4 (same low price as t1-s) or a falken ziex ze-512 (super cheap, but have read some negitive comments about them in this group) be ok as year round tires? am i just not yet getting that this car should really have a summer and winter set of performance tires to be truly enjoyable? thanks again.

Nothing special, just that anything less wastes a significant part of the car's potential. I just put a set of Yokohama Avid T4s on our beater Accord; it's a decent $40 all-season ($67 in your size) that rides smoothly and quietly, handles predictably in any weather, should last

30-40k miles, but isn't particularly grippy or responsive. It also looks kinda wimpy, with skinny shoulders. It'd be OK for a commuter Miata, but disappointing if pushed hard.

Yes: the drivers.

:)

For what it's worth, I got a set of Falken Ziex 512s a couple months ago and I'm very happy with them. They're not high performance, but grip pretty well on dry and very well in the rain. As a bonus, they give a fairly soft ride.

Just to qualify, I'm not a tire guru like some of these guys. I'm just a guy with a Miata that I love.

One major difference is that the CRX, and maybe the Corolla, depending on what year it was, was front wheel drive, meaning that the weight was primarily over the tires providing the traction and the same tires provided the directional control. Any rear wheel drive car is somewhat less likely to go where you point it in the snow than a front wheel drive car, not that that can't be fun :).

John (94 Miata)

thanks again everyone. lanny, i appreciate you clear advice. grant, very funny. i like that. dave, i am just a guy that like his miata too and your comment has helped me make a decision. john, you are spot on with the front wheel drive comment. i should have thought of that. makes perfect sense. i have decided to get a set of the falken ziex 512 put on the existing rims. i figure that it will address the immediate issue with the multi brand tire setup that i currently have, and help me get through the winter as well as buy me some time as i get to know the car (other necessary major repairs might surface). if i feel they disappoint then i will purchase a new set of rims and the toyo ts-1 (or the yokohama es100 if the toyo's are no longer made) and then use the ziex 512 and rims for the winter. new rims would make the car look fresher too, and i won't feel bad about using the old rims during harsh weather. thanks again everyone. a very enjoyable newsgroup thanks to all the great contributors.

I hope the Ziex work out for you. I found that they work best for me with a few more PSI than I ran in my previous no-name tires. I run 30 PSI in the Ziex and ran 27 previously. The Ziex felt "squishy" at 27 but fine at 30.

Also...

I traded in my beloved '87 CRX for my even more beloved '97 Miata. The CRX was fun and had the advantage of being able to carry my racing bicycles in the back. Then my wife went and got an Accord and we put on a bike rack and hey! I graduated to a real sports car!

Have fun!