badams

squarehat is right, here is a picture of the diameter of the 215/50-17 tire according to the Miata tire calculator.

badams

badams

Sorry, I meant to say here is a picture comparison of the stock ES300 tire and the tire squarehat suggests installing on the IS300 rim(s).

badams

badams

Ps. Anyone still riding on the stock 15's will be amazed at the handling difference when using the 17 inch rims and lower profile tires. My car used to feel like it was sitting on Jello when going around turns with my old stock rims and tires. When I put on the IS300 rims and tires the whole car handled so much better, it was simply amazing what just rims and tires will do for handling.

badams

XenonES3

Badams,

YOU ARE THE MAN!!!

Thanks for all your help through the emails and this thread! This is outstanding!

Squarehat & Badams- Since the IS300 rims sit SO close to the rear suspension, don't you think it would be quite a gamble to run 50 series tires?

badams

I'm sticking with my 45's! I also like the teeny weeny little bit of extra speed I get with the more rotations per mile (but we are talking really teeny weeny here).

I don't know if the 50 series is any wider than the 45 series though. If squarehat is riding on them now without any problems then I doubt you would XenonES3.

I may consider getting a rear spacer any ways. The rear wheel does sit inward a lot more than the front. of course I never really noticed until I was taking the pictures.

badams

squarehat

If you decide to go with the 50 series tires and the IS rims, I'd strongly recommend spacers in the back. I had no idea until I saw the pic that the clearance was so tight with the rears being tucked in like that, I always figured it was a cosmetic issue. The 50's aren't any wider than the 45's, as 215's sit pretty square on a 7" wide rim, but the extra height could be an issue with the way the strut angles toward the wheel.

I am indeed running 215/50's without problems (and glad I am, with some of the unavoidable potholes I've run into). However, my Mille Miglias are either +40mm or +42mm, meaning they're not as tucked as far under the fender as the IS rims would be (+50mm offset). This also means they're a little farther from the rear struts than the IS rims.

BTW, good printout of the Miata TireCalc site, badams. Very helpful site, especially when I was considering some complicated 18" setups.

LexDiamond

Nice write up badams! I wonder how the IS300 rims look on a 97+ body

squarehat

There's a pic floating around of a 97+ with IS rims, the car's at a gas station. I saw it the other day, not sure if it was on here or the LOC USA boards.

LexDiamond

I've browsed the entire es gallery. I do not think it was here. I'll have to photoshop some on

badams

Here is a picture I made last year when I was trying to decide whether to put the IS300 rims on my car. I got the picture from TireRack.com (looks like a 1997, and is the same picture I used for my sig). I Photoshopped the rims on and loved them, then bought them soon afterwards.

Funny thing, I saw a Mitsubishi Galant ES tonight with IS300 rims on it. Weird how you start noticing things more often when they are floating around in the back of your mind. Since XenonES3 asked me about my rims and I've been responding to this post, I've been noticing IS300's and the rims all over the place.

badams

XenonES3

Speaking of IS300 rims popping up everywhere, I saw a Ford Ranger with them this morning!!!!!

If you are not having rubbing problems than don't use spacers. Spacers are not mechanically sound.

badams

Yeah XenonES3, that is probably why I never put spacers on, just one more thing to make my stuff wobble.

While we are on the subject of putting different rims on cars, I had a guy tell me if I wanted an IS300 I should've just bought one, not just the rims. I said "I don't want an IS300, I just wanted the rims".

Still I think that was a pretty rude thing for someone to say. Like I'm trying to fool people into thinking I am driving an IS300 by putting its rims on my car. Is someone driving a Ford Ranger with IS300 rims trying to fool people into thinking he is driving an IS300? Well, maybe, I've seen some pretty nasty looking Ford Rangers with all sorts of extra things bolted on them. Ford Rangers with wings, thats a pretty sight! Like a wing is going to help a truck with aerodynamics, I mean the whole back end is a large bucket for catching air, a tiny wing ain't gonna do much.

Now me putting 2002 headlights, taillights and grill on my 1999 RX300, well in that case "Yes" I am trying to fool people into thinking I am driving a newer RX. Lets face it, the newer RX parts simply look better than the original ones.

badams

squarehat

Here's the pic of the 97-99 ES with IS rims. I know I've seen it on CL, but I found it quicker on LOC USA.

badams

Nice!

I wish my car was black!

badams

badams

I took my 1996 ES300 in for its 150,000 mile servicing and I asked for and received a 2004 RX330 as a loaner.

Very nice, but it is missing the NAV. The 330 is nice, but I already own my 1999 RX300. It isn't worth the extra expense each month for a few extra cup holders, larger engine and 18" rims.

badams