Marqevans

Having a hard time deciding on a nebula grey with 18 inch Michelins or a silver with 19 inch
Dunlops?

j1huynh

I'll take Michelin all day long.

UCSB

I have the Dunlops on 19" wheels and don't like them ... the tires ... the 19" wheels are great. I don't know if Dunlop has improved the tires since 2010. Maybe ask the dealer if they can put other tires on the car.

oldcajun

The 18" setup will ride better and the Michelins will be quieter. The only positive I know of for the larger wheels is appearance. My 2010 RX350 had 19" wheels as part of a package and I always wished I had the smaller wheels.
Steve

corradoMR2

As others have stated, it's really a question of form over function. I tend to aim for a balance of the two which is why I would go with the silver RX with the 19" wheels:

Reasons:

1. From a visual size standpoint, I always prefer the larger wheel as it "fills" the wheel well better, regardless of vehicle.
2. The more complex multi-spoke design and finish of the 19" wheels look more premium than the standard 5-spoke 18" wheels.
3. Although the Michelins are the better tire overall (noise, comfort, longevity), the Dunlops will eventually wear in 20-30k miles and you can replace them with softer, more quiet tires almost equaling the ride comfort of the higher profile 18" Michelins (research the sticky tire thread or tirerack.com). Replacing wheels however is a much more expensive transaction if you got the 18" wheels and realize you should have gone for the 19" wheels.


In short, if you value ultimate ride comfort and wheel design is a moot point, go for the NG and 18" wheels. If you do like the 19" wheels better and are concerned with ride quality, remember you can always change the tires (<1K) to softer more quiet riding ones.

One thing we didn't mention is color maintenance if this is of interest to you. The silver RX will also be the best color to maintain a "like new" appearance as it hides dirt, swirls, and scratches better than NG though NG is still pretty good (better than black) (speaking from experience).

There's no wrong decision - you're getting a brand new RX and congrats!

vlad_a

That's a simple one, NGP of course, not that I'm partial, or anything.
I do prefer 19" wheels, though.

JT4

If you like the look of the 19's but prefer the Michelins may I suggest asking your dealer to swap out the Dunlops for 19" Michelins.. Some dealers will do this.

However, test drive an RX with 19" tires first because even a non F Sport RX will ride a little firmer than an RX with the 18's.

kitlz

The 19" Dunlops are ok but obviously there are better brands out there. Asking for a swap is a good idea. I tried to do it myself but there weren't any RXs with Michelins on the lot. Maybe the dealer will change them out with tires in stock. It's worth asking. Assuming both RXs are similarly equipped otherwise, it might come down to which one drives and looks better to you. I'm partial to silver myself Good luck.

Marqevans

Thanks flor the pics! This will be my 8th RX and I have never had a gray one. As it is a lease I want there to be accepable tire tread left when I turn it in between 30,000 and 36,000 miles. The other issue is I am trying to lease from dealer inventory and am trying to close between Jan 2 and Jan 4 for the December deals. On top of that I think I like black interior better which is on the silver 19 inch wheel car , versus the ash (light gray) interior which is on the nebula gray 18" wheel car. In short I am driving my salesman and myself nuts!

corradoMR2

You've made your decision!

kitlz

Sure does. Excellent choice too Love the silver/black color combo. The nebula grey with light grey interior is sharp too. That was my second choice. Now if you can only get the dealer to switch the tires to Michelins. Sorry to say the Dunlops probably won't have enough tread left at lease end. Plus the noise will start long before that. I got rid of mine at a little more than two years/16K miles. They were losing traction.

Marqevans

Thanks Anita. Another factor is my wife likes the gray more than the silver. If only there was a nebula gray with black interior , with Michelins, with NAV on the lot!

vlad_a

Find another lot, LOL!
One of reasons I drove out of state for our RX was because nobody here had NGP with black interior. The grey interior is just no my cup of tea.

thesemes

Ours came with Michelins in 19" .


they're out there (my Moms has them on hers, too) <--both 2015's


keep in mind, they're no pilots, (called latitude, i think) but they're quiet .. enough

Sfcyclist

another vote for 19's.. The 18 just don't look right on the RX.