Hey looking at winter tires. The cheapest option I could find was $2500 from Kal-Tire which was a set of steel rims, tires, and the air sensors they have to install. The rims are a different size than what came with the RX but Kal-Tire said they will fit fine just the tire will be thicker.

Lexus quoted me $5000 total, $2250 for these tires and $2250 for the alloy rims.
x4    235/50R21 Michelin XICE Snow

Anyone got a better deal/suggestion? $2500 is a bit much. Will they be quite a bit cheaper in summer? First time buying winter tires.

 

I don't know what size Kal Tire is quoting you, so it's hard to tell.....with sensors that sounds about right.

You could wait till next fall as winter is almost over....another 20 cm dump here today lol

I would go to a 20 " wheel tire combo. Way more choice in that size.

There is probably a very good selection of aftermarket wheels available with the correct offset and bolt patten. I would not get a universal fit or use a spacer or ring to make it fit....Some people do, I would not.

Over the years I started skipping the sensors, save $3-4 hundred.

Good luck and congrats on the new ride!

 

We don't put on too many miles each year, so we're considering All-Weather rubber for the whole year, and only rotate them as necessary.
KalTire also has prettier rims available to them; that's what we are thinking.

We presently have 2 complete sets summer/winter, and we feel that's a bit of a pita, so we'll try only the 1 set, when the new ride shows up.

 

@BCBrent - that is the way I will go when/if our 350h arrives. Might be winter at this rate.
@Misher - you could even go with 19" if you want. Likely much easier to get winter ready alloy rims that will work. And tires will be half the price of 21"

 

Yeah, 21 inch rims mean a lot of unnecessary money spent on tires. I don’t see the value

 

I searched this forum and couldn't find a thread on winter tires.

Has anyone researched what all the options for winter tires that fit the RX5 (RX 350h) are?

I would like to know what smallest possible rim size would be and not sure what the options are.

 

I would call tire rack. There are only 2 manufacturers of the A/S EOM tires. Not sure if this is a new size and if anyone even makes a winter tire yet.

 

Costco lists a Michelin X-Ice winter tire for the standard size

 

Yeh, Costco doesn't even carry an all season on the 21" yet.

 

The choice for 21” tires is limited.

 

Nokian, Michelin, Goodyear for sure. It depends if you want to stay with 20" or downsize to 19"

 

Yes, one of the reasons we avoided them. I often get the Nokian winter tires (Hakkapelliitas)...I have noted, and have seen similar info elsewhere, that the "all weather" tires which came with our car, Michelin Primacies, seem fine for warm weather but they do not look like they are up to the task of dealing with real snow, should you happen to be in a snowy region....even for all weather tires, the tread pattern is especially lacking for snow...

 

Michelin Primacies are all season, not all weather.

 

Well, as long as Winter is a season, I would most definitely have them on my car when there is decent snow on the ground...

 

Living in flat FLorida, I worry more about tires for the highway and wet roads. You northerners have more to worry about.