I'm making some progress in my search for acceptable replacement wheels and tires for my '99 9-5.

As far as the wheels go, I've decided to upgrade from the stock 16" to a 17" wheel. Some have suggested that I go as large as 18" but I feel that would necessitate such a low profile tire that ride comfort would be greatly compromised (and potential pothole damage greatly increased).

As to which manufacturer/model to go with, I'm having some difficulty finding wheels which satisfy all my criteria here in Toronto. Of course most importantly they must fit my car. Apparently Saab has not only a non-standard bolt pattern but also large brake calipers which preclude many popular wheels. I'm looking for a thin 5-spoke design and want high-quality wheels (light, strong, well balanced, etc.) without them being hugely expensive. I'm currently looking at AEZ ICON 5 (my top contender), Mille Miglia MM11, Moda R1 and Borbet E or H. Does anyone have any experience/comments on any of these?

On the tire front, it's hugely confusing. Everyone seems to have a different (and in many cases diametrically opposed) opinion. Most often recommended are Maximum or Ultra High Performance tires like Dunlop SP9000, Pirelli P7000, Bridgestone Potenza S-02, Yokohama AVS Sport, Toyo Proxies T1-S, etc. While all these tires tend to be well reviewed, they are also all quite expensive and wear very quickly. I figure since my 9-5 isn't a sports car and I don't drive it on the track, I'll go with something less radical. The best compromise of decent performance, comfortable ride, acceptable wear and reasonable cost seems to be the Michelin Pilot XGT H4. Yeah, I know I lot of people groan when they hear an H-rated Michelin (I was originally one of them especially considering the lousy Energy MXV4's that came stock on the car) but these particular tires seem to be pretty well reviewed. As an added bonus they should be usable year-round here in Toronto. Anyone else want to tell me I'm nuts for considering these tires?

• Aftermarket wheels and tires, Moishe, Fri, 9 Mar 2001 21:48:34 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Re: Aftermarket wheels and tires, Manumad, Mon, 12 Mar 2001 09:09:36
  • Re: Aftermarket wheels and tires, David Mills, Sat, 10 Mar 2001 19:55:36
    • pricing, David Mills, Sat, 10 Mar 2001 20:47:21
  • For tires you might consider..., LDH, Sat, 10 Mar 2001 11:09:46
    • Re: For tires you might consider..., Jim, Wed, 28 Mar 2001 13:46:44
    • Re: For tires you might consider..., Moishe, Sat, 10 Mar 2001 22:59:52
    • Re: For tires you might consider...NOT..., bamaSAAB, Sat, 10 Mar 2001 21:05:54
      • Surprised..., LDH, Sat, 10 Mar 2001 23:03:57
        • Re: Surprised...Just starting to look for options..., bamaSAAB, Sun, 11 Mar 2001 14:13:54
  • Re: Aftermarket wheels and tires, John delRosario, Sat, 10 Mar 2001 09:59:45

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