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Thread: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

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    Lightbulb Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    My Mazda 3i 2009 2.0L has a set of 205/55R16 tires as the OEM. Questions are
    1. What is the submodel "i" actually means? Something between GX and GS?
    2. How could I know the actual trim of my car? I'm starting to doubt about it. Carfex report shows "3i" by checking the VIN#.
    3. Can I use 195/65R15 as the winter tires? Will the break rotor/calipers for both front and rear have enough clearance?

    I've asked these questions in CT and Costco, no one is sure about it... Please help, thanks a lot!
    PS: when checking on Costco's website, the 3i comes with 195/65R15 as the OEM, which is different than mine...Babe, what's the real trim you are...

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    1. i is 2.0L.. s is 2.3/2.5L
    GX, GS, GT are trim levels (better lighting, heated seats, etc)

    2. Go to any Mazda dealer

    3. There is a sticky somewhere for tire fitting. If its OEM option, then you can use it.
    http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tir...5r16-195-65r15

    Personally, unless you're in heavy snow area, I would get good (albeit expensive) all seasons.

    For winter, General Altimax, Michelin X-Ice
    All season, Pirelli P7, Continental ProContact, PureContact. ExtremeContact DWS, Michelin Primacy MXM

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    2.0L means you can put 195/65-15
    ​A lion would never cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by kimchisoup View Post
    1. i is 2.0L.. s is 2.3/2.5L
    GX, GS, GT are trim levels (better lighting, heated seats, etc)

    2. Go to any Mazda dealer

    3. There is a sticky somewhere for tire fitting. If its OEM option, then you can use it.
    http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tir...5r16-195-65r15

    Personally, unless you're in heavy snow area, I would get good (albeit expensive) all seasons.

    For winter, General Altimax, Michelin X-Ice
    All season, Pirelli P7, Continental ProContact, PureContact. ExtremeContact DWS, Michelin Primacy MXM
    Thanks a lot kimchisoup. What I think are:
    1. so my car should be mazda GS-i exactly, which is different from gx(all 2.0L) and gs(normally 2.3L)? The accessories are same as GS, including the tires.
    3. Thanks for the link but what I am really worried about are the break rotors and calipers for 15' rim and tires.

    Also, thanks a lot for the suggestions for the tires.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by aris View Post
    2.0L means you can put 195/65-15
    Thanks a lot! So I don't need to worried about the rotors and calipers come with the original 16' rims and tires, right?

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by kimchisoup View Post
    1. i is 2.0L.. s is 2.3/2.5L
    GX, GS, GT are trim levels (better lighting, heated seats, etc)

    2. Go to any Mazda dealer

    3. There is a sticky somewhere for tire fitting. If its OEM option, then you can use it.
    http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tir...5r16-195-65r15

    Personally, unless you're in heavy snow area, I would get good (albeit expensive) all seasons.

    For winter, General Altimax, Michelin X-Ice
    All season, Pirelli P7, Continental ProContact, PureContact. ExtremeContact DWS, Michelin Primacy MXM
    Thanks a lot kimchisoup. So I think my car is called "i" because it is different from GX in terms of the accessories, and also different from the GS because of the 2.0L engine.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by kimchisoup View Post
    1. i is 2.0L.. s is 2.3/2.5L
    GX, GS, GT are trim levels (better lighting, heated seats, etc)

    2. Go to any Mazda dealer

    3. There is a sticky somewhere for tire fitting. If its OEM option, then you can use it.
    http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tir...5r16-195-65r15

    Personally, unless you're in heavy snow area, I would get good (albeit expensive) all seasons.

    For winter, General Altimax, Michelin X-Ice
    All season, Pirelli P7, Continental ProContact, PureContact. ExtremeContact DWS, Michelin Primacy MXM
    Thanks. So I think the "i" trim is actually 2.0L GS trim: 2.0L engine as GX plus the accessories same as GS.
    Also, the link for the tire is very helpful. But what I'm really worried about are the rotors and calipers.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Thanks. So I think the "i" trim is actually 2.0L GS trim: 2.0L engine as GX plus the accessories same as GS.
    Also, the link for the tire is very helpful. But what I'm really worried about are the rotors and calipers.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by Paraview View Post
    Thanks a lot! So I don't need to worried about the rotors and calipers come with the original 16' rims and tires, right?
    Thats right 15" rims will fit fine

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by aris View Post
    Thats right 15" rims will fit fine
    You still have to make sure they clear. There are some steelies that don't clear the caliper. If you buy from a sponsor they'll know which ones fit.

    2009 Mazda 3 GS Metro Gray Automatic

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by kimchisoup View Post

    Personally, unless you're in heavy snow area, I would get good (albeit expensive) all seasons.

    For winter, General Altimax, Michelin X-Ice
    All season, Pirelli P7, Continental ProContact, PureContact. ExtremeContact DWS, Michelin Primacy MXM
    I disagree. Better to get a dedicated winter tire, than expensive all seasons. The winter tires will be softer and grip better in the cold.
    2010 Black Mazdaspeed 3 - Lightly modded

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by S.F.W. View Post
    I disagree. Better to get a dedicated winter tire, than expensive all seasons. The winter tires will be softer and grip better in the cold.
    +1, dedicated winter tires in Canada.

    I drive insanely slow in the winter and even doing that I have to slam on my brakes once and a while from other drivers being obvious of my car.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Thank you all for the advices. I do agree the winter tires are more than necessary in Canada.
    tmpz,yours car and rim looks identical to mine. Have you tried any 15" rims? I brought the car from the first owner so I have no idea how to find the sponsor.

    I'm thinking about buying the tires and rims from costco. For the 15" one the rim has two choices: hubcentric X45114, universal X99126N. Does any one have any idea which one is better, or which one may/maynot fit my caliper.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by Paraview View Post
    Thank you all for the advices. I do agree the winter tires are more than necessary in Canada.
    tmpz,yours car and rim looks identical to mine. Have you tried any 15" rims? I brought the car from the first owner so I have no idea how to find the sponsor.

    I'm thinking about buying the tires and rims from costco. For the 15" one the rim has two choices: hubcentric X45114, universal X99126N. Does any one have any idea which one is better, or which one may/maynot fit my caliper.
    I have 15" steelies that I got from Simplytire 3 years ago. If you can find cheap 15" OEM Mazda rims (from Mazda 3, 5, or 6) on Kijiji or BST section, that would work 100%.

    They have just enough space to clear the calipers.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Thanks. That's a very useful reference!

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by Paraview View Post
    Thank you all for the advices. I do agree the winter tires are more than necessary in Canada.
    tmpz,yours car and rim looks identical to mine. Have you tried any 15" rims? I brought the car from the first owner so I have no idea how to find the sponsor.

    I'm thinking about buying the tires and rims from costco. For the 15" one the rim has two choices: hubcentric X45114, universal X99126N. Does any one have any idea which one is better, or which one may/maynot fit my caliper.
    Get something hub centric for your mazda, it will have a more precise fit so you won't get as much vibrations at high speeds. I believe our bore size is 67.1 but I should double check that.

    15'' rims should be fine for regular Mazda3's, someone else will have to confirm that though as I drive a Mazdaspeed3 not a regular Mazda3.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    I really appreciate all your help. So now the problem becomes "How different is the Costco hubcentric 15" rim compared with the OEM 15" rim". It should be just parameter issue and I will try to find it out.

    PS: choosing tires are so hard. The 16" set with OEM rims will cost $1047 in all including tax and installation. 15" set with hubcentric rims is $230 cheaper. I'm struggling...

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    do everyone and get snow tires. nothing worse than people driving slow as F@#$ in the snow when they shouldn't even be on the road

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Quote Originally Posted by Paraview View Post
    I really appreciate all your help. So now the problem becomes "How different is the Costco hubcentric 15" rim compared with the OEM 15" rim". It should be just parameter issue and I will try to find it out.

    PS: choosing tires are so hard. The 16" set with OEM rims will cost $1047 in all including tax and installation. 15" set with hubcentric rims is $230 cheaper. I'm struggling...
    Where are you getting $1047?

    I got 16" Michelin X-ice3 with steel rims at Simply Tire for $780. If you look around for the sponsors on the forum, you can get really good deals.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Try one of our tire sponsors. We have so many now. There should be one close to where you live. 15" hubcentric is fine. Try the hankook i409 (last year's model) or i419 for winter tires.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    Thanks Jenn_M, I'm new to the forum. I check their prices and see the 16" Michelin X-ice3 with steel rims is $830 + tax, which is $938 in all. Still cheaper than the costco price.

    Great information. I will call them and check about the tires.

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    I just did some studies to on the clearance of caliper. This must be noob info but, I found what actually puzzled me is the "X-factor" of the rims (15" and 16"), which affect the caliper. All the other factors should be fine when switching from 205/55R16 to 195/65R15.

    Anyway, I DO not think I can figure out the x-factor of the rims...

    FYI: X-factor

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    Default Re: Winter tire suggestion for my strange 3i please

    I just did some studies to on the clearance of caliper. This must be noob info but, I found what actually puzzled me is the "X-factor" of the rims (15" and 16"), which affect the caliper. All the other factors should be fine when switching from 205/55R16 to 195/65R15.

    Anyway, I DO not think I can figure out the x-factor of the rims...

    FYI: X-factor
    http://g.hiphotos.baidu.com/zhidao/w...096b63a94f.jpg

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