Hi Everyone,

I've had my HCH2 for 3 weeks now and love it but HATE the saucer shaped rims and would love to put EX rims with Low Rolling Resistant tires on them. Questions are;
1) Can I put on EX rims with no adjustments or problems?
2) Has anyone on this forum done that and if so how has that affected your gas mileage?
3) Where did you find the EX rims and how much did you pay for them?
4) Do they make LRR tires for a 16" rim?

Thanks! I'm still on my second tank, first tank averaged 45.1, so far with 312 miles on second tank I'm averaging 48.4!

Yes they fit, but why would you want to look like a Civic. You will get to like those rims after you keep them for a time! Very easy cleaning, better Fe. Enjoy the car for awhile. H

1. Yes
2. Yes, see OrientExpress, I believe you will lose 2-3 mpg
3. Dealer, you will pay MUCH more than for other 16" rims from the Tirerack or Tires.com
4. Yes

I would advise that you wait a month before taking any action. Personally, I hated the wheels when I first saw them. Over time they grew on me and I began to appreciate their uniqueness, aerodynamics, and mild statement.

Good luck, nf

http://greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/3686.html

http://greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/car/4955.html

Ditto, noflash!

However, WHEN my tires need replacement, I WILL probalby be looking at EX wheel/tire take-offs. Sometimes, you can get a set of wheels & tires for not much more than just a set of the very same tires. I see them occasionally on eBay. I'd try there or craigslist if you want a combo like this. The LRR aspect would take a hit, here, but...

Others here HAVE already done the EX wheel/tire swap. Search around and you'll find other articles (and pictures).

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL

You could track down the guy who stole the wheels off of my neighbor's civic last week. He'll probably sell them for cheap!

If you check the weight, they actually weigh about 3 lbs each more than the hybrid stock rims. They also are not as aerodynamic as the stock wheels are. I have been doing my research and found this information while looking around. I am toying between the 2008 Civic and the 2008 Camry Hybrid.

I put EX wheels on my 2007 HCH. I put on a good all-weather tire(but heavy), the Goodyear Triple tread. The stock HCH wheel/tire combination weighs about 35 lbs. The EX/Goodyear combo weighed about 48lbs. It seemed to cost me about 5mpg. If I was going to do this again, I'd choose a lighter tire. But in retrospect, I think I'd leave the stock wheels and tires and just get the tires siped.
Oh, I bought my wheels on Ebay. $300 for 4, which was good, but be careful. The seller needed some coaxing to get him to send them.

They fit just fine. I've had EX wheels on my Hygrid since it had 600 miles on it. Mileage averages between 38 & 53 mpg, and at 25,000 miles, the stock Bridgestone tires have about half their tread left.





The EX tire/rim combo is about 4 pounds heavier than the Hybrid 15" tires and rims, and the overall diameter of the tire is slightly smaller, but that also corrects the speedometer error that happens on the 15" tire setup.




I bought a tire/rim 0 mile setup from a guy on craigslist who bought mags for his EX. I paid $300 for the EX setup and sold the hybrid wheels & tires for $400 to a guy who put them on an Accord.

If you can find some EX rims and tires and rims get them, they add to the cache of the car immeasurably.

I too have been looking at new wheels to replace the saucer style wheels. I did look at the EX wheels and they do look nice. I was chasing a set of 2003-05 Civic SI wheels until the seller reported them to be close to 45 lbs each. Maybe that is not accurate, but these wheels looked nice to me. I have since been looking at Centerline Wheels as they have both 15" and 17" forged (they have a fancy marketing name for it) and they weigh 13.5 -15 lbs depending on size. I was looking for a forged wheel as these will be both light and strong vs cast aluminum.[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Todd/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG] See http://www.centerlinewheels.com/wheel_deals_list.php
for a look at these wheels (RPM, STORM or EXCEL). I m leaning toward the Excel style.

The 15" tires I was looking at are the Michelin Harmony or Symmetry, the 17" tires something like Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S.

I think somewhere there is mention that the stock 15" wheels are 17 lbs and the wheel/tire combo about 35 lbs. I am shooting to stay very close to maybe even lower to 1) keep the unsprung weight low; 2) keep the acceleration the same as with factory wheels; 3) keep the regen braking the same.

I also thought about lowering the suspension 1" using the Eiback springs, but I am not thinking about this now given the current ride quality which is pretty decent. I do want to improve the cornering and certainly 17" wheels and tires will help with this a lot. I am also planning to install the SI rear sway bay. When I looked at the size of the stock sway bar I was pretty amazed that it does anything to help body role. I may end up with the front SI sway bar, but I am starting with the rear, improve the tire situation and see where that takes me.

As far a FE goes, I am in the low 40s now with normal non-hybrid driving styles. I have read the hypermilling threads and while these might be a good ideas theoretically, the type of traffic that I drive in (SF bay area and Peninsula), the traffic doesn't really allow for any of these techniques to be employed for any appreciable time. I don't like to follow slow people and I don't want to be in the slower lanes. I certainly don't kike to follwo big trucks. I am also coming off a '95 Porsche Carrera as one of my previous cars and I'd like to get a better handling chassis.

So some of you might be wondering why a CHC at all for me. Pretty simple, the car pool stickers and better gas mileage. I can always back off my non-hybrid driving style when the opportunity arrives and if the gas prices go even crazier. But the HCH is just a blast to drive, does much better in spirited driving (except for cornering) that I thought and has some great features to it.

Any and all comments appreciated.

TDSOUP

[quote=TDSOUP;159912]I too have been looking at new wheels to replace the saucer style wheels. I did look at the EX wheels and they do look nice. I was chasing a set of 2003-05 Civic SI wheels until the seller reported them to be close to 45 lbs each. Maybe that is not accurate, but these wheels looked nice to me. I have since been looking at Centerline Wheels


Hey Soup!

I looked at the website and to me the RPM in black looks best, very hot. I didnt check how much but will look later..I'm still not sure whether to go for 16's or 17's but I'll def. consider this brand.