Hello everyone Happy New years when it comes. I am in the precess of purchasing a 06 RL with Technology Package for $24,000 it has 42,000 miles one owner back seat never used. I wanted to know if i will be spending more owing the car with the technology package because of thew pax tires. Can i switch to regular tires if i wanted to as a non Technology RL.

Thanks

 

Yes, you can switch. There are a number of threads on de-paxing. You'll need wheels that fit (you can often find OEM take-offs on eBay at a reasoanble price), tires (of course), wheel nuts (PAX wheels use different nuts), a spare and related items (around $500), and TPMS sensors and valves stems (if you don't take them off the PAX wheels). The whole thing can probably be done for about the price of just replacing the PAX tires adn then you're free!

Bottom line is that the PAX package, while perhaps a good idea, was not done right, is expensive to replace, inconvenient to repair, and is not a desireable option. The price of the car should be lower due to it, not higher. One benefit of getting the car with the technology package however, is that you get the CMBS and ACC, both very nice systems to have.

If you're buying from a dealer, perhaps he'll de-PAX for you.

LL

 

LL has good advice.

Use google and search

In the google search box type:

site://rl.acurazine.com [add search terms]

for example: site://rl.acurazine.com de-pax

you can vary the search terms after acurazine.com to whatever you want to look at. This only searches the RL section, but that is OK for your purposes.

 

I really appreciate all the help with this question. So just to be clear the pax is just run flat-tires and a sensor that can be removed? has nothing to do with the technology in the car.

 

PAX is a system...tire, wheel, inner support ring, and gel pack all designed to work together. You can't just replace the tires as the wheels are different and not a stardard size either. Not sure if the TPMS sensors can be swapped between PAX and regular wheels but if I had to guess, I'd say they could but you'll have to find a PAX certified tire shop or dealer who has the equipment to demount the PAX tire to get to the sensor. It may be easier and less expensive to just get new sensors. I'd imagine the PAX center caps will fit standard wheels, though.

Some of the suspension parts for PAX equipped vehicles are different than non-PAX, probably due to the increased weight of the PAX tire/wheel assembly and until recently, it has been Acura's stand that they are not interchangeable. With the with recent class action settlement however, the stand is that it is not recommended to put non-PAX wheels and tires on cars originally PAX equipped but doing so won't void any warranty so you're probably O.K. I don't think anyone here who has de-PAXed has had any issue at all related to suspension parts, handling, etc. If I didn't get a great deal on a set of PAX wheels/tires/sensors on eBay, I certainly would have de-PAXed when I needed new tires (have about 42,000 on the original PAX now and think they'll be good for another 10,000 or so...longer than most PAX owners have reported but I do keep them rotated, balance, and check inflation often). Good luck.

LL

 

LL is correct...PAX is a system that differs from all other run flats as well as standard tires.

The TPMS sensors are interchangeable, however, if you are going to de-PAX, it is probably easier to just buy new sensors. The cost of demounting the four tires will be in excess of the new sensors. You have no idea how old the batteries are on the TPMS in the PAX tires, so might as well just start from new for less than the cost of demounting the PAX tires, to say nothing of the labor to demount and reinstall the old TPMS.

The rear suspension of PAX equippped cars is different. The dampers have a different part number than non-PAX cars. I can tell the difference when I have non-PAX tires on my PAX car, but no one else can.

The biggest thing is the software installed on PAX cars. Read my thread

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-tires-wheels-suspension-92/de-paxing-safety-issue-750298/#post11452442

The issue is if someone else is driving the originally equipped PAX car, and a low pressure situation is detected, the software says you have 125 miles of driving range left, irregardless of the fact that your tire is at low to no pressure. If the driver does not know you have taken off the PAX tires, they follow the software directions and the results could be catastrophic.

 

LL and Chas are right on. Good stuff.

The more I think about it the more I think I'm just going to get new PAX tires in the spring rather than de-PAX. I've had no issues with the existing PAX tires and it should cost less to replace them than the all-in cost of new wheels, tires, lug nuts, TPMS, and the spare kit insert for the trunk. I'm at 37,000 miles right now and put around 350 miles a week on the car so I'll likely be at around 45k by April/May and ready for new tires.

 

I will add that my mother-in-law has an '07 RL with PAX. I have an '05 RL but put Pirelli Winter SnowSports on mine two winters ago. Anyway, I had to take her car out last winter for a run to the store and those Michelin PAX tires felt like I was ridding on frozzen plastic! There is a night and day difference between the all-weather PAX and my winter Pirelli's.

My recomendation is if you have extreme winters, put some winter tires on the OEM rims and get some summer tires on aftermarket rims.

 

Yea, or maybe you can get a deal on Michelin X-Ice PAX tires! Some one might actually have a set sitting around.