Well, I have been going about making the 2001 TL-p nice for my daughter and decided it needed new wheels since the stock ones have compromised clearcoat and the associated corrosion of being in a cold and snowy state that uses tons of salt in winter.

So, I did the "safe" and easy thing and ordered up a set of stock replacements from Wheels America via eBay... I ordered through a Chicago location, yet they shipped out of Dallas, TX. Needless to say they were unacceptable with chips on the edges as well as runs and defects in the clearcoat on three wheels as well as debris embedded in one of them as well. I was expecting "as new" reconditioned wheels and these were unacceptable so they went back.

Since I have taken an opportunity about once a week to do a search for wheels and I am not finding much available in the high offset our cars need. If I do find something it is usually something that would look better on a SUV/Crossover (such as the RTX Yamada), or they are reconditioned Honda wheels for an Accord (same risk as the reconditioned Acura wheels), but I have also found a few reproduction wheels for the Accord that would look nice (simple 5-spoke designs mostly).

One wheel I thought looked good was an Enkei RSF5 in a 16x7 size with a +45 offset, but considering it is 10mm less offset than factory 16x6.5 with a +55 offset and with an additional .5" inch of width I am concerned with them sticking out too much. They do also have a 17x7.5 wheel with a +50 offset, but that would basically stick out the same (yet is one of the factory specs for the TL-S of the same year).

So, really, the big question here is what would anything with a +45 offset or great with a 7.5" width pull in proper, not rub and not have any sort of issues? I would go with the stock tire size for that rim which would be a 225/50R17. Stock we have just the regular 16x6.5 wheels with 205/60R16 tires on them now.

I have read a ton of posts here and sorry, being honest, there is a TON of questionable judgement about wheels and offsets... I mean people are putting +35 offset wheels in 18" or 19" sizes where they have to totally screw up the alignment to even get them under the rear wheel well and then you hear them state they STILL rub. UGH!

I really am not finding much out there in the aftermarket. It would be nice to know what sizes will not rub, period. I know the sticky states +42 or above for 7", +45 or above for 7.5", but it almost seems like you need "skinny" tires to accomplish that.

It also doesn't help that a TON of styles are considered to be on "backorder" nationally, which seems to be somewhat crazy since I can't imagine there being a ton of demand for wheels of these sizes.

I plan on running them year round with Michilen CrossClimate2 tires, so I need something clearcoated for protection.

 

Well, I might as well reply to my own post...

I ended up going with 17" x 7" Borbet Type-F wheels with a +50mm offset in Crystal Silver paint. They are multi-coated wheels with a basecoat, a multi-layered paint and a clearcoat. They are classified "Winter-Proof" by Borbet.

I did those along with 215/50R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro 3-snow peak rated all-weather tires. I run the Quatrac Pro on my Lincoln MKS, so I KNOW they are a great tire in all kinds of weather. They got me through two whiteout blizzards last winter where everyone else including big 4x4 vehicles were pulling off the road. It was only us and a SUV with Cooper Discoverer All-Weather tires that made it more than 60 miles that evening in those conditions. He pulled into the same gas station I did when we got off and we chatted... Turns out I have those exact same SUV all-weather tires on my Ford Explorer. I am a BIG fan of all-weather tires for year-round use.

I will snap a picture of them on the car tomorrow and post it up... They look great. They do not stick out at all and have great clearance in the wheel well, so no worries about rubbing. About the only negative I can see to the setup is that I need to put in some lowering springs to drop it a little. I won't do any sort of sport springs, but I might do the ones that drop the back .5" and the front .75". If I feel the need to do new struts all around here shortly I will go that route, but until then, which means through winter at least, I will run the stock stuff it has suspension wise. In regards to the ride and handling it is great. Much better than the Goodyear Assurance tires I had on the stock wheels.

Oh, I also cannot see anything larger than a 17" on these cars... The 17s are "almost" too big as it is dimension-wise.

Also I am keeping the stock wheels and Goodyear Assurance tire setup for now. I figure in spring my daughter may take her drivers test and I will swap them back on for her then if she does since I don't want her curbing the brand new set of wheels.

Now I just need to get that car in the garage and do all new brakes (hoses, calipers, rotors, pads, fluid), a timing belt with tensioners and pulleys, waterpump, all new serpentine and power steering belts and tensioners, new headlight housings and even new Acura letters on the trunk. Oh, almost forgot about the stereo upgrade including a backup camera and nav headunit.

 

I am interested in seeing pictures when you have time to post them up! I do like the spoke design of those wheels.