smd40

I totalled my '03 RL , not my fault(great car, sorry to see it go) and just replaced it with an '05. A reputable used car dealer bought it "to order" at auction. (Paid $17,900 before fees)The car has under 41k miles and appears to be in prestine condition.

Here's the problem...It needs front new tires. He orders the Michelins on Tirerack and is about to put them on when he notices the car has runflats, so obviously the Michelins aren't going to fit. I suppose the dealer selling the car at auction swapped out the original wheels/tires with the PAX wheels/tires. I have no interest in keeping the PAX tires.

Can I buy new wheels for just the fronts? The rear two tires have at least 30-40k miles of life in them and I'd prefer not to spend the money on 4 brand new tires and wheels. Or will this cause issues w/performance, handling, etc. I believe the PAX system wheels are 18"?? and the OEM wheels I'd order would be 17".

Also, is there a market to sell the PAX wheels? I'll sell them cheap if anyone needs them.

Thanks for your help with this.

JPSMAN

You would want to replace all of them in my opinion, not just pairs, as the wheels and tires are totally different. There are a few good "de-paxing" posts in the tire and wheel forum.

In terms of selling the PAX setup, there should be some interest, as they are difficult to find/service, but don't expect much for them.

Of course you could always go ASPEC (or something aftermarket) and get a better looking wheel and have more options for tire replacement (the choices are limited for the 17" setup)

(congrats on the new purchase too!)

Chas2

Here are some things to think about, because you are going to come to this decision eventually after you wear out your PAX or get an unrepairable flat.

Stock tires are 245/50-17 Pilot MXM 4 All Season Tires with a 26.7 inch diameter new and the wheel/tire unit weighs about 50 lbs

PAX tires are 245-680R460A Pilot MXM 4 All Season tires with a 26.8 inch diameter new and the wheel/tire unit weighs about 75 lbs because the PAX technology is inherently heavier design than standard tires.

Can you get away with driving with a much lighter weight 50 series on the front and a heavier weight 45 series on the back? Probably, however, you should make your own determination after you talk to your dealer and maybe Acura corporate help line, etc.

Consider that the Tire Rack sells the 17" MXM 4 with a 300 UTQG rating for $239
The much more capable and longer treadwear 500 UTQG 17" Pilot Sport AS Plus sells for $210

Consider that Tire Rack sells the 18" versions of these Michelins for about the same, $229 for the Pilot Sport AS Plus, although you could get Pilot Sport AS, the older version they are closing out for $179. The 18" MXM4 is also $239.

No pricing advantage in so far as Michelins are concerned but there are a many manufacturers that make the 245/45-18 in a variety of different performance categories at a price under $200. This is not the case with the 245/50-17 inch size which is a comparatively uncommon size.

I think that the 245/45-18 ride and handle a little better, but that is personal choice.

Remember you should always purchase a V rated tire or better with a load rating of at least 96.

There are also a number of 18 inch wheels available that fit the RL besides the Acura wheels which will give you some choice if you are interested.

gcook

Do you think the car may have been an 05 with Pax? my car had OEM pax's.. so I am not sure why someone would swap Pax onto a non-pax system.. There are many articles on this under the Tires section.

neuronbob

There was no PAX option in 2005. Are you sure you got a 2005? Why would someone put PAX on an '05?

Further, are you absolutely sure you have PAX? Have you looked at the sidewalls? The tire size is a little different from stock as noted in Chas' post above. BTW, Chas is our resident PAX expert , having owned an RL with it, so he gives solid advice.

lland

Could have been that the dealer did the swap for a customer who wanted an '06 but didn't want the PAX system. Not unheard of.

Wish I had thought to ask. While I haven't had any issues with my PAX (yet), I do have a sense of impending doom deep inside me.

LL

PortlandRL

Bob is right...PAX was not offered on the '05 RL and was NEVER a standard feature. Before you go running into a full blown and fairly unnecessary panic, look at the sidewall of the tire and make sure it has the PAX logo.

smd40

The tires are PAX and the wheels are the 18" PAX wheels. Dealer must have switched them out...I know it's weird and unfortunatley a PITA for me.

I'll probably stick with the OEM wheels. .. not really my thing to have "flashier wheels" I can pick up replacement OEM's for less than $400 for four. I live in NJ so I need a tire that will peform in the snow. Do you recommend the Michelins or what is the best for overall performance and wear?

Also, when I get the OEM wheels, can my guy use the lug nuts(?), etc from the PAX wheels to reattach new wheels or will I have to buy those to? Any other pertinent info I should know?

FredS

If you live in NJ, you must check out Zaino Brothers. I have used almost every kind of car wax that have hit the market and nothing compares to their products. The shine is slightly better than others but it last a good half a year. Most waxes look good for a month and than breaks down fast. Leather conditioner will make your leather smell new. Their tire conditioner is also very good. I have the attached tires. I have 40,000 miles and will get at least another 10,000. They are much cheaper than Michelins and gets a good rating.

http://www.zainostore.com/

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....lar=Technology Package

lland

You'll need different wheel nuts. You'll need a spare and related items (hold down bolt, assorted labels, styrofoam spare insert. You'll either have to pull your TPMS sensors out of the PAX wheels or get a set of those as well.

LL

Chas2

You will need new lug nuts. The dealer should know this. See the Feb 2007 Acura ServiceNews bulletin, page 4.

http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SN/B070200.PDF

If you get Michelins, the Pilot Sport AS Plus are much more capable than the stock Pilot HX MXM 4. Both are all season tires.

smd40

Thanks for all the helpful information.

I bought the car from a wholesale car dealer. He got me the car at auction. He has a mechanic on staff and they will be performing the wheel replacement but I don't think he's worked on a lot of Acura's so I think I'm going to have to make sure everything is done correctly.

Is there a website where I can get the wheel nuts at a good price?

jerztl

PM sent!

Chas2

hondacuraworld.com
oemacuraparts.com
curryacuraparts.com are three places I have used in the past.