Spare set of wheels

[jimbo47]

Hi everyone,

Recently bought a diesel Forester XC with 17 inch wheels and Yokohama Geolanders. These are OK for most purposes but I prefer to have a spare set of rims with M&S tyres for winter, when we go ski-ing several times and the roads get very muddy out here in the country. This poses two problems:-

1. Replacement rims these days raise issues for insurers. New Subaru alloys are prohibitively expensive, and there are very few around second hand that I am sure would fit and have the right offset (48, I think). And even if I got lucky and found good used ones at a sensible price, the right M&S tyres for 17 inch rims are horribly expensive too;

2. New Subaru steels are slightly cheaper but only available in 16 inch rims (as on the Forester X). Taller M&S tyres to suit 16 inch rims are available and a bit cheaper, but the whole package would still cost me the thick end of £1000! Second hand steels seem not to exist on eBay.

I have considered just buying the M&S tyres and getting them switched according to the season, but that's quite an expensive option too.

Anyone got a bright idea to solve this? All help gratefully received!

Jimbo47 in the Berkshire Downs

[Gambit]

Sorry mate I've only just seen this post. What a few people do is get WRX or STI wheels say from eBay and put them on 

And that way you could play dumb to them not being genuine :D 

Sorry again 

[Jay762]

Wotcha and welcome

 

Had to check this out with my van, as long as the rims are appropriate for the vehicle, even after market ones are fine, so for example if I were to run 19" car rims with XL tyres on my van and I had an accident I could be in breach of insurance regs because the wheels are not designed for the van - even if they didnt fail. However if (as I have) run a set of TUV approved aftermarket commercial alloys with appropriate tyres I am fine.

 

So if you run a set of 16" aftermarket steels approved for the vehicle weight and corresponding tyres you should have no problem 

 

 

or give these chaps a ring

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-Steel-wheels-Subaru-Forrester-2008-Perfect-for-winter-full-set-of-4-/120895436996?pt=UK_CarParts_Acc_Wheels_tyres_Rims_Car_Wheels_ET&hash=item1c25edf8c4

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Forester-15-Inch-Steel-Wheels-/310645623709?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4853ec0b9d