Just got the new set of '2019 OEM rims and tires (should be same as the '18s) delivered by FedEx. Wow, they were super well packed in boxes with layers of cardboard and foam over the plastic parts. I think I will throw them on for a test drive just be sure they are good, before changing over to the snow tires in some weeks. They look like they were literally driven directly from a nearby Honda lot directly to Victoria for custom wheels and tires, at first look, not a speck of dirt on them. Expensive, especially compared to just changing tires every year on the one set of OEM rims, but as high as the cost was, Victoria's price is still well under the OEM parts prices, even from discount houses.
I got the Victoria tires, and I was also very impressed with them. I put them on my Clarity at 30,000 miles (OEM tires were worn out.) Now I want to put snows on my original rims, but I am concerned about breaking the plastic pieces inside the tires. How will I know if the installer just rips the units off the rim? Do I have to rely on them to disclose the damage?
I had the dealer put snow tires on our Clarity's OEM rims before we took delivery and drove into the first Michigan snow storm of 2017 on the way home. I didn't know about the wheel resonators at that time, so I'm glad I got the snows installed by the dealer. In the Spring of 2018, I bought the resonator-less Clarity accessory rims and had the dealer install the OEM tires on them. I like the look of those wheels much better than the OEM rims. Because I went for only one test-drive right after our Clarity came off the truck in November, 2017, I can't tell if I'm hearing more road noise from the accessory wheels I mounted the next Spring. They certainly sound much quieter than the OEM rims with Nokian Hakkapeliitta snow tires.
The resonators are black plastic and reside on the inner rim flat circumference. They are not reparable and if damaged you have to replace the entire rim. I strongly suggest you warn your tire dealer and demand you get to watch and inspect the rim before the new tires are mounted. Be sure you warn them that the resonators are important and any damage will cost over $1,000 because the entire rim will have to be replaced. I plan to do just that, even with my trusted mechanic’s shop because the average wrench monkey will look at them as useless fru-fru and not care one whit about damaging them.
I'll add my two cents. I live east of Cleveland in the snow belt of Lake Erie, where on average we get close to 12 feet of snow each winter (but more realistically, 4 inches today, and then it melts, then 5 more inches the next day, and 2 melt, etc). Firm believer in snow tires as a result. I put Bridgestone Blizzaks (in the Clarity stock size) on my Clarity, on aftermarket Infinity rims. In terms of grip these tires are excellent, on wet, snowy and even icy roads. I honestly think the Clarity with those tires performs as well or better than our Mazda CX-5 or our (former) Subaru Forester, both of which had agressive winter tires. Part of it is the low center of gravity and good weight distribution of the Clarity, of course. These tires also ride quiet, to my ears (admittedly not well calibrated), but I do get a very minor hum at certain speeds since my aftermarket wheels do not have the resonators. That said, I'm a cheap old *******, and my rims cost $900 less than the Honda versions, so I'll live with that occasional hum.
I have seen warnings here about tire places damaging the wheels when changing the tires. I typically go to Discount Tire. Does anyone here have experience whether their tire changing process risks damaging the wheels?
Any tire shop could damage a wheel if the tech inserts the bead breaker and demounter too far, or the mounter, when removing and installing the tire. They are not used to having anything inside on the rim. Let them know and the tech can be careful to avoid damage.
