Winter Wheel Set Up

I believe we will have Winter in Chicago this year so I am getting my second set of wheels ordered.

I am going with a local dealer for convenience.

I am going with the original Y spoke wheels and original size Pirelli Sotto Zero 3 tires.

Here is what I have received for the quote, about $5450 with labor and tax.

Here are some details.

The wheels are 20% off list $614 for the fronts and $676 for the rears
4 TPMS sensors are $153
The 4 tires sum to about $1600
Labor is $672

The Labor surprised me.

Here is the more granular info.

The labor is high cause there is a special procedure to installing wheels and tires.
The sensors have to be calibrated and the tires might have to mounted and balanced multiple times to get within spec.
The results have to be sent and recorded and sent over to Acura.
There is also a chance that a special technician might have to come in to go over the work performed.

The labor cost frankly sounds ridiculous.

First of all, the Acura dealer will NOT be my go to place to go for tire service and installation. Besides the NSX, they don't deal with any other high end cars. The NSX is also the only vehicle with CCB that they service. Find a local tire shop that deals with high end cars that has the proper touchless machine and experience, at least that is what I would do.

I would also NOT purchase the second set of rims, and instead have the shop unmount/remount the tires every season. Sure, this process is not the best for the tires, but I will also just get new tires every 2-4 years depending on wear level and my driving. Assuming that you don't track or make any V-max attempts, you will be fine.

Let's say it costs you $100 per swap, the cost of 4 rims and TPMS sensors equates to about 27 tire swaps. You also have the added bonus knowing that your tires and rims are perfectly balanced every season.

Thanks for the excellent counterpoints.

I am planning to visit the dealer, meet the tech and see if the labor is just a worst case estimate.

I have done second set of wheels for my 850R wagon, S2000 and IS350 and it just makes life easier.

Numerically, you have a strong point but this is a toy. I focus on numbers for my rental properties and that alloys for in efficiency elsewhere.

I visited the local dealer today to get the project going.

Acura has a total of 1 wheel in stock.

Apparently they build parts to order at this point.

Could be as much as 2 months to get the wheels in. The parts manager will be following up with the warehouse every few days.

The reception to arriving was hilarious. The first Gen 2 to come into the service department. Their coverage unit got shipped to CA.

The tech is very professional. He doesn't even want to drive the car for fear of some road hazard damaging it.

He was working on a Gen 1 today.

Over a dozen staff came back and forth to check out the unicorn and at least one guy made a video.

Time for another session of Acura comedy of errors.

I get an email from the parts person at the dealer I purchased the car from in WI.

He received 3 wheels for my car, he knows my Chicago dealer ordered them.

I reply and copy my Chicago parts person.

The folks in Chicago already received the tires (from TireRack), the sensors and all the other stuff.

One wheel is on back order.

I guess shipper in the warehouse in Ohio is some drop out.

Acura got involved and will just have the 3 wheels shipped to my Chicago dealer.

Once the 4th wheel arrives we can put this project to bed.

I called the NSX specialist and he was none too happy.

I mean, why ship three wheels when that is useless and doesn't any one check anyone else's work?

And didn't they do any dry runs for the NSX parts ordering process?

The NSX parts are kept under lock and key in a larger warehouse.

Hopefully the person who blundered this one will have their key taken away.

Wow, nothing like getting 3 wheels for your car...

Are you maybe in a mood for a hot dog this Thursday night?
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/194474-Chicago-Milwaukee-area-meets-and-drives-for-2016

Thanks for the invite

Which location?

I can't comment on the comedy of errors, but I will vouch for the excellence of the Pirelli Sottozeros. I had the previous generation of this tire on my CTS-V sedan, transferred to my CTS-V wagon when purchased. They are amazing in cold, dry weather, simply amazing. No traction issues. Lasted four winters. They were just OK in deep snow, but 295s in the rear are pretty wide for snow duty in any car. Never got stuck anywhere while traveling around the supremely snowy Cleveland area. The Blizzaks I have now provide ultimate snow traction at the cost of dry traction.....Once they wear out, I'll be back to the Sottozeros.

Thanks Bob

the car won't be out in the snow

i just want to enjoy it on cold, clear days

Bricks and Bio said:

Thanks for the invite

Which location?

Click to expand...

We're going to be meeting at the Portillo's on Rt. 83 in Elmhurst, just south of North Avenue. Meeting up at 7:00 (although I'm trying to move it up to 6:30).

Thanks Jeffrey

That isn't in range for me.

I work in Lake Bluff and live in the City.

I will plan to catch up with you folks next season.

Enjoy the evening out (really nice Fall weather this year).

Photoshopped image by Estonian artist Rain Prisk.
1920×1280 version: https://cdna2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/003/970/638/large/rain-prisk-honda-nsx-rain.jpg

Thanks Tom

i saw that yesterday, fun stuff

My fourth wheel shipped this week so I am hoping to have the winter wheels on the car next week

Project was completed today

The SottoZero3 tires run nice and quiet and seem to like the 15 degree F weather today just fine

All we need now is a photoshoot !

For you folks in the UK, here is a fun vid of the Pirelli Performance Center and an install of a set of Sotto Zero 3 tires on an McLaren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1vIJFirZrg