skip to main content

switching tires to another car?

rob333 (zone 7b)

10 years ago

I have a really old Miata, 23 years old! that I just put new tires on and now the transmission is finally dying. I am looking at a Honda Civic. How different can the tires be and it still be ok?

Miata 185/60R/14

Honda 185/65R/14

Could this work?

Comments (4)

joe_mn
10 years ago
You may buy a used civic with worn tires? Why not buy a different car with "good" tires? So u are going to keep miata with no wheels? Put car on blocks? Or swap rims from civic to miata? Are miata tires all season? Summer only? Just cuz they are new, does not mean they are well suited to your year round driving intentions of civic?
rob333 (zone 7b)
Original Author
10 years ago
Because I am going to quit driving the Miata (transmission is dying, which it said above) and get the Honda (1999, so it's used, obviously!) up to speed. Why would I buy all new tires all over again, when it's only off by 5mm? Do you always buy a car with all new stuff on it??? Because I am more than willing, and capable, to do it myself. When I buy new tires on down the road, I'll upgrade to the exact tire. I can't imagine 5mm should matter. I'm not talking about going from a 185 to a 175. That would be a whole nuther ball game.
Related Discussions
another episode of car battery disappointment
Q
Comments (7)
I'll have to go look at the brand(s) that I have. I have a 6 amp charger and the booster charger, but frankly, there's not a lot of difference between them. There's not a lot of different brands to really choose from. Actually, since I've had mine for so many years now, well, decades, going by brand name on mine wouldn't be a good idea since who knows if they're built the same way. Might be a good idea to go to a reputable auto parts store, but I'd go ahead and check the discount places too. Like I said, there's not a lot of manufacturers I've seen of the booster chargers but I do recall that at the time I got mine they could vary a lot in price. I think I paid about $50-$60 for mine and there were others, not really better, charging over $100 for similar. So shop around. Also, have a heavy duty extension cord in case you need it. Don't try using a lightweight one, invest in a good heavy outdoor cord. As I think about it, mine might be a 30 amp booster, I'd have to check. I'll double check. But it will put a charge in much faster. The alternative if you can't find a booster/charger is a 12-15 amp charger. That'll charge faster. The great thing about the boost is that it can get you going in seconds rather than having to wait 10, 20 or more minutes for it to charge. Remember safety rules with handling them. Never try to charge a frozen battery if you're in cold weather areas, or at least, only use a small trickle charger. It's best to then warm the battery, thaw it out before charging. A frozen battery, if it truly freezes is probably not much good anymore. Also, batteries give off gas when charging. Be careful in enclosed areas, and even outdoors. If you connect them wrong or short them out, there's a possibility of the battery blowing up. It is rare, but be aware it can happen. Not trying to scare you away, just show respect. I always connect the charger, double and triple check that red is to positive and black to negative and then turn away and even step away if possible then switch on the charger. If the needle doesn't go up but you hear the buzzing of the charger, you probably don't have a good connection on the battery. Shut off the charger, wiggle the clamps on the connectors and try again. Batteries can build up a corrosion. Be safe, be happy.
...See More
tired of red in dining room help find another color
Q
Comments (42)
After we painted, we found the original paint can, but I gave it away since it no longer matched. It was a Berh paint, but it may or may not have been a Berh color -- it was painted nearly 10 years ago. Sorry. Now, I do have the BM can with the "custom" paint. I am not sure the label is accurate. There was one point where it went too purple, but for Regal Select Matte, it says one gallon is W1 4x 3.5000 M1 0x 23.5000 B1 4x 20.2500 O1 2x 16.2500 Looking at the BM colors online, it looks like it would be most similar to Admiral Blue or Midnight Navy, but not quite either. The earlier color was similar to Oxford Grey, but maybe a bit deeper and a bit more blue (it looks different online than on the card I have).
...See More
TPMS vehicle tire system
Q
Comments (32)
They asked you to bring it in and what it would take to satisfy you, but it sounds like you're refusing to take it in. Why? I too would not use Malwart as my service center but that's your choice. I don't quite understand why now it appears you don't want to resolve it when they've approached you about it. Maybe I'm missing something or something is unsaid. As a different point: We have idiot lights now because a certain group of people couldn't read gauges. So now, instead of knowing what is happening, we know what happened. Same thing with these tire monitors. A simple glance at tires reveals a low tire if you take a few seconds to look, but few will. I habitually look at my vehicle when approaching or walking away from my vehicles. A quick once-over glance to see if there's problems. Done that for decades. I still check oil and other fluids between changes even though I don't do the oil changes myself anymore. It takes only seconds to do and you can easily forestall problems. AFAIC people should prove ability to do this in order to get a driver license. Checking lights too (head, tail, brake), is incredibly simple to do, takes essentially no time from one's scheduled and with today's poorer quality components it's more important than years past but I these days I see more people with low tires and/or lights out than I've ever seen before. Most places will check this stuff between service intervals at no charge but people are too lazy to do it. You should have it checked at normal maintenance, whether you do it yourself or take it in. That is, if the place checks things and why would a person go someplace that doesn't? Oh, that's right. Nuff said! LOL And I shake my head when I try to tell people they have a low tire or a light out, all too many (a majority of whom shall remain unspecified) get offended to the point of belligerent at being shown the courtesy of informing them they have a problem. Sorry to interrupt your phone call or texting. I've quit being frustrated about it now and now am amused. Cops love it too. They don't need probable cause to pull someone over when there's a burned out light.
...See More
Tire blow out without a spare-rental car woes!
Q
Comments (14)
Wow, what an ordeal! Hope you get full reimbursement from the car rental company. We have USAA so I've never really worried about changing a tire myself - I did learn years ago when I got my license, but I'm sure I couldn't remember now! I also live in a very suburban/urban area and typically don't drive anywhere that doesn't have cell phone coverage. I got a flat tire one night a couple years ago on my way home from my book club, only a few months after getting a new SUV. I knew it had a spare, but didn't pay much attention to its location though I knew it was underneath my car. Dh, of course, was out of town, my kids were home alone (oldest was 13) and I hadn't planned to be gone past 9:30. I didn't realize I had a flat at first, but knew something was wrong, so instead of taking the highway, I pulled into a complex of restaurants, condos, etc where I knew people were around. I ended up having to wait an hour for the USAA contractor to arrive. Then when he did, it took him forever to get my spare out. To prevent theft, There was a special tool just to unlock the lug nuts that I had no idea was necessary though was in my glove compartment. Even he, a guy who does this for a living, had to pull out the instruction manual to figure the whole thing out. It took him more than an hour. I didn't get home until 11:30, and realized there is no way I'd ever have been able to do that on my own! thanks for the reminder to check on spares in rental cars. I rarely use rental cars but just took a college tour trip with my dd and rented a car. Stupid me didn't think to look for a spare.
...See More
jemdandy
10 years ago
The diameter of the Miata tire is 22.740 in.
The diameter of the Honda tire is 23.468 in.
The difference is 0.728 in or 18.491 mm. This is greater than the presumed 5 mm although it is not large.

The ratio between the two diameters is 22.740/23.468 or 0.969 which is about 97%.

If you put the Miata tires on the Honda, you could expect the Honda speedometer to read about 3% fast. At a true speed of 60 mph, the speedometer would indicate about 61.9 mph provided the speedometer reads true in the first place. Also, the mileage registered by the odometer will be about 3% high. In other words, after traveling 1 mile, the odometer will have advanced 1.03 miles. This differnce is small and one can expect these differences to increase a little as the tires wear down.

Both tires have the same width therefore there should be no interference problem with the front wheels turned to maximum steering effort.

One caveat: A few years later when these tires need replacing, wiil you remember it has the wrong sized tires on it and will you remember what the correct size is? A note in the glove box may help.
rob333 (zone 7b)
Original Author
10 years ago
I learned a long time ago not to trust the tires on a car if I haven't put them on myself. I always buy tires based on the car's make/model/year rather than trust what is on them. More than once, some well meaning soul who is helping me with my car, e.g. husband, will replace them with something different. Why? Dunno. I just won't do it. Thanks for the info! (it turns out, when my bro heard about me buying a car, he said he'd do the transmission work for me for free. So I didn't get the Honda. Dang. I still won't have a heater this winter. Oh well. Glad I live in TN and not ND!).

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Switch to a Tankless Water Heater

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

New project for a new year: Swap your conventional heater for an energy-saving model — and don’t be fooled by misinformation

DECORATING GUIDES Switching Up a Colonial Home to Suit a Modern Family

By Becky Harris

Floor plan labels are thrown out the window as a designer helps a family shape rooms to fit the way they live

HOME TECH Switch On the Phone-Controlled Home

Lock your front door from afar, let your thermostat set itself and more when you use your phone as a control device

EVENTS Don't Throw Away Another Household Item Before Reading This

By Mitchell Parker

Repair Cafe events around the world enlist savvy volunteers to fix broken lamps, bicycles, electronics, small appliances, clothing and more

SALVAGE Can We Bounce Some Great Recycled-Rubber Ideas Off You?

By Julia Pockett

No need to bemoan that spare tire. Old rubber is getting a guilt-free second life as flooring, pavers, sinks and even furniture

DREAM SPACES A Car Lover's Man Cave Kicks Into High-Luxury Gear

By Vanessa Brunner

Fast cars, fine wines and a high-tech bathroom elevate this backyard outpost to the realm of dream space

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD Houzz Tour: Former Train Car Now a Cozy Beach Home

On a wild beach in southern England, a restored railroad car is a relaxing coastal getaway for its creative owners

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Give Your Driveway and Front Walk More Curb Appeal

By Laura Gaskill

Prevent injuries and tire damage while making a great first impression by replacing or repairing front paths

CONTAINER GARDENS Yes, You Can Grow a Plant In That

By Jess McBride

You can upcycle your old typewriter, paint cans, tires and many more things into places for your plants

GARAGES Houzz Call: Show Us Your Garage Conversion

By Vanessa Brunner

Have you switched from auto mode into workshop, office, gym or studio mode? We'd love to see the result

Sponsored

1 Review

Industry Leading General Contractors in Columbus