Kia Is Practically Giving Away Stingers

[PKCT]

I have 2019 AWD with 19" wheels.

okay. cool.

 

[Capital AL]

I have 2019 AWD with 19" wheels.

Yes, I know they are available, but they seem to be difficult to find.

 

[Ruturaj]

Yes, I know they are available, but they seem to be difficult to find.

Might be. I was looking for 2019 GT2 AWD in white with red interior and 19 inch wheels. No dealer had one in the area, so a dealer traded one from VA and got me one. After a week another dealer in my area got the exact same specs. You will need to be patient when you are looking for specific specs.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Might be. I was looking for 2019 GT2 AWD in white with red interior and 19 inch wheels. No dealer had one in the area, so a dealer traded one from VA and got me one. After a week another dealer in my area got the exact same specs. You will need to be patient when you are looking for specific specs.

Or lucky. I went in, they traded for the color my wife wanted and the three "must have" features that I wanted (3.3L, Harman Kardon and sunroof), and by that afternoon I was driving around in my brand new car.

I didn't even know about the 18" and 19" wheels issue (lower top speed vs the 167 MPH vaunted top speed). So it never came up. And I got lucky again. Had I ended up with 18" wheels and the 130 MPH limited top speed, I'd have been seriously annoyed; and long before now I'd have attended to that by getting somebody to raise the limiter to at least the Kia specified 167 MPH. Probably I'd also have gone to wider aftermarket rims (as I have done now) but kept the setup squared. I don't mind staggered, but squared seems to make more sense for anyone not tracking their car. I doubt that anyone of my driving level would ever notice any difference in handling between the two. And rotating tires is a good thing (full treadlife warranty).

 

[Ruturaj]

Or lucky. I went in, they traded for the color my wife wanted and the three "must have" features that I wanted (3.3L, Harman Kardon and sunroof), and by that afternoon I was driving around in my brand new car.

I didn't even know about the 18" and 19" wheels issue (lower top speed vs the 167 MPH vaunted top speed). So it never came up. And I got lucky again. Had I ended up with 18" wheels and the 130 MPH limited top speed, I'd have been seriously annoyed; and long before now I'd have attended to that by getting somebody to raise the limiter to at least the Kia specified 167 MPH. Probably I'd also have gone to wider aftermarket rims (as I have done now) but kept the setup squared. I don't mind staggered, but squared seems to make more sense for anyone not tracking their car. I doubt that anyone of my driving level would ever notice any difference in handling between the two. And rotating tires is a good thing (full treadlife warranty).

If someone is not patient then can't be lucky. Chance is a big factor here too. Chances of getting at least one AWD stinger with 19 inch wheel to nearby dealer are high. So with some patience he will most probably get one.

3.3L, Harman Kardon and sunroof, all gt1 and gt2s have them, so only thing you would have looked for was color. I didn't care much about top speed but I really wanted staggered setup.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I didn't care much about top speed but I really wanted staggered setup.

What is the appeal? I don't see enough sidewall difference to create a fuss. If the 167 MPH is not a deal breaker, what is the attraction for 19"? If it's higher aspect ratio (rubber band tires, heh), then why not ditch both OE rims and go 20" aftermarket and have done with it?

 

[Ruturaj]

What is the appeal? I don't see enough sidewall difference to create a fuss. If the 167 MPH is not a deal breaker, what is the attraction for 19"? If it's higher aspect ratio (rubber band tires, heh), then why not ditch both OE rims and go 20" aftermarket and have done with it?

Frankly at that time, 18 inch wheels felt downgrad from 19. My sole reasoning was that people pay money to upgrade and I am getting downgraded with no actual saving. Another reason was they looked better and I never planned/thought about aftermarket wheels and would probably never do. And the last one was, I never had car with staggered setup and it sounded so damn awesome.

Now the appeal is slightly better grip.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Now the appeal is slightly better grip.

The price is half the treadlife. I'm still conflicted about this.

 

[Ruturaj]

The price is half the treadlife. I'm still conflicted about this.

Yep. That's the price. With my being AWD rear tires would last little longer than comparable RWD. New tires every 15-20k miles vs 30k mile is like $1000 extra every 60k miles.

 

[Capital AL]

What is the appeal? I don't see enough sidewall difference to create a fuss. If the 167 MPH is not a deal breaker, what is the attraction for 19"? If it's higher aspect ratio (rubber band tires, heh), then why not ditch both OE rims and go 20" aftermarket and have done with it?

The main reason I want the 19 inch wheels is because they are 255 width in the rear, I have seen stingers on the road with the 18 inch wheels that have 225 width tires in the rear and it looks horrible, not much wider than a bike tire. I won't be driving anywhere close to the 167 MPH top speed and probably not even close to the 130 MPH top speed since I don't plan on tracking the car either. The only reason I want the 19's in for the wider tire in the rear.

 

[Ruturaj]

The price is half the treadlife. I'm still conflicted about this.

So I just checked my last last oil changes at 6000 miles inspection report. It shows 8/32" on all 4 wheels. So AWD did a good job I assume. But I would end up changing tires at 24,000 miles (assuming I started at 10/32", so 2/32" per 6000 miles).

 

[Capital AL]

So I just checked my last last oil changes at 6000 miles inspection report. It shows 8/32" on all 4 wheels. So AWD did a good job I assume. But I would end up changing tires at 24,000 miles (assuming I started at 10/32", so 2/32" per 6000 miles).

since the 19's are high performance tires, you will need to get winter tires once the weather gets cold so you are technically splitting the miles on 2 sets of tires which should make them last even longer

 

[MerlintheMad]

I have seen stingers on the road with the 18 inch wheels that have 225 width tires in the rear and it looks horrible, not much wider than a bike tire.

Lol! Really, now.

The only reason I want the 19's in for the wider tire in the rear.

But it's only half an inch difference! Do you really see that? Many on the forum have opined that the OEM Michelins look too narrow; so they actively go for as wide as they can, even using spacers to add clearance because of offset issues. My Nitto Motivo UHP A/S are c. 9 wide in front and c. 10.25 wide in the back. They look wider of course than the Michelins, being an inch wider in front and almost 2" wider in the back. The Michelins are currently on the TSW "Watkins" rims which are half an inch wider in front and one inch wider in the rear than the 19" OE rims; so the Michelins look a little bit stretched, but also provide very stiff cornering, very planted. I'm wondering if the Motivos would work better on the wider rims too. They would look really good on the wider rims; better than they do on the 19" OE rims (which I use for my winter driving). So when my Michelins are shot (the rears are getting close), I don't know what to get: I was thinking Pilot Sport like I have now. But do I want to keep replacing them every c. 15K miles (or less!)?

 

[Capital AL]

Lol! Really, now.

But it's only half an inch difference! Do you really see that? Many on the forum have opined that the OEM Michelins look too narrow; so they actively go for as wide as they can, even using spacers to add clearance because of offset issues. My Nitto Motivo UHP A/S are c. 9 wide in front and c. 10.25 wide in the back. They look wider of course than the Michelins, being an inch wider in front and almost 2" wider in the back. The Michelins are currently on the TSW "Watkins" rims which are half an inch wider in front and one inch wider in the rear than the 19" OE rims; so the Michelins look a little bit stretched, but also provide very stiff cornering, very planted. I'm wondering if the Motivos would work better on the wider rims too. They would look really good on the wider rims; better than they do on the 19" OE rims (which I use for my winter driving). So when my Michelins are shot (the rears are getting close), I don't know what to get: I was thinking Pilot Sport like I have now. But do I want to keep replacing them every c. 15K miles (or less!)?

It seems like more than a half inch difference, but regardless it is definitely noticeable to me.

 

[19GT-AWD]

Rear contact patch on 19's are wider, fronts are actually narrower.

225/45R18
Tread Width: 7.8"

225/40ZR19 (F)
Tread Width: 7.6"
255/35ZR19 (R)
Tread Width: 9.5"

 

[turboAWD]

Rear contact patch on 19's are wider, fronts are actually narrower.

225/45R18
Tread Width: 7.8"

225/40ZR19 (F)
Tread Width: 7.6"
255/35ZR19 (R)
Tread Width: 9.5"

Even just going by official specs: 255 - 225 = 30mm = 1.18 inch. So it's really hard to call it "half an inch".

 

[Capital AL]

Even just going by official specs: 255 - 225 = 30mm = 1.18 inch. So it's really hard to call it "half an inch".

Yes exactly, i knew it was more then that.

 

[19GT-AWD]

The price is half the treadlife. I'm still conflicted about this.

Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS-02 = 400 UTQG
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S = 300 UTQG

since the 19's are high performance tires, you will need to get winter tires ... 2 sets of tires which should make them last even longer

Which means tiring the Stinger just got twice as expensive.

Even just going by official specs: 255 - 225 = 30mm = 1.18 inch. So it's really hard to call it "half an inch".

Tread Width is different from Section Width, Tire Rack offers a good primer on both:

Section Width
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=200
Tread Width
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=201

 

[MerlintheMad]

Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS-02 = 400 UTQG
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S = 300 UTQG

Nitto NT555 G2 = 320 UTGQ

 

[19GT-AWD]

Nitto NT555 G2 = 320 UTGQ

Bridge Potenza RE-71R = 200 UTGQ