It may be premature but my obsessional mind is already thinking about snow tire/wheel setup for my Super V8. My understanding so far from perusing these forums is that the smallest I can go on the wheels is 18" due to the Super's big rotors, and generally that the best snow performance is on narrow wheels. So unless someone can correct me on the above, the following questions remain:

1. When is the best time to buy winter tires? Of course I'd like to wait until just before I need em but I remember places like Tirerack can run out. Then again presumably the tire companies are introducing newer better tires all the time, so later is better, etc.

2. I like the Jaguar Tucanas, and see them for around $150 each at online sites, but these are I think re-manufactured (new they are crazy). Are they worth buying, or should I just get the nicest cheap, narrow, light 18s I can find at Tirerack (I love that they give you wheel weights) and do the whole free mounting/balancing thing with them? If I do this, can I put Jaguar caps on most aftermarket wheels (or if not, how would I know which are compatible)?

Thanks!

 

Since I have the exact same make, model and color car as you and live in the same region I feel somewhat obligated to reply. I have a set of the 18" Tucanas as my "winter wheels" and while I like the look of the 19" Custom's better I can say the Tucanas look fine and clear the brakes with no problem.

I put some all season tires on for winter wheels and so far it has not been a problem. Of course I work from home and rarely am forced to drive during any snow storms so for me the traction vs comfort/noise trade-off was an easy decsion. I'm not sure I would wait to purchase the latest and greatest snow tires, I imagine like most things the improvements to the technology are fairly incremental despite the marketing claims.

 

Thanks, good to know my automotive double is looking out for me. The Tucana appears to be 18x8, but I've seen it argued elsewhere on this site that a wheel needs to be at least 18x8.5 to "clear" the super v8/xjr brakes. I get why the diameter must be large enough to clear them, but don't see why width would matter. Should any 18" wheel which fits, say, a Vanden Plas on Tirerack also fit the super v8?