Heads Up You T180 Drivers

[Hoovie]

For those contemplating ditching the RFTs, these look a promising option.

Or maybe for someone who wants a spare set of alloys for Winter Tyres?

Wheels on eBay

£300 starting price for 17" Wheels and nearly new tyres - FIVE in set, so even have a spare :P

[duncerduncs]

Are we ok to downsize to 17 inches?

(wife once told me that an inch makes all the difference...)

EDIT: I've just noticed that the Lexus RX 400h uses the same size tyres as the T180 (235/55 R18), could that be a solution? :)

[Hoovie]

If your starting point is 18", probably don't need to worry about losing an inch - I guess having the extra rubber will compensate :)

What is the ride like on the T180? Read all about the RFT stuff but don't know the wheel or tyre sizes, so assuming they have quite low-profile tyres?

Thinking back to my HR-V, that comes with 16" as standard, but I used both 17" and 15" wheels (and often switched between them) without any problems.

[Blingo]

Are we ok to downsize to 17 inches?

I don't see why not, all the other variants use 17" and I'll bet that the T180 has them in some world markets

I've just noticed that the Lexus RX 400h uses the same size tyres as the T180 (235/55 R18), could that be a solution? :)

It doesn't seem to be the tyres that are the problem, they are effectively standard tyres and not ridiculously priced on their own. When I did a search I also found that other manufacturers do make the size.

My answer has been to remove the support rings, which effecively makes them into a standard wheel and tyre which any tyre joint can service, and to buy a spare wheel (although carrying it is a pain...)

[Mereside]

What is the ride like on the T180? Read all about the RFT stuff but don't know the wheel or tyre sizes, so assuming they have quite low-profile tyres?

The ride on the 18" tyres is fine, they do not suffer the same as the BMW run flats. In other words your filings stay in!

Mereside

[Robert6920]

Or maybe for someone who wants a spare set of alloys for Winter Tyres?

Wheels on eBay

Er, that's exactly what I need - a bargain at that price. Don't watch, I'm having a bid :o

Wouldn't suit you T180 guys anyway - too much rubber visible around the rim. I know you prefer a lick of rubber paint

[local hero]

Or maybe for someone who wants a spare set of alloys for Winter Tyres?

Wheels on eBay

Er, that's exactly what I need - a bargain at that price. Don't watch, I'm having a bid :o

Wouldn't suit you T180 guys anyway - too much rubber visible around the rim. I know you prefer a lick of rubber paint

Good luck with those Rob, the tyres alone are worth that, and i bet those wheels from MR T would cost £150+ each, I'd have gone for them myself but as i only do 5000mls P.A the tyres would have perished before i needed them, bet you could find 5 individuals on here looking for a spare, anyway hope your succesfull mate..

[dave.m]

Or maybe for someone who wants a spare set of alloys for Winter Tyres?

Wheels on eBay

Er, that's exactly what I need - a bargain at that price. Don't watch, I'm having a bid :o

Wouldn't suit you T180 guys anyway - too much rubber visible around the rim. I know you prefer a lick of rubber paint

Good luck with those Rob, the tyres alone are worth that, and i bet those wheels from MR T would cost £150+ each, I'd have gone for them myself but as i only do 5000mls P.A the tyres would have perished before i needed them, bet you could find 5 individuals on here looking for a spare, anyway hope your succesfull mate..

Try £360 odds for a wheel and tyre from MrT to match existing wheels :o

[chatman]

Just to tease you RAV 4.3 owners and T180.....

I opened the boot on my RAV and had to dodge this large round diameter spare tyre hanging off the back....Never used it yet :lol: :lol: nice to know it's there... I can cruise up behind newer RAV's then pass them and give them a quick flash of the spare....Mines coved up though, but Hoovie's is naked B) B)

[Hoovie]

I read that the 2009 Model RAV4 in the US is gonna have RFTs BUT still have that large round thing on the back

They need somewhere to carry the pizzas

[Robert6920]

Thanks Hoovie, I managed to win these. Now, I have to "pop over" and collect them. My daughter's not far from B'ham (where the wheels are) but I don't think she'd fit all five in her Corsa - even with the back seat down! So I may be over in the next few days. It would be the Rav4's first trip abroad....

[Hoovie]

Nice One Robert :D - leave the current spare at home and you'll only need to put 4 inside

£320 for the 5 is a real bargain !!

[Robert6920]

Nice One Robert :D - leave the current spare at home and you'll only need to put 4 inside

£320 for the 5 is a real bargain !!

I know! But you know what they say about a bargain that's too good to be true.... I'll be happy when I have them in my sticky little fingers

[local hero]

Nice One Robert :D - leave the current spare at home and you'll only need to put 4 inside

£320 for the 5 is a real bargain !!

I know! But you know what they say about a bargain that's too good to be true.... I'll be happy when I have them in my sticky little fingers

HI robert great bargain, if theres any way i can help you get these let me know, don't know if anyones looked at this guy,s other items, but he appears to have a complete 2007 rav that he is breaking, if it is the one pictured it has an unusual front grill, roof rails, and it MAY have a leather interior, but i don't honestly know, here hopefully is the link to that page..

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/japarts-uk_W0QQ_t...I%26otn%3D4..if it doesnt work i am sure you can find it from that, apologies not very good at links..

[Robert6920]

HI robert great bargain, if theres any way i can help you get these let me know, don't know if anyones looked at this guy,s other items, but he appears to have a complete 2007 rav that he is breaking, if it is the one pictured it has an unusual front grill, roof rails, and it MAY have a leather interior, but i don't honestly know, here hopefully is the link to that page..

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/japarts-uk_W0QQ_t...I%26otn%3D4..if it doesnt work i am sure you can find it from that, apologies not very good at links..

Thanks everso, Stewart. The wheels are in Birmingham, near the Fort just off the M6. My options are

1. Fly into BHX, hire/beg/steal/borrow a van, collect wheels and drive them to daughter's in Warwickshire, leave them there for another day = deferred gratification
   
2. Fly into BHX, hire/beg/steal/borrow a van, collect wheels, get them back to BHX, airlift them back to DUB (probably costly, but quick) = immediate gratification
   
3. Get an old friend in BHX (used to work there) to find a "man with a van" to do 1 for me = even further deferred gratifcation
   
4. Fill up my Rav4, tootle down to Dun Laoghaire, ferry across to Holyhead (99 minutes) leisurely drive down the A55 to B'ham, pick up wheels, go see daughter, stay over, leisurely drive to Holyhead next day, ferry back, drive home = continuous gratification over an extended period, sounds the best to me so far
   

all of these options end with "drive up to house, unload wheels in front of shocked better half :o desperately try to find space in packed garage for wheels, and maybe for me as well :help2: ....."

[local hero]

HI robert great bargain, if theres any way i can help you get these let me know, don't know if anyones looked at this guy,s other items, but he appears to have a complete 2007 rav that he is breaking, if it is the one pictured it has an unusual front grill, roof rails, and it MAY have a leather interior, but i don't honestly know, here hopefully is the link to that page..

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/japarts-uk_W0QQ_t...I%26otn%3D4..if it doesnt work i am sure you can find it from that, apologies not very good at links..

Thanks everso, Stewart. The wheels are in Birmingham, near the Fort just off the M6. My options are

1. Fly into BHX, hire/beg/steal/borrow a van, collect wheels and drive them to daughter's in Warwickshire, leave them there for another day = deferred gratification
   
2. Fly into BHX, hire/beg/steal/borrow a van, collect wheels, get them back to BHX, airlift them back to DUB (probably costly, but quick) = immediate gratification
   
3. Get an old friend in BHX (used to work there) to find a "man with a van" to do 1 for me = even further deferred gratifcation
   
4. Fill up my Rav4, tootle down to Dun Laoghaire, ferry across to Holyhead (99 minutes) leisurely drive down the A55 to B'ham, pick up wheels, go see daughter, stay over, leisurely drive to Holyhead next day, ferry back, drive home = continuous gratification over an extended period, sounds the best to me so far
   

all of these options end with "drive up to house, unload wheels in front of shocked better half :o desperately try to find space in packed garage for wheels, and maybe for me as well :help2: ....."

I get a lot of Irish small shop owners coming to wholesalers in Manchester, and they seem to order stock and then get a part load on a container going back to Ireland and i have been told they can collect it in Eire the next day, I have no idea how this is arranged but it appears to be done all the time,

might be woth a thought

[Robert6920]

Just to say thanks again to Hoovie for spotting the wheels on eBay. I am at my lovely daughter's (having sorted out her wireless router) in Warwickshire, having enjoyed a super curry with her last night, and outside is my Rav4 containing five immaculate alloys together with tyres from an 07 Rav4.3. One is the unused spare, the others have about 6mm of tread on each.

So I am very well pleased - thanks again Hoovie (and Local Hero for offering to help me out in the collection of the alloys)

Now, back to that ferry

PS found out from Kingo that the twin pipe exhaust won't fit my better half's Rav4.2 - that's probably for the best

[Hoovie]

Excellent news they were all good ones

Safe journey back to the land of Rain and Guinness ;)

[Robert6920]

.....but he appears to have a complete 2007 rav that he is breaking, if it is the one pictured it has an unusual front grill, roof rails, and it MAY have a leather interior, but i don't honestly know, here hopefully is the link to that page..

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/japarts-uk_W0QQ_t...I%26otn%3D4..if it doesnt work i am sure you can find it from that, apologies not very good at links..

Actually Stew, he was pimping an 07 4.3 (and I do mean pimping, Hoovie :o ) He'd got new wheels, and the grill was one of his additions. And he was a polite young fella so I would buy stuff from him again.