Edgeskeez

I own the Thule rack and have never even come close to poking myself in the head with the bar.  Both the systems look similar so it seems to be a choice of color either black or aluminum.  The entire Thule Aeroblade system costs about $460 dollars (doesn't include bike rack).  How much for the Inno rack?

 

Sorry for the late reply guys. I forgot to check this section of the forums.

 

Email Thomas at Thomas@innoracks.com regarding pricing because he has to factor in shipping if you are not local.

 

I paid $351 (tax included) and was able to pick it up instead of paying for shipping.

I'm very happy with the stock Michelins.  Wearing well with 37k and not too noisy.

I was very happy with the stock Michelins. Don't get me wrong, I would have gotten the same if they offered the tire specs. The only size that came close was 225/50/18. =/

 

If a 225/45/18 were available in the Michelins, then I probably would have put those on and not worry about researching other brands.

Excellent! I'm looking for a high capacity hitch to carry either a cargo box or an electric wheelchair (with lift). It needs to be 2" to be compatible with what I already have. The only 2" hitch available doesn't have as much strength as the Curt 1-1/4 hitch so I've been looking for a welding shop who can modify the Curt to be 2". So far no luck. Now I'm jealous of your hitch especially the extra ground clearance! How many bolts attach it to the frame? Cost? Pictures from below?

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

Hey Eldrijt,

 

So I got in touch with Precision Tow. This is a fully welded hitch. There are no bolts so I don't have to worry about torquing the bolts once in awhile. 

 

Hitch Rated at: 

   3500 lbs Tow Weight

   350 lbs tongue Weight.

Now thats what I've been wanting.  Very nice looking wheels and tires. :thumbsup:

Thanks Mike! I appreciate the compliment.

 

 

Tires Update:

    

   At first it was hard to remember and compare how the Yokohama YK580 felt compared to the stock Michellins. The ride comfort, noise, and smoothness felt similar. However, it wasn't until my work picked up a new C-Max Hybrid that I get to drive every night. By being able to jump in and out of my Energi and the work car, I was able to feel the difference. The YK580s gave the C-Max a stiffer and rougher ride. I felt the imperfections of the road more and took the bumps harder. The steering felt heavier, but the steering response was better. The tires were a bit noiser too. However, the Yokohama was superior to the stock Michellins in terms of handling. But that's because it is labeled as a performance tire with an eco LRR rating. But the improvement in handling caused the ride comfort to suffer more than I liked. The characteristics of the tire were more suited for a sportier car and not really for our C-Max. So I needed to try something different.

 

  Enter the Pirellis...

 

 

  America's Tire was kind enough to let me return the Yokohama YK580 for full credit and upgrade to the Pirelli Cintuarato P7 All Season Plus. They were still able to give me a discount on the new tires and the labor was free. It was good timing because Pirelli offered a $60 mail in rebate for the tires so the upgrade only cost me $34 instead of $94. The certificates also rolled over to the Pirellis.

 

  These tires are exactly what I was looking for. It's categorized as a Grand Touring All Season Tire. The ride quality/comfort on these tires are very close, if not better than the OEMs. They glide over the road imperfections smoothly and take the bumps really well. They have the softness quality I was looking for. It almost feels like you are riding on a cloud. The handling and steering response is a lot better than the stock Michelins. So far I am extremely happy with these tires. They are doing very well in dry weather. We haven't had heavy rain in SoCal so I can't comment on that yet. But the reviews say they do well in dry, wet, and light snow. The Tesla owners in their forums swear by these and I now get why. Oh and whats most interesting is the 70,000 mile warranty. I hope to get close to that. 

 

 

I have yet to really test out the highway MPG on these. As soon as I am able to, then i'll post. 

 

 

In short, don't go out buy a performance rated all season tire even though it has an "eco" rating for the cmax like I did. Not the best move.  I Stay within the Standard Touring - Grand Touring All Season tires category. 

Upsizing the wheels shouldn't have provided more ground clearance? The larger rims should have a narrower rubber, or your speedometer would be all over the place (reading too low). Plus, there isn't a whole lot of clearance in the wheel wells anyway (hence the reason the C-Max cannot use snow chains).

You're right. Sorry about the confusion. I realized the reason why it scraped before was because it was loaded with a mountain bike and road bike which lowered the height of the carrier. It caused the knob to scrape on the driveway. I recently had two lightweight road bikes on the bike and the weight didn't cause the knob to scrape.

 

 

Yes i've seen the Torquelift but it only has a 200 Pound rating. That's plenty for bike racks etc but a wheelchair lift weighs 100 pounds then add the wheelchair with batteries and I'm quickly over 200. Wasn't crazy about the price either. For $265 + installation I "should" be able to get a custom hitch like the OP or have a Curt modified. I can get the Curt for $120 delivered.

 

Jim

Sorry for the delay. I have been busy and completely forgot to called Precision Tow. I will try again this morning right after class when they are open. 

If theyre open tomorrow, ill get the answers for you. As far as cost, i believe they charged me $220 but ill make sure to ask as well. Ill try to get more photos as well.

 

I also have a little more clearance now because i upsized my wheels to 18". So now the knob on my bike carrier doesnt scrape my driveway.

Thx for the update.  The wheels seem to give it more of a Euro look to me which I think is cool. 

You're welcome Scott and thank you! When I look at your car, it makes me think "what if" I just stayed with 17" wheels. The design on the stock wheels and the TSW wheels make it look bigger than they actually are. That's what happens when wheels have no lips. But anyway, your black on black look setup looks clean.

Priorities vary.  Edgeskeez already has a roof rack, so it's not likely that high mileage is his priority. I expect these wheels have a small effect compared with a roof rack, or the expected rolling resistance hit from the Yokos (OEMs are among the lowest of the LRR tires available).

 

That said, it must be noted that these are small effects that shoud not make or break your finances. In Tire Rack's 2009 test, the difference between best and worst rolling resistance tire was about 7%. You're still using less fuel by driving a hybrid.

 

Have fun,

Frank

Hey Frank, you basically got my mindset on point. My situation and priorities are different from everyone else. I have an Energi so don't use much gas during my 5 night work week. I charge for free at work and run on all electric to go home (13 miles side street). When I get home I'll usually have 10 miles of EV left. I use all of the EV range to go to work and use ICE for the last 3 miles. Sometimes if I am late, then I'll take the longer, but faster route on the freeway. Yesterday, I noticed I took a 3 mile hit on my EV range but that's because I had a really heavy foot that day. I had to get to class on time. I will go back to work in a few days and will drive normally to see if I still take a hit on EV range on the way home.

 

Also, today I drove from Los Angeles to Santa Clarita with the roof rack and new wheels on. I averaged a combined rating of 34.9 mpg while traveling an average speed I'd say 73 mph on the highway. My route was 90% highway and 10% city. I used to average 37.6mpg while traveling an avg speed of 75mph without the roof rack and with the OEM wheels. I consider myself to be the kind of driver between a hypermiler and a heavy foot. Before I took the plunge, I knew I risked taking a hit on my mpg. I also predicted it would not be significant. I know every mile counts and it adds up, but I felt it was not significant enough to dissuade me from making my decisions.

 

 

I had 245R40-18s on my old Audi A6 and you could feel every pebble on the road.  Just be careful of what you wish for.

 

(for what it's worth I don't think the C-max looks it's best with shorter radius tires--something about the high roof; it throws the visual balance off and makes the car look like a big woman with small shoes--as in Kostby's pic above--but to each his own)

I hear ya. I'm glad I didn't go with the 19's because i had to go with a 40mm. In my opinion, Kotsby pic above with the White Cmax was too much. I believe those are 20's or at the very least 19's. It looks overkill. But in the end, to each their own. I like the way the 18's look.

Thanks Jack! And thank you for crunching up the numbers. I didn't use the space at all so I figured I'd put a subwoofer there. I would post a youtube video but my phone wouldn't capture the sound quality.

Hey Scott,

 

The tires are the Yokohama YK580 (only exclusive to Americas Tire) and the specs are, 225/45/18

 

Also guys, the TSW Nurburgrings or the TSW Bathurst rotary forged wheels come in 17x8 that come in a 5x108 +40 offset that will fit the Cmax. So you don't have to upsize to 18's if you want the same wheel.

 

If you guys plan to do the same setup, go through Americas Tire. They gave me the best price. I was quoted at $220 per wheel and $120 per tire. If your local americas tire gives you a hard time, then I can email you a copy of my receipt. If you go for 17" then it could also be cheaper than $220. Also keep in mind, the TSW warehouse is located in SoCal so I didn't get charged for shipping. You might get that if you are out of state. PM me if you need to!

 

I almost went for the 19"s but my brother convinced me that it was probably going to be overkill. He was right, 18"s were perfect for me.

Thanks Bevil.

 

I'll do my best to do some testing on mileage and post it in the future. But keep in mind I have an Energi which has a heavy battery in the back and an 8" woofer. But I guess I can remove the woofer. I didn't keep track of my mileage with the stock wheels so I have nothing to compare to. 

 

During my research, I found there were similar looking wheels that had a silver finish (ace alloy mesh - 7 and Eurotek U02 ) but they could only fit our Cmax if you were to get a 19" wheel. Also, these particular TSW Nurburgrings (or the new TSW Bathurst) go through a different manufacturing process called Rotary forged which results in a lighter and stronger wheel. These wheels weigh 18.6 lbs. In comparison, an 18" cast wheel could weight from 21-24 lbs. If I chose Ace Alloy Mesh 7, then I'd have to get a 19" wheel that could weight much more. Our cars have very limited aftermarket wheel choices unless you purchase super expensive forged wheels. So the TSW for me was the clear winner. I want a silver finish myself but unfortunately, they can only offer the matte gunmetal or the mirror finish. So I'll be powdercoating these in the near future which will void my warranty unfortunately. So if you want to do the same, make sure to look for a reputable powdercoater that will stand behind his work and has tons of experience.

 

Some of differences I immediately noticed is the steering feel. It feels a little (emphasis on little) heavier maybe because the wheel is about an inch wider. Someone posted on here that our OEM wheel and tire combo weighed approximately 44 lbs which is the total weight of my new wheel and tire combo. But I am probably still losing some mileage because of the aerodynamics of the wheel and because of a different tire. 

 

The Yokohama Yk580 is considered a performance tire with eco qualities. It's an LRR rated tire. It definitely handles better than the michellins. Noise level is about the same. The stock Michellins have an edge over the Yokohama as far as ride comfort. But that could also be because our stock Michellins have a 5mm thicker sidewall.

 

As far as the roof rack, ideally, you'd want to remove them when you're not using it to get the best mileage. However, I know I"ll get lazy and not remove them so I opted for the Aero Racks so it's quiter and more fuel efficient compared to square or rounded bars. It's up to you and your situation. I can probably do some controlled testing on the roof rack and see if I lost any mileage. 

These are nice! Congrats

here you go buddy. 18x8" Tsw Nurburgrings. Click on the link below to see my post.

 

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/4927-18-tsw-nurburgrings/?do=findComment&comment=55318

18 x 8" Tsw Nurburgrings Matte Gunmetal

  - Rotary Forged 18.6 lbs per wheel

 

Current Tires: 225/45/18 Pirelli Cintuarto P7 All Season Plus

  - Grand Touring All Season Plus Tires

  - LRR rating

  - 24lbs per tire

  - 70,000 mile warranty

 

Previous Tires: 225/45/18 Yokohama YK580

  - Performance tire with LRR rating

  - 25.6 Lbs per tire.

 

Will post in the future regarding ride quality, noise, mileage, etc. Just intalled these today. The rear sits a little lower because my old wheels/tires are inside.

 

I also will most likely powdercoat these wheels to a lighter silver color to contrast the paint. But for now, i still like the way it looks.

 

 

Sorry for the crappy phone pics

 

 

3/25/15

 Quick Update:

     Upgraded a new set of Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus. What a difference compared to the Yokohama! I will post a quick review shortly. For now all I can say is, I am much happier with these tires! =)

That looks pretty unique. I wonder if those are 18" or 19" and what the tire specs are. Im about to order a set of tsw bathurst and i cant decide if i want 18 or 19. If those are 18 above then, im probably gonna go with 18s.

Theyre lightweight at 18.5 lbs for an 18x8 wheel.

Hey Kotsby, do u know the dealerships name so i could call and find out?

Nvm i see it in the background lol

Of course people are doing it.

Few, if any of those people, are active in this forum.

 

A Lexus dealer in Maryland listed this used C-MAX last May:

 

MD C-MAX with custom rims #2b.jpg

 

MD C-MAX with custom rims Screen Shot 2014-05-28 at 8.56.48 PM.jpg

That looks pretty unique. I wonder if those are 18" or 19" and what the tire specs are. Im about to order a set of tsw bathurst and i cant decide if i want 18 or 19. If those are 18 above then, im probably gonna go with 18s.

 

Theyre lightweight at 18.5 lbs for an 18x8 wheel.

 

Hey Kotsby, do u know the dealerships name so i could call and find out?

It was either the chevy volt or the energi for me. Energi won because of more space.Currently, there's no other plug in hybrid that will give you the more space than the cmax. Furthermore, the space when the subwoofer isn't there is so small I hardly utilized it. So i decided to put a sub in there to enhance the audio in my car. I love subwoofers.

 

But hopefully they'll nail it with the 2nd Gen Cmax. Perhaps, they'll produce a similar design to Tesla and have the big batter under the car and maximize space. The 2nd gen Chevy Volt took note of that and did something similar.

Oops, you went there! I wasn't going to point it out, but the OP had the work done in CA. I think the front passenger and driver windows technically are not supposed to be tinted either, but the windshield is definitely out. I'm sure that is why the first company doesn't do it.

Yep you are absolutely correct! One shop didn't want to do it because of liability concerns. He said people have tried to come after him when they got into an accident. But the other shops I have called didn't mind at all. I know and I accept full responsibility if I get a ticket for the front windshield and the front windows. But I do want to mention that the windshield shade is 3M crystalline at 70% - it's barely noticeable and it does not blurr or affect my vision during day or night. Then I did crystalline 40% for the front windows and went 5% 3M color stable in the rear to provide some contrast. Im hoing, *fingers crossed* that the contrast will help sway the cops away from looking twice at my vehicle. lol. But if i get caught, i get caught. Can't do anything about fate. However, the shop doesnt have a problem removing it free of charge. 

 

 

Thank you P3G.

 

EJ has posted four advertisments for California businesses, and it's obvious as John Travolta's hairpiece that these are either his buddies or he's getting some kind of fee for doing this.  If he wants to get indignant ("hey guys, I'm just helping out!") so be it.  But I don't have sawdust between my ears.

 

As to EJ's hope that we get loads of sponsors to offer us all really great deals?!?   I kinda like the forum, like PBS, commercial free.

 

Well that's your opinion and I respect that. But, I am sure the mods can create a special section for reps from companies like Americas Tire, Tirerack, TSW wheels, Thule, Inno, etc. Let those who are interested take advantage of offers. And then maybe you can stay away from trolling those threads and spreading your negativity around.  They have special sections in other forums so their deals don't interfere with other sections. 

 

Im here to help out man. I'll edit my post and remove the company names to help you sleep at night. 

 

I think the point is that a "reputable" shop should advise the owner on the tint law and consequences of violating the law.  Some shops may refuse to do it even if the owner wants "illegal" tint as Adrian_L warns of potential liability issues for the shop. To other shops, revenue is more important than integrity and will apply "illegal" tint with owner's permission (and likely want a release of liability signed by the owner).  But if a shop applies "illegal" tint without advising the owner and getting owner's approval (probably had the owner sign a release of liability), the shop is far from reputable.  I won't do business with "shady" shops.

 

Also, it is clear to me that the OP is virtually all "advertising content" and Ej is likely getting a kickback. ;)  ;)

"Make sure you call him and get quoted. Mention that you are from the Cmax Forum and was recommended by Ej so you can get an even better price."

 

Most forums (I think all) that I frequent would remove the advertising content and tell the OP to have people PM him for info on the shop.

Honestly, I feel kind of insulted. I took the time to take pictures and write these posts to help you guys out out of the kindness in me. There's no kickback for me, i promise you. I shared a positive review about the companies I worked for because I was happy with their service. This way those local in SoCal can go to places where they've done work on a Cmax so you can trust they'll do a good job (especially the sub install). Not many audio shops have experience in working with the electric system in our cars and now Whitehorse Customz does. You don't have to risk some audio shop that claims they know how when they don't and risk damaging your car. You can also potentially save more money.

 

You don't have to use my name or say you're from the forums if you dont want to. I just made a deal with the shops that if I referred people, then they'd have to give them discounts. I'm here to help you guys and the shops that did a great job. There's no cut from me. Just being nice. 

Right..i probably should have left this part in the energi forum. Sorry about that. But i do want to say that the sub can be easily removed if i want to use the space. Those were one of my requests to the shop.

 

Thanks for the compliments guys!

I agree with Scuba. I hope one day we can attract sponsors that are willing to give us owners specials and discounts. Kind of like how the focus st forums generate so much sponsors. They get specials thrown at them periodically. It would be nice if husky liner or wet okole came in here to post special deals for us.

Thanks Scott! You would have what they call "murdered out" if you went with dark tints to go with the black exterior color and the black rims. I think that would look cool and aggressive. Careful with the cops though because you'd stand out. Hopefully your state doesn't have strict tint laws in like in CA. No windhshield tints (only top 4")and no less than 70% on the front windows.

Huh?? I can assure you it's not spam. Calm down. Is it because I posted all the things I have done so far in one sitting? 

How is that a commercial? I shared my experience with Inno and its people. If a company gives you great service, then they deserve proper recognition. This is how I strongly feel about the product so im sorry if I was too detailed for you, hombre.

 

I also provided information about one of our options if you're looking for a nice, aerodynamic roof rack system. If others are curious about it or have any questions, then they can post and we can have a discussion. If not, then they are free to read and look at the pics.

 

I also shared a way for you to contact the manufacturer directly and save you guys money. 

 

 Am I missing something here? Thought I was doing forum members a favor.

Front Driver/Passenger windows the small windows are 3M Crystalline a 40%. The rear passenger windows and rear glass are 3M Color stable at 5%

 

Windshield Tint = 3M Crystalline at 70%. Probably the best tint out there. Makes the car comfortable when driving long distances and my A/C is kept at low fan. Keeps the infrared out so you don't feel the stinging of from the rays of the sun. Your vision will not be blurred like cheaper tints might cause, especially at night. It's not even noticeable. It's worth the investment in my opinion.

 

You can PM me if you're local and want to go through the same shop. Sorry if I reply late. I used to have the info on here but a few members didn't appreciate it.

 I want to thank Don, Mauco, and Tony from Whitehorse Customz in Montebello, CA. They are knowledgeable, creative, and extremely skilled at what they do. Furthermore, they are now experienced with working with our Cmax so they know exactly what to do. Please contact them if you are in the SoCal area. I promise you will not regret working with them. Please call ahead and make an appointment because they get booked pretty fast.

 

Parts Installed:

Sundown Audio SD 2- 8" Subwoofer

SoundStream ST1.700D Class D Amplifier

 

 

Upcoming Parts to be installed:

Soundstream XBP-10 SPL or Soundstream INT-2BX 

 

 - Currently, the subwoofer will begin to play for a few seconds each time the ICE turns back on. This will eliminate that problem because this has an amp turn on delay. 

 

Review:

  The work performed was excellent. The customer service was great and the custom box was perfect.

 

  The Sundown Audio SD 2-8" performs and pounds like a 12. I am pushing at least 400 watts RMS to it and I love the sound. For a shallow 8" woofer, this thing kicks ass. Keep in mind what is loud for me may not be loud for you so its all personal preference. The subwoofer performs the way I want it to. Thinking about adding one more in the future just because I want to, lol. Furthermore, the sub was perfect for my application because of its design. The magnet does not have a hole in the back like 98% of other subwoofers. Instead, the air comes out on from the sides. This allows for the sub to sit flat on the box to have a more shallow install. The subwoofer requires little cubic space and is very, very efficient. 

  The Soundstream ST1.700D performs very well. It has a tiny footprint. I mean this thing is really small. Small enough to where they could hide it from sight (see pic below). This little thing stays cool and pushes the subwoofer. I love it.

 

Do yourself a favor, and have Whitehorse Customz work on your cmax. 

See Don for all your audio needs and advice and Mauco for your box needs. These guys are artists and love what they do.

 

Also, I live in the Glendale, CA area so you can hear the subwoofer for yourself. Just PM me and hopefully we can setup a time to meet.

 

Whitehorse Customz Instagram Links:

 

https://instagram.co...tehorsecustomz/

 

https://instagram.co...z/p/zjLLs1vx6j/

 

https://instagram.co...z/p/zjGZw3vxzR/

 

Sundown Audio SD 2- 8" 

 

http://www.sundownau.../sd-series.html