IslandTractor

I've found steel 16s for about $60 plus about $10 for a hub cap.  Cheapest aluminum 16s from Tire Rack are about $80-85 discounted.  I'd still prefer the steel wheels except that they cannot give me any details on what hub caps would fit.  Apparently standard Ford caps don't fit their steel wheels.  I don't love the look of bare steel wheels for four months a year.

Thanks again for the insights.  I have decided that I'll probably purchase new rather than risk the hassles of used.  I just had my dealer finally fix a front wheel vibration issue with my stock tires that resisted simple rebalancing and required road force balancing to eliminate.  I'd prefer to have a tire dealer to work with if that sort of thing comes up again.  Thinking now about 16" wheels with either Michelin X-ice xi3 or Blizzak WS80 in 215/60R16 sizing.  Your point about Blizzak wearing is a good one.  Wonder if that is still true with the WS80?  Wish that Nokian Hakkapellitta R2 tires were a bit less pricey though.  

Any thoughts on wheels?  If I go with TireRack I'll get them mounted (they road force balance as standard) but Costco is also an option though I'd need to source wheels separately.   I'd be happy with steel wheels and covers but that is actually not really cheaper than low cost aluminum wheels these days (at least from TireRack).  

Thanks Frank.  I guess I will just take my measuring instruments with me when I look at used wheels.  

Regarding tire size using 16" wheels, is there any disadvantage to going even narrower than 215/60R16?  There is a good set of Blizzak WS60 tires with Focus aluminum wheels available for less than what the wheels would cost new but the tire size is 195/60 R16.  

I'm looking to pick up a set of used wheels to mount snow/winter tires for my CMax.  Is there anything special or unusual with offset or other specification that would limit what would fit on a CMax?  Lots of used Volvo, Focus, Escape used wheels on Craigslist in 16 or 17" with 5x108 lug pattern but virtually nothing specifically from used CMax.  

I was planning to get wheels and then appropriate size Blizzak or Michelin IceX tires to fit.  Any pitfalls????

Optional AWD would be nice for the folks that live in the snowy white north like me.  I don't care about the MPG drop if it means easier driving in deep white stuff.  I'll most likely be getting snow tires this winter, for the first time ever on any vehicle I've owned.

 

I currently love everything about the C-MAX and hope a hybrid car this size would stick around, but I won't be needed a new one for another 7 years or so.

AWD is vastly overrated as a solution to winter driving.  Winter tires are much much more important but almost everyone with AWD skips them and uses no season tires.  

Think about it.  AWD adds weight which makes stopping more difficult.  AWD doesn't help stopping at all.  Driving in snow is dangerous not because you have trouble accelerating but because you cannot stop as quickly.  

I can see AWD if you live on a big hill or have a steep driveway or a long rural driveway to navigate but otherwise FWD plus winter tires would be a much better option even in places like Vermont.  

Subaru and Audi made some good cars 20+ years ago with AWD and started a marketing trend that made AWD sound like the answer to everyone's wishes for more traction etc.  What they never did was show the public that AWD is always heavier than the same FWD car so it not only gets worse MPG but also stops more slowly.  Simple physics.

I'm a Bostonian.  We know winter driving.  The vast majority of families would be better off with winter tires and FWD.  Sadly the public has been bamboozled and our country is on a 25 year AWD bender.  Imagine the many millions of extra gallons of gas wasted pushing AWD vehicles on suburban streets and interstates.  Also, imagine the number of accidents caused by AWD owners who mistakenly think their vehicles are "better in snow" and then cannot stop in time.   It is rare to see an AWD with proper winter tires around here.  

I made this calculator, maybe it will help someone make up their mind.

 

http://gocalipso.com/2013/02/plugin-hybrid-energy-cost-comparison-calculator.php#post

 

Enter in Electricity Cost, Gas Cost, One-Way commute miles, and whether you can charge at work or not.

 

It will graph the answer as well as tell you what the cheaper method is.

 

You can also enter in the Purchase price of the Energi and Hybrid and it will tell you how many years until you break even with the C-Max Energi purchase price premium (say that 5 times fast).

This link no longer works.  Should either be updated or this topic should be unpinned.

Any update on what happened to the panoramic sunroof glass repair?  I just found a small impact star on mine.  Not sure how it got there.  Only dime size star (or smaller) at the moment but suspect it will grow.

Do insurance companies treat moonroof glass the same way as windshield or door glass?  I.E. no deductible????

Since everyone has them on their cars on this forum. Why not post it on another Ford forum that didn't come with them?

Actually, some CMax owners might want an extra set for winter tires.  If he lived closer I'd be interested but shipping would be expensive.