They quit making the tire size I had. Can someone help me please?

[IBCOOL]

I currently have a 96 NSx that I bought already lowered ( how much I don't know exactly). It also has Koni adjustable shocks.

The wheels are TSW Montage hypersilver in color wheels. The problem I have is on the 18" front wheels I have been running 235/30/ZR 18 tires. After buying many of them over the past 5 years every tire company out there tells me that that size tire is not available for the front anymore

They are recommending 215/35/ ZR 18 for the front. I have never had rubbing issues on the front or back( the back has the same wheels but 19". I have been running 265/30/ZR19 on the back with no problems).

Can someone please help me and give me advice on what to do. I have some concerns to address. They are:

1. Is the 215/35/18 the closest tire I can find that will fit the best w/out rubbing?

2. Is the car going to look odd with 265/30/ZR 19s on back and 215/35/ZR 18s on the front?

3. Is there a better size tire I should order than what is being recommended?

4. Should buy the tires that they are recommending to me and I do experience rubbing, what so I do then? Do I buy new springs that will lift the car? Since I don't know if my car is lowered 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inches, how can I find out. I am not mechanically inclined so I will not be doing the work to my car. How easy is it to take the springs off of the front to find out how much it is lowered? How much are the springs for the front(cheapest) and where do I get them?

I would really appreciate any help from you guys. I have just endured 5 operations on my ankle and almost lost my foot due to falling off of a roof, a botched operation and an infection in my foot after the operation. I have been in bed for 5 months and been on IV antibiotics the whole time. I haven't driven my car in over two years and it is the first thing that I want to do when I can walk in about 2-3 months. Please help me. Thank you very much.

 

[CB72]

I believe you will have no issues whatsoever with a 215/35/18 tire upfront.
My car runs with a 17/18" wheel combo and my tires are 215/40*17 and 265/35*18.
This combination is exactly the same outside size as what you will be running with.
It will look nicely balanced and NO scraping!

 

[nsxtasy]

1. Is the 215/35/18 the closest tire I can find that will fit the best w/out rubbing?

2. Is the car going to look odd with 265/30/ZR 19s on back and 215/35/ZR 18s on the front?

3. Is there a better size tire I should order than what is being recommended?

4. Should buy the tires that they are recommending to me and I do experience rubbing, what so I do then? Do I buy new springs that will lift the car? Since I don't know if my car is lowered 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inches, how can I find out. I am not mechanically inclined so I will not be doing the work to my car. How easy is it to take the springs off of the front to find out how much it is lowered? How much are the springs for the front(cheapest) and where do I get them?

1. Yes.

2. Some people find that the extra-large-diameter 18"/19" setup looks odd, but that's because of the size of the wheels. It's not the tires that make it look "odd".

3. No. 275/30-19 is another option for the rear, but I wouldn't say that it's "better". (265/30-19 is closer for the TCS on your '96, although either should work.)

4. If 235/30-18 didn't rub, it's extremely unlikely that 215/35-18 will rub. Yes, the radius of the 215/35 sticks out by 0.2", but because the tire is 20 mm narrower, the 215/35 is less likely to rub.