[Benjilafouine]

When I bought my 2003 Focus SE back then, I chose the Sport package. Nice car and I can’t wait to put it back on the road this spring. Still too much salt and sand on the road but usually by April, snow banks are gone.

This year I decided to go back to my 15 inches mags instead of my 16 inches. The 16 inches were available on the SVT and ZX models but I had acquired some 10 years ago.I’ve been using these 16 inches mags for the past 10 years but I ran in a problem with a near head on collision that sent me spinning at 50 mph. Car did a 360 and I ended up with mismatched tires.

Last year, I always had a small vibration at 60 mph, no matter what. Two tires got worn out because of the 360 so I decided to put back the 15 inches mags on with new tires.

Bought some Michelin Defender T+H with a H rating (195/60R15) and I hope I’ll enjoy them. They’re the most expensive I could find, along with some Bridgestone ones.

They don’t have a real low profile look but what the heck, this is a 20 years old car after all. At the time, mags were still in their infancy when we think about it.

Here’s a 2003 photo. Hasn’t changed since then, still on original paint except for some localized touch ups. My mags are also in pristine condition but needed a few touch ups. If you guys need to fix some scratches on mags I recommend these guys: Touch up direct.

I’m not a skilled mechanics but I sure know a lot about detailing!

 

[Benjilafouine]

While the wheels look well cared for and sharp, Magnesium wheels have been around since the 30's, hardly in their "infancy" by the time your car came to be. Are you sure they're Mags, and not aluminum alloy? According to my searching, they're Aluminum alloy.

Yes, I think they’re aluminum. Not magnesium. My 16 inches are also aluminum. They don’t look that different than the ones that came with my Ford Escape 2014.

About infancy, I was more referring to low profile tires. Mags got bigger and bigger and tires thinner and thinner. I haven’t used my 15 inches in close to 10 years, can’t wait to see the difference in handling.

 

[Benjilafouine]

Please stop calling alloy wheels mags.
Mag wheels are made of magnesium.
Alloy wheels are aluminum alloy.
A styled alloy wheel is not a mag.

Have you heard about a common expression before? This is like using a Kleenex when there are thousands of brands. Or a ski-doo to designate a snowmobile. You are arguing on semantics rather than answering the comments (about handling and the tires selected). I don’t know where you live but in corner of the world where I live, no one would be offended by that.

 

[Benjilafouine]

It's not that it's offensive, it's just flat out wrong. Calling a wheel a mag because it's a styled wheel is just silly. Mag wheels are mags for a reason. Calling a styled wheel a mag when it is not a mag just confuses the situation.

It's like calling a Mustang, a Camaro, or a Firebird a muscle car. They're not. They're Pony cars, named that BECAUSE of the Mustang. While you could get them with big engines (I had a 74 Trans Am with a 455 in it for example), it doesn't make it a "muscle car". It's still a Pony car.

My main language is not English, I am a French Canadian, didn’t you think about that? I’m pretty good with non automotive things but stop that behaviour please.

 

[Benjilafouine]

Consider this...
If I were learning French, and consistently used the wrong word for something, would you advise I continue doing so? Or would you attempt to correct me and teach me the right word to use?
I am not being hostile, I am not being mean. I am simply correcting your terminology so that you don't sound foolish.
The entire reason I clicked on this thread was because of your title, I wanted to see a set of real magnesium wheels on a Focus, as I'd imagine they were very rare.
Upon seeing you were just using the wrong word, I attempted to correct you.
So, I don't see this as bad behavior. Do you still see it as such?

Get a life.

 

[Benjilafouine]

I’m sorry for this guy polluting the thread so here’s the original text again. He doesn’t know Quebec but he thinks he knows everything and our usage of terms.


When I bought my 2003 Focus SE back then, I chose the Sport package. Nice car and I can’t wait to put it back on the road this spring. Still too much salt and sand on the road but usually by April, snow banks are gone.

This year I decided to go back to my 15 inches mags instead of my 16 inches. The 16 inches were available on the SVT and ZX models but I had acquired some 10 years ago.I’ve been using these 16 inches mags for the past 10 years but I ran in a problem with a near head on collision that sent me spinning at 50 mph. Car did a 360 and I ended up with mismatched tires.

Last year, I always had a small vibration at 60 mph, no matter what. Two tires got worn out because of the 360 so I decided to put back the 15 inches mags on with new tires.

Bought some Michelin Defender T+H with a H rating (195/60R15) and I hope I’ll enjoy them. They’re the most expensive I could find, along with some Bridgestone ones.

They don’t have a real low profile look but what the heck, this is a 20 years old car after all. At the time, mags were still in their infancy when we think about it.

Here’s a 2003 photo. Hasn’t changed since then, still on original paint except for some localized touch ups. My mags are also in pristine condition but needed a few touch ups. If you guys need to fix some scratches on mags I recommend these guys: Touch up direct.

I’m not a skilled mechanics but I sure know a lot about detailing!

 

[Benjilafouine]

As long as there are no hard feelings... Anyone have any Grey Poupon?

I have to admit, I learned a few things here. Here is a laugh anyway:

I love that movie! We’re not worthy !!!

 

[Benjilafouine]

I switched from 205/50R-16 tires to 195/60R-15 tires on my 2002 Focus ZTS when I lived in Minnesota. The switch seemed to give me better traction in the snow. I currently have 195/60R-15 tires on my 2007 Focus SE Wagon. My wheels are the same shown on your 2003 Focus.

Here in Quebec, winter tires are mandatory so we need two sets. Can you use four seasons tires all year round in Minnesota? Some four seasons tires are really made more for summer than winter. Despite the Michelin Defender being (I hope ) one of the best four seasons tire around, they wouldn’t cut it in Quebec’s country side (with mountains). Before the law was passed some 20 years ago, I did spend two years with four seasons tires on a Ford Contour 1996 but they didn’t matched at all winter tires in terms of grip.

On the subject of winter tires, a lot of people here downsize the wheel sizes for their winter tires. My Focus is only really a summer car but back in 2003, I used it for a few winters and I had installed plain old 14 inches rims with 14 inches winter tires. Low profile tires (at the extreme) do not make such good winter tires. On my 2014 Escape, I even have 17 inches studded tires in winter. This is the ultimate winter tire but these tires come with extra noise.

In about two weeks I’ll be able to try these new 15 inches tires. I enjoyed the handling of the 16 inches low profile tires but with our damaged roads, boy did they banged a lot. Many mags (or aluminium wheels or whatever you want to call them…) break around here.

 

[Benjilafouine]

As a resident of northern Minnesota, while you shouldn't use all season tires year round, many do and suffer the consequences.
Going down a wheel size to have a higher aspect ratio, or if possible a higher aspect ratio and narrower width while maintaining same or similar outside diameter helps dig through the snow better, giving more traction as well.
I am in the two sets of wheels camp with one set of all season (or performance if the car merits it/my use merits it) and one set of snow specific tires for all of my vehicles. I am considering for my next set of tires the new Michelin Cross Climate brand tires. They are a heavy snow rated, true year round tire that has a unique design, full depth tread, and while perhaps not as good as a dedicated snow tire, should be good enough for all but the most extreme use cases where you should probably be staying home anyway.

My personal 2013 Focus has two sets of OEM 17" wheels, running 215/50/17 on both sets. Snow tires are Blizzak WS80's and they are more than capable. I've had no issues with traction.

In southern Quebec, most people will use ice and snow tires as ice is predominant. I even have studs on my Escape. I also have an old set for the focus but I never drive in winter. I install these old tires just because sometimes I take it out of the garage to make room for the escape when it looks like an igloo. Can’t wait to put back the Focus on the road! Couple more weeks max.

In northern Quebec, snow tires are more the norm.