2006 Chevy Aveo, Switching Rim Size? Please help!
Hello everyone,
4 years ago, i bought a used 2006 Chevy Aveo LT Hatchback...Despite some of the problems i have had with it, i still love my little orange car. Its fun to drive, gets good gas mileage, and easy to see in a parking lot!
About a year ago, i went to buy new tires, and quickly found out that most places laugh in my face when i ask if they have any 185/55/15r's in stock. Some offer to special order, and the cheapest i could get them for anywhere was $600 for 4 new tires. i'm not a huge "car guy/chick/person", i don't know a lot about the technical details, i'm broke, i have small kids, and i just want to be able to get back and forth to work, drive my kids to the park, and go to the grocery store. i finally found an awesome place out in Spencerport (Like, 50 minutes from the side of Rochester, NY that i'm on) that has a huge selection of great used tires. So, i drove out there and bought 4 tires for $90, then paid someplace in the city $15 per tire to slap 'em on, passed inspection, car handled much better etc.
NOW, i'm having an entirely different and sucky issue. i was planning on getting (1) new (used) rear tire, as i found myself having to check the PSI and re-inflate one of them pretty often over the last couple weeks. Then yesterday, it exploded on my way to work. After waiting an hour and 30 minutes for AAA, they finally showed up and put on the spare. i went to Dunn Tire because the place that sells used tires would be like a 90 minute drive for me, having to stay under 50 mph and avoiding expressways. The manager there was really, really, really nice. He spent 45 minutes calling every other business within a 20 mile radius to see if they had any 185/55/15s in stock, and only one did, but they were closing in a few minutes. He also re-tightened the lugnuts and checked and fixed the PSI on my spare, which i was really impressed by because i wasn't even buying anything from them!
i drove to the other place today, only to find out that my rim is bent to crap, and of course *nobody* has that rim size in stock. All anybody can suggest is to call around to scrapyards and check craigslist. i was planning on switching rim size anyways, come tax season, because my Aveo is almost completely paid off and i really do want to keep it a long time, and this whole tire search thing gives me a migraine. i am still broke and the most i can really spend is $300...So i'd love to buy 4 used rims and 4 used tires...But if it comes down to it, i'd buy one stooooopid sized rim, if it can be found...i called the manager at Dunn Tire, and he suggested 14'' rims, but when i look online, i get confused. I don't know the technical implications for my particular Aveo model, how wide or narrow it could take, what would be ideal for handling, gas mileage, safety etc. i also don't know what other car models it would be compatible with, rim-wise. i see ads on craigslist that just list the make and model of the car the wheels were pulled from, i don't know how to convert that into compatibility for my car. Of course, everything closes early on a Saturday, and is closed Sundays, and the place the manager recommended to me is closed until Monday morning, so i can't even call and ask them, and will be a 50 minute drive at under 50mph and avoiding expressways. i have to be at work by 3pm Monday, so i *really* want to get this taken care of by then. even if i take my boyfriend's car and drive around tomorrow picking up parts from people on craigslist...i just need to know exactly what i'm looking for.
Any input you could provide would be *greatly* appreciated!
Thank you!
-Lana
