REPLICA ALLOY wheels and NITTO 555 tires

I was spinning bad during my launch at the track. The second gear scratches felt like a full second. It was time for new tires. I didn't really do much research on tires. I just went with feedback from message boards. I wanted to get 275/40-17 but I wasn't going to mount those on the stock 17x8 wheels. A lot of people swear by it but I trust the wheel manufacturers more than anyone on message boards when it comes to safety. Nitto states quite clearly that the approved rim for the 275/40-17 tire is 9-11 inch wheels. Period. End of story. So I bought a pair of 17x9 Replica Alloys Anthracite Bullitt Wheels wrapped in P285/40 ZR17 Nitto 555 Extreme Performance through a friend at the local Discount Tire. They matched the Internet price for the wheels and gave me the 285s for the price of the 275s. Not a bad deal for one-stop shopping.

My major concern was the color. The original factory Mustang Bullitt wheels from 2001 have a flat gray finish, and the ones from 2002 through 2004 have a darker glossy finish. The wheels I got match the 2002+ color. There is still a slight difference in the finish but you can't tell unless you have absolutely even lighting and you are looking for the difference. On the left is the factory wheel. On the right is the Replica Alloy wheel.

Can you tell the difference?

I thought about getting the Nitto 555R Drag Radial but its treadwear rating was 100. The tires I got have a treadwear rating of 300. I didn't want to have to replace my tires after three months.

How do the tires hook at the track? That story will come next. For now, I can say the second gear scratches on the streets have been reduced to a quick and short bark.

Cost: $696.56

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