To do that with SubD's is really tough indeed.. But, excuse me for bringing up my own model, that's when bumpmaps come in handy
This is the wire:
http://arjen.zanderz.org/dino/wire-04.jpg[
This is without bumpmaps:
http://arjen.zanderz.org/dino/dino-32.jpg
And this is
with a bumpmap (ignore the tire, although this is done with a bumpmap too):
http://arjen.zanderz.org/dino/dino-34.jpg
Here is my bumpmap (rescaled a
LOT, original size was 1960×1960, TGA format):