Does anyone on here have much experience of fiddling with tyres?
My (new to me) car has budget 205 45 R16 tyres on it.
Higher performance 195 45 R16s are cheaper from the likes of mytyres and blackcircles than 205s. Forgive my naivety, but will the skinnier tyres fit the wheels I have and is it a good idea?
What is the rim width ?
I don't actually know, but I'm pretty sure they are 7" wide.
Hmm, or 6.5"
Usual rule of thumb is down two sizes and up one. I'd say yes. I've seen 185s fitted to 7" rims before.
SD
After much considered thought.
Drive the car and judge the tyres on how they perform, not on the badge. If you reckon, it's got loadsa grip and a scary high limit at which things "start to happen", consider the narrower tyres. If the car moves about a bit at lower / saner speeds then narrower tyres will not enhance the experience.
I doubt that was the right answer, but there you go.
ATB JF
Och you're right, I was tempted at the prospect of Yoko A539s at ~£40 a go. They make them in 195 but I can't find any of the usual online suspects selling 205s but I've still to drive the bloody thing in anger yet.
The car probably has more driving ability than I have in your little finger.
Have seen the Yokohamas on ebay - £159 a set. That would tempt me as well. I'm loving mine and just about to put a pair on the back of the car. Ignoe what I said before, the A539s would give maximum paddock Kudos at the track :-)
If you decide to go for it, I can sort out fitting and balancing for you no problem.
It may be a case of buying a set of 15" wheels to fit the cheaper size to. Yes, the kudos was what I was after (c:
I love mates rates.
You know, that's the best bit of tyre size advice I've read for a long, long time.
The number of times I'd borrow something small with a Ford badge and
195/40/16s on it, think to myself, "this thing has way too much grip to be fun" followed by a Sketchleys moment as you find the adhesion limit. :-pOne of the reasons why I put my Ka on 185/60/13s...
I say stick to the manufacturer recommended sizes. However, if you do change remember to tell your insurance company! :)
Justin.
I say rip 'em off and get some 19"s on there :p
It doesn't always work out like that though. On mine the s**te 225 50 r16 tyres that came on the car are far worse than the 205 55 r16 tyres on the spare set of alloys I've bought for track days. I could take bends at around 10 mph faster and breakaway was much more progressive.
I have Yoko VRsports all round on the locost, unbelievably sticky, only thing is, it's hard to break traction round roundabouts now. I'm very impressed, cheapo ebay ones once these have bit the dust (not long, they soft innit ?).
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