Fitted my new alloys on yesterday, and here's a pic of the problem:

This inner plastic trim on the rear passenger arch was rubbing against my tyre as I went round corners/over bumps. I was reading on another thread, a user had this problem as well as his tyres were the same size as mine (205/55/16) but he said that he just cut about an inch off the plastic. So I thought I'd do the same, but as you can see after I cut into the plastic there's a metal piece underneath (arrowed in red in the pic). My old tyres were sized 195/55/15 with the standard alloys, so I think the reason it's rubbing here is because the tyre width is 205 on my new alloys and the tyre sits further back in the wheel arch, and the metal part arrowed in the pic is rubbing on the very inner edge of the tyre (also the fact that the new alloys and tyres are bigger than my standard ones adds to the problem as the tyre is sitting closer to the metal piece). So what I was thinking was, because there's a 10mm difference in tyre widths from my old alloys to my new ones, will 10mm spacers resolve this problem? I want to lower the car by about 40mm as well, but I can't if that piece of metal is jabbing into the tyre!

heres mine slammed as low as it could go on said wheels (BUT i had the correct sized tire 205/45/16) no problem

205/55/16 are just the wrong size. They will have a larger rolling radius thus putting your speedo out they are guarenteed to rub, and I would doubt your insurance company would be too happy for you to be running with them because of this.

Don't blow £150 on spacers. Blow a little bit more on the right sized rubber.

So apart from the speedo reading the wrong speed and the tyres rubbing on the arches and a possibility you're not insured,what's the problem?

exactly. they're just not the right size; 16's are OK, a 55 profile is OK and a 205 width is OK but the extra width and extra sidewall height means they're just too big - you need the correct size tyre

So apart from the speedo reading the wrong speed and the tyres rubbing on the arches and a possibility you're not insured,what's the problem?

they probably look like balloons too...

exactly. they're just not the right size; 16's are OK, a 55 profile is OK and a 205 width is OK but the extra width and extra sidewall height means they're just too big - you need the correct size tyre

******** :( there's still a decent amount of tread left on these. I'll probably have to try and sell these ones then, try and get a bit of money to pay for the correct size :/. It will look a lot better with smaller tyres on though.

what the correct tyre size then?

205/45/16 you could even go for 215/45/16 if they make them

205 55 16 are Octavia size tyres,so join 'Freedom' and then advertise them on here for free.

205 55 16 are Octavia size tyres,so join 'Freedom' and then advertise them on here for free.

Thanks! But I think I'll just take them to my local tyre dude, he sold my last ones for me.

205/55R16 tyres fit a multitude of vehicles , Ford Focus, Volvo S40/V50, Octavia, etc so they should sell easily

You could always go for some 195/45/16 tyres ?

You could always go for some 195/45/16 tyres ?

Surly with that it would be still the wrong Rolling Radius. I think I work it out as, for 16 inch wheels, either 225/40 or 185/50 or stick with the standard 205/45.