Now we are leaving the winter months behind us, I'm thinking of treating the fiat to some summer front tyres.... it currently has 4 nangkang sport II's on it, rears are as new, but fronts are getting to about 3 mill....suprisingly good tyres seeing as they are "budget" I could get a couple more for £80 fitted.

now my size is 205/45/17, and these are always more expensive than other sizes... this is what I'm considering...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/215-40-17-YOKOHAMA-87W-2154017-215-40Z17-2-NEW-TYRES_W0QQitemZ360242753004QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Cars_Tyres_RL?hash=item53e0242dec

yokohama parada 2, £130 to buy in 215/40/17's (£150 fitted) 215/45/17 is -1.95% rolling radius... in my size these are over £220! (£240+ fitted)

or

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m12b0s684p0

again in 215/40/17, I've heard these are incredible fast road tyres, and even work in the wet! they would be £180 fitted.

now I've used 215/45/17's on the car before (+ 1.46% radius) without any problems, but never used 215/40/17's.....

your thoughts and ideas please? Thanks.

What width are your wheels? You might already be at the maximum recommended tyre width for that size of wheel width.

Had Parada Spec 2 on my Fabia in 215/40R17. Awesome in the dry, almost unstick-able. In the damp/wet though, they would understeer if pushed, and would also give some lift off oversteer...

And as an added bonus, the speedo was then 100% accurate with GPS

Edited 13 March, 201016 yr by Disco_Mikey

I've just been researching tyres for the Octavia. In the end I went for Hankook v12 Evos after reading a few reviews. However, I'd be careful straying from the specified sizes from Fiat, as my insurers were very unhappy with the thought of anything other than the original size. In fact, there'd be a premium to pay for using 225s instead of 205s they said. If I were to have an accident and didn't tell them about the size change, then they wouldn't honour my claim.

I'd check first, even if it is only +1.46% difference. To an insurance company, this might as well be 146%.

Edited 13 March, 201016 yr by skinnyman

thanks for the replies,

the wheels can handle upto 215 but no wider due to width of wheel.

my speedo tends to read a constant 5% fast according to GPS, so a size change would probably help and yes, thats the reveiws I've read about the parada2... and at £70 a corner,(£130 a pair) good bang for buck... but in 205 45 17 they are £232! thats £100 a pair more than the 215/40 17's...... wow. why the difference?

as for the insurance...hmmm, never occured to me, cheap tyres that take twice as long to stop in the rain, (and in the case of federals actually disintigrate on my car.. hugley dangerous) are ok, but a good set of tyres not ok, that annoys me..... anyone else had problems with insurance for fitting different size tyres? surely its just like the optional 18's on a new octy vRS or something?, i.e. no difference. on swmbo's honda it has 175/65/14's on all round when we bought it a few weeks ago, all good tyres, when I looked up tech spec for the car on the net, it says they should be 185/60/14's (-0.86% difference) I haven't told the insurance, because as far as I'm concerned its fitted with the right size tyres, maybe the net is wrong? at £360 we didn't get a handbook with it

any other thoughts?

Edited 13 March, 201016 yr by sharkrider

Insurance company were informed that I had 17" wheels fitted to the car, they didnt say anything about tyre sizes, though that may be because 17"s were never standard fitment on a Fabia...

205/45R17's are usually run-flat sizes (Mini etc) so maybe they are just trying to cash in, but still be cheaper? :wonder:

Edited 14 March, 201016 yr by Disco_Mikey

Insurance company were informed that I had 17" wheels fitted to the car, they didnt say anything about tyre sizes, though that may be because 17"s were never standard fitment on a Fabia...

205/45R17's are usually run-flat sizes (Mini etc) so maybe they are just trying to cash in, but still be cheaper? :wonder:

mine has standard 17's, just the size (width/profile) i'm interested in, 205 45 17's are a common runflat tyre, it just really bugs me that I could get a pair of 215 40 17's of the same brand (parada 2) at £100 less.. :(

You may be alright, a quick call to your insurance would find out. I agree with you, 10mm extra for £100 more seems a tad unfair, especially if they are a quality tyre. A £35 ditchfinder of the correct size however, is deemed less of a risk by the insurance company. :S

The best 17 inch tyre for 7x17 rim is 205x40x17. Check out following webpage http://www.toyo.co.uk/productdetail.php?identity=products&product_id=2.

Tyre weight matters more than a wheel weight sometimes. And if you are shedding weight of wheels there is no point why to buy 215x40x17 tyres, they only give you 3mm more rubber on the road and they are 4mm taller and they are half a kg heavier than 205x40x17. 205x40x17 tyre offer 1cm more rubber on the road and is only 0.2kg heavier than standard 205x45x16 and only upsets the speedo by 1.5mph when traveling at 60pmh which is less than 215x40x17 tyre does. Buy wise.