Right, when I bought my vRS, it has 205/45/16 on the front, 215/40/16 on the back. They're not different enough to cause problems with rolling radius etc. Now I've worn down the front pair, they need replacing, and what I'd normally do is put the new tyres on the back and then move the back to the front to make a start on wearing those down.

However I've just come across a few forum posts while I was looking for tyre reviews saying that it's illegal to have wider tyres on the front of your car. Is this actually true? I've not come across this before as although I only ever buy tyres in pairs, I always keep the sizes the same, this is the first car I've had where someone's fitted slightly wider tyres. I know that it's a difference from the manufacturers spec but I did write it on the form for my insurers and they didn't seem to have a problem with it, but I just want to clear up this legal standpoint. As if it is indeed illegal to run this combo, I'll be booking in for four new tyres and get everything matched up as I could be waiting for months for the rears to wear down, and in all that time they'll be getting closer and closer to the limit and becoming unpredictable which I don't want in a FWD car with no direct control over the rear axle. Cheers!

I ran 215/40/17 fronts with 205/40/17 rears for a while whilst I was waiting for the old narrower ones to wear out. Passed an MOT like it, and as long as the sizes are on the same axle then you are OK. Handling wise it felt no different.

If it passed an MOT like it then it must be alright, so that's good. There's nothing wrong with the tyres on the back which is why I don't want to just bin them (I probably wouldn't sell them as if I was a buyer, I wouldn't trust second hand tyres I didn't know the history of, although I've taken that risk on board in purchasing the car) so they just need to go on the front for long enough to wear them down and then I'll get another pair of 205s on there.

Yep sounds good, personally I think you will be fine.

As long as same tyre size is on same axle

Yeah, obviously they'll be moving in pairs. Two new tyres on the front wheels to replace my worn fronts, and then I'll swap the front and back wheels over. In fact, I might swap the front and back wheels tonight myself so I know it's done and so I know there's no issues with the wider tyres poking out of the arch as I'm not sure whether I've got spacers on the front. It's only really about 5mm difference so I doubt it, but just to put my mind at ease.

Tyres replaced. Wheels swapped. I'm a spigot ring missing, conveniently on the only wheel which has ever been off the car while I've owned it, and which was removed by the garage I was in today in order to repair a puncture about 3 months ago. Not surprisingly they're washing their hands of it and couldn't explain why their mechanic either 1) didn't put the ring back on or 2) didn't tell me at the time that my wheel was flapping around like a clown shoe (there's 16mm difference between my 57.1mm hub and my 73.1mm Pro Race 1.2, so I'm sure they must have noticed!).

If only I had the equipment for swapping my own tyres, sometimes the only way you can guarantee a job done right is to do it your bloody self...

Tyres replaced. Wheels swapped. I'm a spigot ring missing, conveniently on the only wheel which has ever been off the car while I've owned it, and which was removed by the garage I was in today in order to repair a puncture about 3 months ago. Not surprisingly they're washing their hands of it and couldn't explain why their mechanic either 1) didn't put the ring back on or 2) didn't tell me at the time that my wheel was flapping around like a clown shoe (there's 16mm difference between my 57.1mm hub and my 73.1mm Pro Race 1.2, so I'm sure they must have noticed!).

If only I had the equipment for swapping my own tyres, sometimes the only way you can guarantee a job done right is to do it your bloody self...

Thank you for making me laugh Loving the way you phrased that mate