Advantages to 195/45/16 opposed to 205/45/16?

[rich53]

What sort of advantages are there to running these apart from there alot cheaper! Sorry for not searching but my phones playing up and no access to a pc.

[TeebsVRS]

Surely no technical advantages, as they're narrower and nearly 1cm smaller in diameter. Insurance wouldn't be impressed at running incorrect tyre sizes.

[joe_vrs_tdi]

Looks abit better, less chunky. Will change your speedo a fraction aswell, there are online calculators that will tell you if its up or down and what %

[TeebsVRS]

Looks abit better, less chunky. Will change your speedo a fraction aswell, there are online calculators that will tell you if its up or down and what %

It's about -1.5%

[Dudeoli]

Should be slightly less prone to aqua planing if I remember rightly? but also less grip in the dry as less rubber in contact with the road

[BlueRobin]

Lower rolling resistance?

[T. Spark]

About 40mm less tyre on the floor?

[mattvrestate]

Can go lower without tyre catching arch.. look loads better.. can get better quality tyres for the price of wangers in 205 size.. less tyre overhang on the wheels so less dougnut effect

[TimVRS12]

Cheaper, look wayy better. I've got some on mine and heavily recommend.

Can't officially comment on grip. Mine was increased ten fold, but I came from bald fronts and average backs.

[VRSD30]

I like the chunky look to the 205's with more rubber on the road

[DanHam]

I fancy changing to 195s but I'm going to be running 20mm spacers on the rear and 15mm on the front which I know is the perfect size for the look I'm after.

[Trev.]

Upsides- look better, cheaper, wont aqua plane as easily.

Downsides- lower weight rating, less tyre on the road, mess with your speedo, insurance companys are dodgy about wrong size tyres on alloys and may not pay out.

Is it worth it?

[TimVRS12]

Speedo talk is always an exaggeration, most insurance companies don't care (mine doesn't), I dont carry excessive weight, so they work for me just fine.

[rich53]

For me yes it does matter. Im going through tires to fast as i like to travel to go on great roads for 'spirited drives' as there cheaper than track days. Although i did half a day at silverstone and my proxies were nearly dead. Plus i hate the flat tire look when its sat, will the 195's fix this?

[Trev.]

Well why ask lol? Youve obviously made your mind up with the reasons youve given?

[DRJ]

The difference is within acceptable limits at 1.42% which translates to almost 1mph at 70mph.

Since my car indicates 75mph at a true 70mph the difference is not significant - still within 10%.

Other things people haven't yet mentioned. In theory top speed will be marginally less - but that's not relevant for everyday driving, acceleration will be slightly improved, but not noticeably, engine noise levels in the car will be ever so slightly higher (more revs for given speed) and you may, depending on the tyre design be rendering the alloys more susceptible to kerbing. But it's all pretty marginal.

Not sure why the change would affect the "flat tyre" effect - which I admit mine suffers too on Proxes. That's more because they I believe have softish tyre walls compared to others so you'd potentially sort that by switching to a different brand with stiffer sidewalls. However I'm up for anything that improves the ride of a vRS...

[Trev.]

Speedo talk is always an exaggeration, most insurance companies don't care (mine doesn't), I dont carry excessive weight, so they work for me just fine.

Its not about carrying extra weight buddy, some guy in a office somewhere gets paid alot of money and uses alot of formulas to calculate what tyre weight rating is needed for the engine weight, and ovarall weight of our cars. he has calculated that we need weight rating of 87w i think is it, the 195 size tyre only comes in at 84, im no tyre genius but that number MUST mean something! and who are we to question the tyre technitians calculations to save a few bucks?

Oh and have you aqua plained into a very expensive bmw and rit it off on your 195 tyres yet? i bet you if your insurance company finds out that you arent using the correct tyres for your vehicle they mind start caring and your insurance will be null and void......Good luck

[mannyo]

Can go lower without tyre catching arch.. look loads better.. can get better quality tyres for the price of wangers in 205 size.. less tyre overhang on the wheels so less dougnut effect

How can you go lower, the overall diameter of the wheel is 1CM larger then the original tyres, so even though that are slightly narrower they are going to catch the arch liner far earlier due to the increased diameter.

195/45 would give poorer handling, softer tyre wall as you cannot get the correct weight rating for the Fabia with its very heavy front end, and on track would probably be like driving with jelly as tyres because the sidewalls are bigger and will be bulging out more.

[mattvrestate]

Im pretty sure that ^^ is a massive exagration.

Skoda uses 205s because they (and all VAG cars) have to have tyres that

1 fill the arches because the wheels are always 2 small.

2 protect the wheel from curbing (for those who struggle to drive/ park)

3 provide a soft ride (for those 90% of people who drive skodas for there cheapness + reliability not to thrash round a track)

The chassis/ engine uses 17" wheels with 205/45 tyres on the ibiza cupra.. so obviously it is not that important.

195 will give no noticeable different other than looking alot better. + being cheaper. If all 4 tyres are the same size. Insurance wont give a f#ck anyway

[mattvrestate]

How can you go lower, the overall diameter of the wheel is 1CM larger then the original tyres, so even though that are slightly narrower they are going to catch the arch liner far earlier due to the increased diameter. The correct size for a 195 tyre to go lower would be 195/40 which should give almost exactly the same diameter.

The diameter is 195 instead of 205 so NOT wider. Therefore WILL catch less.

The diameter is reduced because 40% of 195 is less than 40% of 205

[mannyo]

The 195 is the width of the tyre in mm, not the diameter. The diameter is the /40 /45 etc make up the diameter as that is the sidewall as a ratio of the width.

[mattvrestate]

205/40 = sidewall 82

195/40 = sidewall 78

[mannyo]

I think I have goofed a bit on the calculations, just been playing with a tyre size calculator. The 195s are actually slightly smaller in diameter.

[mattvrestate]

Jus realised there on about 195/45... not the 195/40s i have calculated (oops )

Either way u can still go lower because there is plenty of room under the arch. But with 205/40 u catch on the edge of the arch due to the width of the tyre + the dougnut effect of big tyres

[TimVRS12]

Oh and have you aqua plained into a very expensive bmw and rit it off on your 195 tyres yet? i bet you if your insurance company finds out that you arent using the correct tyres for your vehicle they mind start caring and your insurance will be null and void......Good luck

Funnily enough no I haven't, but when I suddenly decide to drive like an idiot and plough through puddles like no mans business ill let you know.

Matt - thank you, finally a straight talking person. Some people get way too anal on here sometimes!

In reference to the 'flat tyre look'. Yes 195s will solve this. I'll post pics of mine in 10 when I'm off my phone.