Tyre size - I'm right, aren't I?

[mad_rich]

I'm looking at getting new wheels & winter tyres for my Fabia. It currently has 185/60 R14. I was half thinking of using the spare plus one other 14" Fabia wheel I have, and just buying two more wheels - either new or used.

 

Popped into a tyre shop (an independent on an industrial estate) to ask what they had.

 

He said he had 4 15" VW wheels with Hankook tyres on them that they'd taken off a customer last year. He looked things up on his magic computer and said they would fit the Fabia. Tyres looked good and had 6-7mm tread so I took them for £150. 

 

I checked when I got home. As it turns out, they're 195/65 R15. Looking on e-tyres, that's a difference of nearly 10% and way outside the acceptable range (2.5%).

 

They also don't appear on this list:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/217351-oem-tyre-sizes-and-alternatives/

 

I've just been back and, while helpful, he was quite adamant that they'd be fine. He kept saying 'you can put 15" wheels on', and I kept saying 'yes, but with 195/50 tyres, not 195/65'.

 

Anyway, he's looking up some prices for 195/50 R15 tyres, and some 185/60 R14 tyres + 2 used wheels.

 

Just wanted to check that I'm not going mad. The 195/65 R15 aren't suitable, are they?

[KenONeill]

Nothing like - you're an inch up on rim size, plus higher profile and wider tyres. Not only will it put your speedo out, but it will kill your initial acceleration from rest.

[softscoop]

Those tyres are for a Golf, and as you thought are far too big for a Fabia

[KenONeill]

Those tyres are for a Golf, and as you thought are far too big for a Fabia

Or possibly an Octy; they're a standard size there too.

[mad_rich]

Thanks for the replies. I was fairly sure I was right, but had begun to doubt myself!

[trundlenut]

They're just the right size from swmbo's Leon. In fact anything based on the mkIV Golf.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

[rum4mo]

The wheels might just have been okay for the Fabia, you would need to know the offset, but as said wrong profile. Now, I can't think of any good reason why someone with 14" wheels on their car for summer use would fit 15" for winter use - the other round YES but the way you were going - NO!

 

For example my wife's Polo 9N has 15" alloys for summer use with 195/55 summer tyres, but for winter use steelies in 14" with something like 185/65 winter tyres.

 

If you are not too car "snobbish", then maybe get something even smaller like 175/70 or 175/80 or even 165/?? if that is a Fabia tyre size, that way you will get really good grip in winter.  Me picking 185/65 as winter options on the Polo is in reality a compromise between look and grip, but I can live with making that choice as "so far so good" - after 4 winter's use.

Edited 9 September, 2013 by rum4mo