According to my wife it doesn't take a lot to confuse me but I am a bit confused with regards to tyre sizes.

I have a 12 plate Fabia vRS (205/40/17) and I'm looking to replace the dunlops that came with it for something with more grip in the wet mainly. I've read quite a few threads and the Eagle F1 AS2 seems to be the flavour of the moment. However, finding them in the size I want is difficult and I've tried most of the popular sites for them.

Here's what getting me confused though, I have read in some threads recommendations to move from a 205 to a 225 (opens up the range of tyres available). As I'm not clued up on this I have some questions:

1. What are the implications (if any) of doing this on my car?

2. Would the tyres fit on my current rims (grigaro ones I think)?

3. Would moving up a size mean my wheels wouldn't turn fully in the arches?

4. Would changing tyre sizes affect insurance?

Aplogies if these seem like stupid questions but I just want to get all my facts straight before I buy the tyres.

I'm not clear (because you haven't said) what aspect ratio 225s you're contemplating.

 

If you fit 225/40R17s, you'll increase the rolling diameter slightly (about 2%), whcih will slow acceleration slightly, but inprove fuel economy at cruising speed and change the speedometer and odometer readings to match.

If you fit 225/35R17s, you'll reduce the rolling diameter by about 2%, with the opposite effects.

Either way, this may move the speedometer outside the legal range of calibration, but that would only apply if it's on the edge of legality just now.

 

2) Yes.

3) No problems here.

4) Maybe; you'd have to ask your insurance company, and find someone competent there to give you an answer.

 

I'm not clear (because you haven't said) what aspect ratio 225s you're contemplating.

 

If you fit 225/40R17s, you'll increase the rolling diameter slightly (about 2%), whcih will slow acceleration slightly, but inprove fuel economy at cruising speed and change the speedometer and odometer readings to match.

If you fit 225/35R17s, you'll reduce the rolling diameter by about 2%, with the opposite effects.

Either way, this may move the speedometer outside the legal range of calibration, but that would only apply if it's on the edge of legality just now.

 

2) Yes.

3) No problems here.

4) Maybe; you'd have to ask your insurance company, and find someone competent there to give you an answer.

Thanks for the reply.  It's a bit clearer to me now!

 

It was something I'd read elsewhere on here and wondered how it would effect me if I changed tyre sizes.  I think I'll stick to the 205/40/17 size but now I just need to figure out what tyres I should get - so many choices and opinions.

If you just want something better than Dunlops in the wet, here's a few suggestions from my experience and magazine tyre tests:-

Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Kumho, Michelin, Toyo, Vredstein, Yokohama.

If you just want something better than Dunlops in the wet, here's a few suggestions from my experience and magazine tyre tests:-

Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Kumho, Michelin, Toyo, Vredstein, Yokohama.

It's so difficult to figure out which one you'll like though as someone has always got something negative to say about a tyre.  In the end you read so much you just don't know which one to go for   I had Uniroyal Rainsport 2's on my Honda Civic and they were great.  I'm trying to get prices on the Goodyear Eagle F1 but it's getting difficult to find them, I think Camskill have got them and then I'd have to sort out fitting.  Looks like more reading at work tomorrow (Friday's always a slow day).

I don't know anyone with 225/40/17's on their Mk2 Fabia vRS, lots have switched to 215/40/17

 

if you look at the first post here you'll get an idea.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/187946-tyre-availability-for-the-vrs/?hl=%2Btyre+%2Bwidth#entry2346625

 

215/40/17 is what is run on the Polo GTI and Audi A1 on the same wheels as ours.

 

For me the offering from Vredestein is very good and well priced, I run the Ultrac Cento's on 205/40/17 and the Sessanta's get brilliant reviews and come available at 215/40/17 as do the Goodyears you mention which are also excellent but more expensive per corner.

It's so difficult to figure out which one you'll like though as someone has always got something negative to say about a tyre.  In the end you read so much you just don't know which one to go for   I had Uniroyal Rainsport 2's on my Honda Civic and they were great.  I'm trying to get prices on the Goodyear Eagle F1 but it's getting difficult to find them, I think Camskill have got them and then I'd have to sort out fitting.  Looks like more reading at work tomorrow (Friday's always a slow day).

Well, my point was that Dunlop and Pirelli (my experience, backed by magazine tests) usually prop up the brand name section of tyre performance, and the only way to get worse is to buy Chinese ditchfinders. The other brands I named are all better than Dunlops (harder wearing as well as better grip IME).

I don't know anyone with 225/40/17's on their Mk2 Fabia vRS, lots have switched to 215/40/17

 

if you look at the first post here you'll get an idea.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/187946-tyre-availability-for-the-vrs/?hl=%2Btyre+%2Bwidth#entry2346625

 

215/40/17 is what is run on the Polo GTI and Audi A1 on the same wheels as ours.

 

For me the offering from Vredestein is very good and well priced, I run the Ultrac Cento's on 205/40/17 and the Sessanta's get brilliant reviews and come available at 215/40/17 as do the Goodyears you mention which are also excellent but more expensive per corner.

I probably meant 215 as opposed to 225, all these numbers confuse me!  I think that's the thread I read originally as well which got me to ask here.

you need to use www.willtheyfit.com

 

Your Gigaro's are currently 205-40-17 with 7J width and ET41

 

You then input for example 215-40-17 7J ET 41 and it will tell you what diameter change it will produce.

 

Generally it is acceptable to go +/- 2.5%

 

Benefits from 215/40/17 as reported by other Briskie members with your car are better comfort from increased sidewall depth (remember the 40 raio is not a measurement it refers to 40% of the tread width) and in theory you will have more tread in contact with the road for better grip.

 

Quality of tyre and tread pattern will be the main dictators in how they perform in various conditions.