I recently bought a 1.2l petrol HTP 2008 Fabia.

 

The ride is quite firm, bumpy even, as the car has 16" alloy wheels with 205/45 tyres fitted to it.  Apparently it left the factory with 15" wheels.

 

I've never had a car with low profile tyres before, so I've been reading through topics on these forums, and other websites, and there seem to be lots of disadvantages to having low profile tyres: more road noise, more expensive tyres, bumpier ride, more prone to wheel damage from pot holes or curbs, tramlining, more likely to suddenly lose grip without much warning.

 

I understand that some people like the more sporty look of low profile tyres, but I would prefer to have a more comfortable, and quieter, ride so I intend to fit some bigger tyres but that will mean that I have to buy some smaller wheels.

 

So my question is, would you recommend going for 15" wheels with 195/55 tyres or going down to 14" wheels with say 185/60 tyres?  Wjhat are the pros and cons please?

Well, going back to what was fitted at the factory should work for you, with the bonus that you will not need to report to your insurance company that your car has a modification, ie 16" wheels?

I have a later 2011 model with the 16" wheels an 205/45/16 tyres.

 

My previous car had 205/55/16 and while of course suspension plays a part too, and the Fabia no doubt is less refined, the ride was a step in the wrong direction especially on secondary roads as well as joints on good roads.

 

The handling might be a little less sharp but 195/55/15 ought to give a better ride as well as being cheaper what ever brand / quality you choose.

 

I guess the 16" wheels you have are alloys so as long as in decent condition you should get a reasonable amount back on eBay.

I'd go back to standard size; as others, this means your car is no longer "modified" which will you save you money on in-sewer-ants, and it will also probably reduce unsprung weight which will improve acceleration, braking, ride and fuel economy (even without considering the higher tyre walls which will give you a better ride and reduce the risk of the wheels getting kerbed).

Or spend nothing on wheels and tyres but try adjusting the pressures within a safe range if not already done.

If you must change then maybe a swap is possible with someone, even a Briskoda Member.

Maybe try a set of 15" Wheels and tyres if someone local will let you borrow them.

 

You might well find a bargain in 15" Wheels & Tyres in the For Sales on Briskoda.

 

Not that 205/45 R 16 is a particularly low profile tyre, but somebody might want the wheels / tyres you have if you advertise them.

 

Also take into account the suspension on your car that is now in its 8th year.

Is it a bit worse for wear and tear?

You done say how many miles the car has done.

Edited 1 November, 20169 yr by Offski

Hi,

If you do find you have any issues with insurance for any of the wheel options you're looking at  then please feel free to drop me a line.

Regards,

Dan.

Thank you for all the replies.

 

I've bought a set of second hand VW 15" alloy wheels, which seem in reasonable condition.  They were fitted to a Skoda, as they have the Skoda badge in the centre of them.

 

The ride does seem to be a bit softer now.

 

I plan to sell the genuine 16" Skoda alloy wheels that I now no longer need.

 

The only issue that I still have is that, if I lift my hands off the steering wheel, then the car tends to drift to the left quite quickly - certainly more quickly than any other car I've ever owned.  It doesn't dive into the curb, but within a couple of seconds I have to steer the car back on course.  It is not a massive problem, but it does mean that I must be unconsciously steering the car to the right all the time, which must have some affect on tyre wear.  I am aware that the camber will have an effect, but I've tried it on flatish roads, and even in the right hand lane of an (empty) dual carriageway, and it still drifted to the left.  It did this with the 16" wheels, so I thought I'd wait until I changed the wheels.  I've had the tracking adjusted (which was a little out) and it has made no difference.

 

The car has done 75000 miles.  My neighbour, who is a mechanic, has had a look at the bushes and he reckons that the rear bush on the near-side front wheel is worn out, although the front one on that wheel looks ok, as do the 2 on the off-side front wheel.

 

So, my questions are:

 

1. Could this bush be causing the car to drift to the left?

2. Is it a good idea to replace the other 3 bushes or just that one?  (My neighbour said that some garages would want to replace the arm, not just the bush).

 

Thanks.

A worn rear bush will cause that pivot to move inwards under acceleration and steady speed driving. This has the effect of making that wheel steer slightly to "its side" of the car.

 

The reason for replacing the arm is that it's a lot less work than extracting a bush and fitting a new one (DAMHIKT!!) I don't know costs well enough to know which is more economic.