Hi there!

I need some advice on replacement wheels and tyres:

 

I bought a Fabia Elegance TSI 1.2 DSG automatic new in 2014 – it performs well and is a lovely car (even more so since I found and sorted what was a really annoying knocking / slight graunching sound from the rear of the car – the cure was to wrap some plumbers PTFE tape around the metal brackets onto which the rear seat back clips when upright – weird eh?)

 

Anyway, back to the question of wheels & tyres.

The original tyres (42.000 miles) are reaching end-of-life, so I plan to change them, and I am planning to change the wheels too.

 

The original wheels are 16 inch with 205/45 tyres (there was no choice and I have never been a fan of low-profile tyres – what is the point with the poor state of the roads? )

Ideally, I want to fit 15 inch wheels with higher 55mm profile tyres to give a slightly softer ride.  I suspect I shall end up fitting 195 width tyres.

 

I am in need of some advice regarding wheels – particularly the offset which, from what I have been able to find on-line, should be 43 for 16 inch and 42 for 15 inch.

However, various purveyors of alloy-wheels only appear to offer wheels with an offset of 38 – is the 4-5mm difference significant?  Will the wheel foul the front brake callipers?

 

Now for tyres – I accept that I will end up with slightly narrower tyres – but do I fit all-season tyres or winter tyres?

Annual mileage is usually around 7,000 , so I’m not too bothered about wear-rate, but don’t really want to faff about changing wheels & tyres over each season – so what are the down-sides of running winter tyres all year - especially now we have hot summers?  Or are all-season tyres my best option?

 

thanks!

Martin

1 hour ago, martin126 said:

Hi there!

I need some advice on replacement wheels and tyres:

 

I bought a Fabia Elegance TSI 1.2 DSG automatic new in 2014 – it performs well and is a lovely car (even more so since I found and sorted what was a really annoying knocking / slight graunching sound from the rear of the car – the cure was to wrap some plumbers PTFE tape around the metal brackets onto which the rear seat back clips when upright – weird eh?)

 

Anyway, back to the question of wheels & tyres.

The original tyres (42.000 miles) are reaching end-of-life, so I plan to change them, and I am planning to change the wheels too.

 

The original wheels are 16 inch with 205/45 tyres (there was no choice and I have never been a fan of low-profile tyres – what is the point with the poor state of the roads? )

Ideally, I want to fit 15 inch wheels with higher 55mm profile tyres to give a slightly softer ride.  I suspect I shall end up fitting 195 width tyres.

 

I am in need of some advice regarding wheels – particularly the offset which, from what I have been able to find on-line, should be 43 for 16 inch and 42 for 15 inch.

However, various purveyors of alloy-wheels only appear to offer wheels with an offset of 38 – is the 4-5mm difference significant?  Will the wheel foul the front brake callipers?

 

Now for tyres – I accept that I will end up with slightly narrower tyres – but do I fit all-season tyres or winter tyres?

Annual mileage is usually around 7,000 , so I’m not too bothered about wear-rate, but don’t really want to faff about changing wheels & tyres over each season – so what are the down-sides of running winter tyres all year - especially now we have hot summers?  Or are all-season tyres my best option?

 

thanks!

Martin

 

If you don't want to be faffing about each season then All Seasons are what you should be considering.  

The All Seasons I recently had fitted (195/55/R15) have definitely improved the ride of my Fabia.

7 hours ago, martin126 said:

Hi there!

I need some advice on replacement wheels and tyres:

 

I bought a Fabia Elegance TSI 1.2 DSG automatic new in 2014 – it performs well and is a lovely car (even more so since I found and sorted what was a really annoying knocking / slight graunching sound from the rear of the car – the cure was to wrap some plumbers PTFE tape around the metal brackets onto which the rear seat back clips when upright – weird eh?)

 

Anyway, back to the question of wheels & tyres.

The original tyres (42.000 miles) are reaching end-of-life, so I plan to change them, and I am planning to change the wheels too.

 

The original wheels are 16 inch with 205/45 tyres (there was no choice and I have never been a fan of low-profile tyres – what is the point with the poor state of the roads? )

Ideally, I want to fit 15 inch wheels with higher 55mm profile tyres to give a slightly softer ride.  I suspect I shall end up fitting 195 width tyres.

 

I am in need of some advice regarding wheels – particularly the offset which, from what I have been able to find on-line, should be 43 for 16 inch and 42 for 15 inch.

However, various purveyors of alloy-wheels only appear to offer wheels with an offset of 38 – is the 4-5mm difference significant?  Will the wheel foul the front brake callipers?

 

Now for tyres – I accept that I will end up with slightly narrower tyres – but do I fit all-season tyres or winter tyres?

Annual mileage is usually around 7,000 , so I’m not too bothered about wear-rate, but don’t really want to faff about changing wheels & tyres over each season – so what are the down-sides of running winter tyres all year - especially now we have hot summers?  Or are all-season tyres my best option?

 

thanks!

Martin

Consider Vredestein Quatrac 5 195/55R15 85H. These are asymmetric tyres, which means that your spare tyre can be used in any position, unlike directional tyres. They also have the 3PMSF symbol, which means that they have passed a test for traction in the snow, ie. winter capable. These are long lasting, more than the Vredestein Sportrac 5 summer tyres. In the US, they guarantee them for 45,000 miles. Camskill are listing them for under £58.

 

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m138b0s7992p125536/Vredestein_Tyres_All_Season_Car_Vredestein_Quatrac5_Vredestein_Quatrac_5_-https://www.oponeo.co.uk/steel-wheel/alcar-kfz-4055#20836095%3A_C_Wet_Grip%3A_C_NoiseClass%3A_1_Noise%3A_69dB

 

These rims should be suitable, anything from ET35 to ET43 with the 195/55R15 tyre size. Fitting a 195/55R15 size tyre to a 5.5" wide rim will give a more comfortable compared to mounting this size to a 6" wide rim. Skoda probably recommends slightly lower tyre pressures for the 195/55R15 tyre size compared to the 205/45R16 tyre size.

 

6Jx15 ET35 (these were made for the Skoda Scala)

https://www.oponeo.co.uk/steel-wheel/vw-w21-19547013091#20860144

 

5.5Jx15 ET40 (these were made for the VW Polo VI)

https://www.oponeo.co.uk/steel-wheel/alcar-kfz-4055#20836095

 

Wheel-size often make mistakes. I believe that the standard offset for the 195/55R15 tyre size on a 6J rim (Skoda Fabia II) is ET43, not ET42 as shown on that website.

Edited 17 November, 20196 yr by Carlston

Oh, that information is just what I needed - thank you - much appreciated!

 

UPDATE:  I elected to buy 15inch diameter wheels, and to fit 195/55 Nexen N Blue 4 Season all-season tyres and they have transformed the car:  it is significantly more comfortable and quieter – why Skoda INSIST on fitting low profile tyres to the top of the range model is illogical and spoils an otherwise excellent car.

They fitted 205/40 R 17's to the Monte Carlo & vRS which by price were the top of the range models and which had shorter & harder springs.

205/45 R 16 were not that low profile.

Edited 1 December, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

5 hours ago, martin126 said:

UPDATE:  I elected to buy 15inch diameter wheels, and to fit 195/55 Nexen N Blue 4 Season all-season tyres and they have transformed the car:  it is significantly more comfortable and quieter – why Skoda INSIST on fitting low profile tyres to the top of the range model is illogical and spoils an otherwise excellent car.

More of a Skoda UK idea than Skoda generally 

Look at spec of those in Ireland, Germany, Czech configurator, the low profile is usually option or not even available 

 

Presumably the roads around the Skoda UK headquarters in Buckinghamshire are as smooth as billiard tables, and not the potholed type in most of country