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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: whit on 26 April 2011, 20:53

Title: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whit on 26 April 2011, 20:53
could i fit 195's instead of 205's on the same rims??

i've always had 205's on and the inside the fuel cap cover it states 205's yet put my reg into any tyre search engine it says 195's???
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: benvictors on 26 April 2011, 21:35
205's came as standard on the latsr models, 195's on the early's.............................
or vice versa  :grin:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Wayne on 26 April 2011, 21:35
No issues with switching, mine had 205's and I switched to 195's all ok.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: benvictors on 26 April 2011, 21:38
No issues with switching, mine had 205's and I switched to 195's all ok.

What he said, although I swapped to 195's to stop scrubbing in my arches due to drop and spacing  :wink:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: dom on 26 April 2011, 21:49
I also swapped from 205 to 195 without probs :smiley:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whit on 26 April 2011, 21:59
do the wheels look any different with narrower tyres fitted? (i only have the standard alloys on)

also do they affect road holding/handling having slightly less rubber on the road??
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 26 April 2011, 22:11
If anything id say it handles marginally better due to the slightly stiffer sidewalls as the 195's are a fraction smaller but not enough to really affect the gearing or speedo. Then there's the added bonus of the 195's been cheaper.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Ninj on 26 April 2011, 22:20
Yeh same here 205 - 195s

They don't look any different fitted, the speedo is still accurate and no detrimental effect apart from my wallet is heavier to carry around due to the 50 quid saving on the pair  :grin:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: dom on 26 April 2011, 22:38
Mine handles much better with slightly narrower tyres and as said above the tyres are a little cheaper as well :wink:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whit on 26 April 2011, 22:45
all these years i've been wasting money on 205's!!!  :cry: :angry:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: hammonds on 26 April 2011, 22:49
had 205's on my 8v with standard rims when I had it. Got 195's on my VR6 currently with the standard highline rims. Both sets were 15inch I believe.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: neil1780 on 26 April 2011, 22:50
Does anyone run 195/40/17?
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Wayne on 27 April 2011, 23:27
Does anyone run 195/40/17?

I did not, but have seen them used all ok :smiley:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Len on 28 April 2011, 12:56
195's should be 45 profile.

205 and 215 can be 40 profile.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whit on 28 April 2011, 17:26
i'm wanting to change to 195's purely because they're cheaper!!

what about upping the profile too?? could you go up to a 55 or 60 without a problem?

would they be any cheaper?
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: tweed on 28 April 2011, 17:35
I had 195/55/15 but recommend 50mm wall
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: thai-wronghorse on 28 April 2011, 18:45
The '50' isn't a measurement in milimetres, it's a percentage of the tyre width. And no I wouldn't put larger profile tyres on there as it'll affect the gearing and make the handling even wobblier.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Khare on 28 April 2011, 18:48
The '50' isn't a measurement in milimetres, it's a percentage of the tyre width. And no I wouldn't put larger profile tyres on there as it'll affect the gearing and make the handling even wobblier.

+1
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Ninj on 28 April 2011, 19:04
i'm wanting to change to 195's purely because they're cheaper!!

what about upping the profile too?? could you go up to a 55 or 60 without a problem?

would they be any cheaper?

You couldn't fit a larger profile tyre without throwing the speedo out.  For instance your speedo would read 1.6% slow with a 55 and with a 60 = almost 5% - doesn't sound much but enough to get you points  :cry:

Also, by fitting larger profile tyres you are increasing the flex in the sidewall which may affect handling (impossible to quantify but it's the reason performance cars don't use them).

By going to a 195/50 vs a 205/50 your speedo will very slightly over read - Id prefer that and the cash in my pocket every day.

As a rough ballpark, (only compared one brand) price wise the cheapest (so you could therefore assume most popular sizes) are the 195/50/15

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html (cos it didnt work on my first link)

Title: 205 vs 195
Post by: vr6lew on 28 April 2011, 19:57
I always find 205's better suited to the wheel size
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Ninj on 28 April 2011, 20:12
How do you mean mate?

Looks wise or fit?

On my 6.5Js, side by side with the 205s, I can't see any difference in how they look.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whit on 03 May 2011, 12:20
would a tyre fitter be happy to put a different size tyre on? (any legal issues?)

also what about MOT will it be an issue, even if all 4 are the same?
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Wayne on 03 May 2011, 21:24
would a tyre fitter be happy to put a different size tyre on? (any legal issues?)

also what about MOT will it be an issue, even if all 4 are the same?

No problems at all.  :smiley:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: nikkiy9 on 04 May 2011, 10:51
would a tyre fitter be happy to put a different size tyre on? (any legal issues?)

also what about MOT will it be an issue, even if all 4 are the same?

the only thing an MOT tester can be fussy about is if you run different size tyres on each axel ie a 195 on front passenger wheel and 205 on front driver,
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whereufromnosecity on 04 May 2011, 20:45
I have for some reason 195's on the front and 205's on the back, had no problems with the mot last month
Will be needing some new boots on the front soon so will be going to 195's all round as i can get 4 195's for lot much more than 2 205's
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Screech16v on 04 May 2011, 20:58
I changed to 195s yesterday, car is definatly less bouncy due to the stiffer 45 profile,well chuffed :smiley:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whit on 20 May 2011, 18:17
got my 195's on today...

i'm now wondering about tyre pressures.... i assume they will need to be slightly different now from what the 205's were?? anyone the answer....slightly higher? slightly lower?

???? :laugh:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: tweed on 20 May 2011, 18:21
36front 32rear
I have 195/45 on my 9" rims  :laugh:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: justalex81 on 20 May 2011, 19:27
changing the width does not mean you have to change the profile. you should have fitted 195/50 R15 tyres. Your speedo is now out by a percentage (i can't be bothered to work it out). you will accelerate slightly faster but you now have a lower top speed.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: VW BUSH on 20 May 2011, 21:09
would a tyre fitter be happy to put a different size tyre on? (any legal issues?)

also what about MOT will it be an issue, even if all 4 are the same?

the only thing an MOT tester can be fussy about is if you run different size tyres on each axel ie a 195 on front passenger wheel and 205 on front driver,

+1
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: tshirt2k on 20 May 2011, 21:55
Tyre pressures on 195/50 will go up and depends on model of car you have. eg On a 16v 195's should be 38psi front 35psi rear. IIRC

205's are around 32psi. And thats fron the detail in the petrol flap.
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: tomScotland mk3GTI on 21 May 2011, 01:34
Does anyone run 195/40/17?

yep, what you wanna know?
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: Khare on 21 May 2011, 08:22
Tyre pressures on 195/50 will go up and depends on model of car you have. eg On a 16v 195's should be 38psi front 35psi rear. IIRC

205's are around 32psi. And thats fron the detail in the petrol flap.

Good info. I've been playing with higher pressures over the last week and I noticed the 195s do like 38 at front and 35 at rear  :smiley:
Title: Re: 195 tyres instead of 205's ????
Post by: whit on 21 May 2011, 14:37
info i've found online gives the same sort of figures as for the 205's??

approx. 31/32psi (2.1 bar) front
           27/28psi (1.9 bar) rear

confusing....