wider tyres for mk2 1600

[2pac]

hi
is it a good idea to fit wider tyres for a standard mk2 1600?
now it's got 175/70 R13, and i was thinking of 185/60 R14, or 185/70R13 in order not to buy new wheels.
i am concerned about performance, consumption and ride- will they get worse?

cheers

[lewis1641]

hi wider tyres should offer better grip and road holding.

just incase you dont already know what tyre sizes mean, the 175 refers to the width (in mm) the 70 means that the tyre wall height is 70% of the width of the tyre.when working out the height you need to remember there is tyre wall at the top and bottom(ie 175x70%=122.5 122.5x2=245mm) the 13 is the wheel size in inches.

  if you replace your 13 inch tyres for 185/70 you will have wider tyres but also taller tyres. this will knock your speedo out, reduce acceleration but in theory increase top speed and make the car run slightly more efficient.(you'll probably not notice though) what you will notice though is your car will sit about 15mm higher.

the second option is the best bet. you are increasing width but lowering the profile of the tyre to compensate. a 185/60/14 tyre is only 2mm taller than a 175/70/13.  your speedo will still be reasonably accurate, the car will look and handle better and performance will remain the same(except you can corner faster!)

if you have a look on ebay you will be able to pick up a set of standard 14 inch alloys with tyres for under £100 if you bide your time.  i picked up a spare set of standard gti steels with good tyres for £30

hope that helps

[Mew]

I like mk2s on 185/60/14s a lot

[2pac]

thx
i heard people say that wider tires harm fuel consumption and performance, even if you keep the same diameter, and lower wall harms the ride comfort.

[mk2mark]

Yep to a degree that's certainly true. But the difference you're talking about will not be noticeable.

[mk2mark]

And check this out: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

[Khare]

i have 185/60/14 on my car, with standard steel wheels, but i am looking to upgrade to 15's. Wither tyres will offer better acceleration but less top speed, better road holding, better cornering. I think there great but i could do with some wider tyres.