2006 FR with standard 17" wheels - tyre questions

[Me²]

I'm going to need x4 new tyres and have had a look on blackcircles which tell me I need 205/40. I have the standard facelift 17" FR wheels (do they have a name?).

I've just noticed however that the tyres that are currently on it are 205/45.

There are loads of previous threads on here discussing tyres sizes with plenty of differing suggestions as to tyre sizes - some even suggesting differing widths front vs back.

I image an albeit ever so slight increase in tyre profile will result in slightly off speedo readings, but I'm not massively bothered about that since my brain is telling me I'll be going slower than indicated, so on the safe side.

I'm wondering whether or not I should go back to 205/40 as they are cheaper first of all, but secondly I feel that is what I should have purely because it's what I'm being told by Seat .

My questions to the collective wisdom of the forum then are;

When 45 profiles are used, other than the speedo issue is there anything else to consider - does anything need to be adjusted and therefore if this has been done (by the previous owner - so I don't know) am I going to have to look out for something to undo or run into trouble going back to 40's? There isn't any rubbing that I've noticed.

Is there a significant advantage in 45 vs 40 for comfort reasons? The roads around here are pretty dire and I'm happy enough with the ride. Some also seem to go for 215 width vs 205. As my alloys are painted, the added width in my mind might also help protect from scratches/kerbing as I imagine the alloys with be ever so slightly recessed in a wider tyre.

At the moment all I know is that I want all x4 to be the same size so I can rotate them front to back.

Tyre wise, I don't want to go too top end as I just can't afford to, but want to also avoid budget crap. Tyres that have been spoken about in good regard on here are Uniroyal Rainsport 3, Goodyear Eagle F1, Avon ZZ5 and Michellin Pilots so I'm of a mind to stick to one of those. I won't be giving Pirelli a look .

If anyone has any other suggestions of anything else to look at or even avoid, I'd be grateful to hear.

Thanks

Tom

 

[britishsligean]

Personally if I was you I would go with what Seat reccomend unless you have adjusted anything with the suspension, tyre wise I try and stick with brands that have a history in Motorsport probably sounds stupid but I feel the racing technology does filter down however small, my parents had a set of Toyo prices and they were seriously grippy and not too expensive, I think they're around £60 a tyre but then again this was for a Nissan they had, another good brand is Yokohama we had them on all our cars before we couldn't get hold of them, they're nearer the £70 a tyre mark but are seriously grippy in the winter for summer tyres

 

[Me²]

Personally if I was you I would go with what Seat reccomend unless you have adjusted anything with the suspension

I have only had the car a little over 3 weeks and it's come with these tyres, so unfortunately I don't know what, if anything, has been done to allow.

It runs smooth enough so on that basis I might stick to 45 profile.

 

[britishsligean]

For the official specs it should be in the manual under vehicle specs

 

[rivigo]

I'm pretty sure that they came with 205/40/17. That's what are on mine anyway.

 

[abbotsmike]

205/40/17 is the standard size. Some people do go up to 45s for comfort reasons. It can cause rubbing if you are lowered, but I've never seen anyone mention problems at stock height.

Speedo difference is next to nothing: http://www.kouki.co.uk/utilities/visual-tyre-size-calculator

It's up to you, if you say money is a bit tight then go stock size as they are cheaper and get a better tyre. I have rainsports all round and very happy with them. Also have them on the OH's TT and happy there too.

 

[Me²]

205/40/17 is the standard size. Some people do go up to 45s for comfort reasons. It can cause rubbing if you are lowered, but I've never seen anyone mention problems at stock height.

Speedo difference is next to nothing:

It's up to you, if you say money is a bit tight then go stock size as they are cheaper and get a better tyre. I have rainsports all round and very happy with them. Also have them on the OH's TT and happy there too.

Rainsports are to be my tyre of choice, they're the most frequently mentioned tyre I can find reference to in here anyway and always a good word.

 

[krussel]

Rainsports are to be my tyre of choice, they're the most frequently mentioned tyre I can find reference to in here anyway and always a good word.

I ve got Rainsports 205/40. Awesome in the wet.

 

[bald_eagle]

i think the previous owner must have put the 45s on, if they don't rub i would suggest sticking with the 45s as the poor ride is made even worse by 40s.

i have 205/55/16s on my winter wheels and its like a limo in comparison .

 

[Ibicpra]

I have just been looking to see if people use 205/45/17s for comfort as I am finding the ride on my 205/40/17s on my cupra really bad! Not sure if this is partly due to the suspension being lower/stiffer on the cupra? If I hit a pothole I havent spotted the crash can be nearly enough to give me a heart attack, it feels like I have hit something and am sure I have broken the car!

If you go for the 215/45/17s then they are even bigger than the 205/45/17s though so your speedo will be reading even slower (ie you may think youre doing 30 but actually 31.5) so more chance of getting into trouble. Having said that, manufacturers seem to have their speedos read low so this change may actually make your speedo more accurate! Have you tried comparing your speedo to a sat nav reading using the 205/45s?

The price difference is quite a lot for 4 tyres to stick with the 45s but if you change and then dont like the ride then you have got to stick with them for thousands of miles. Could you go and test drive a car with 40s on at a garage to see how you find them before you buy the tyres?

I have found falken tyres ok in the past on a type s diesel civic and they are a bit cheaper.

Good luck, hope you are happy with what you go for!