wheel size, whats preferd

[lancergs4]

hi got a mk 2 with 15 inch wheels can i put bigger on, and if so how wide , plus for best grip on the road and in the wet is there a reasonable priced tyre, bye

[Oldandslow]

15" or 16" is the biggest I'd go. People have gone larger but you lose ride quality and fear every pothole. Don't know what the limits would be on width. I'm sure other have been there and worked out the right offsets too.

Despite the thread on Toyos I'd still recommend them as a good all rounder with excellent grip. I did find the sidewall soft and handling a bit woolly but I stepped the pressure up to 30psi and it made a massive difference. Won't matter so much if you're on 16" or 17" rims anyway.

This is handy if you want to look at rolling radius from one tyre to the next
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

[MX-5 Lazza]

On a mk2 17" is absolutely fine. I've been running mine on 17s for 11 years. I also have a set of lightweight 15s which were supposed to replace the 17s but I prefer the ride & handling on the 17s so the 15s are now reserved for track day tyres.

Having said that, as you are asking about wet weather grip, I'd stick with 15s. With 15s the tyres are a lot cheaper than just about any other size so you can afford to fit better tyres. Tyres in 16" & 17" are a fair chunk more expensive.

[lancergs4]

hi thanks for that the both of you, i was pondering as the change in car after 05 to the new style is vast ie 17,s and they fill the wheel arch,,i little thought here , when i bought the car tyres were low in air ie 23 so silly me pumped it up to 32 all round , jeeze o it was like dancing on ice in the wet plus let go on the dry ,then saw 26 was the right presure, .what a differance. haveing no traction control makes the car twitchy especialy in 3rd accelerating up, wasnt used to it but i think the lsd saved the back end popping right out, but then thats me , thanks guys

[MX-5 Lazza]

Of course you have traction control - it's your right foot connected to your brain

[WWYD]

Mk2.5 with 185/60 14"s.

Perfect predictable handling, easy enough to exceed the limits of adhesion even in the dry - and in the wet you can enjoy the perfect balance and dynamics at modest speeds, thus convincing yourself that you are, indeed, the Stig.

Oh, and only £40 each (Goodyear) replacements when you inevitably wear them out :-)

[MX-5 Lazza]

Personally I'd rather make sure my car has all the grip it can have in all weathers. It drives on the road where there are other road users, pedestrians etc. The road is not the place for "driving like the Stig". If you want to drive to the limits then do what I do and get yourself on a track. That way you will see just how bad you are at driving and nowhere near the Stig you thought you were just because you can get the back end out on a roundabout.

Rant over

[lancergs4]

lazza i take it that wasnt aimed at me , anyway i take it from second last post goodyears are a good wet tyre to fit , im 57 and passed all that arse out tyre smoking crap , i just wnt to keep the thing in a straight feckin line, also good response to my no traction control bit , all in good fun guys ,

[MX-5 Lazza]

If it's an all season car then I've been very impressed with Michelin Energy Saver+. I haven't tried them on an MX5 yet but have tried them on a 2011 Merc C Class, 1998 Focus and 2003 Mini Cooper and the grip both wet and dry is impressive. I might well try them on my 5 when the current Toyo T1Rs wear out.

[lancergs4]

im afraid of putting the wrong tyres on ,i done this a while ago on my mitsubishi lancer and slid all over scotland ,couldnt wait to wear them out ,so now with second car only trying to weazle out everyones thoughts on a good tyre

[J-Tuner]

15" on 195/50/15 rubber would work well and if you can get something like the good year eagle f1 they will work well in wet conditions and dry. The Toyo proxies are in the ballpark also but the f1's have the edge in crap conditions.

I have yoko parada 2's on (195/50/15) and they are some of the worst wet weather tyres i have experienced. Can't wait to get rid.

[feef]

My MK2.5 1.8 Sport has the 16inch wheels, running 205/45 tyres and it's fine. Not sure I'd go much bigger on the wheel/lower profile on the tyre for reasons of comfort. Also, 16" is as big as you need for the big-brake upgrade or even if you went for the larger HiSpec brake kit, it'll still fit on 16s

[MX-5 Lazza]

Most 15s will fit over the Mk2.5 Sport big brakes.