Tyres for my shed - Save money on a cheaper profile?
Discussion
Bit of a debate in the office this morning.
My daily shed - a humble 306 Hdi - has served me well for the last 6000 miles but the tyres now need replacing on the front axle.
The standard size is a 195/55/R15, however this particular size seems very expensive compared to 195/50/R15
I've looked online and the recommendation is that you don't exceed a 2.5% difference in rolling circumference from the manufacturers' spec, whereas the 50 profiles would make a 3.4% difference.
Selecting a tyre at random on Camskill - Dunlop Sport Fast Response, £66.50 in the correct size or £45.20 in the smaller profile!
The other advantage is that I can get the tyre I originally wanted in the smaller size - A Uniroyal Rainsport 2, unavailble in the correct size.
So where do you draw the line? Is 3.4% going to make a huge difference in reality?
I could understand it on a 3-year-old car, but this is a 12-year-old shed, meant for cheap motoring. If there are no dangers represented in having the wrong size tyre then it must be worth the saving offered?
Basically, if PH are more in agreement with me than my boss then I'll feel better about myself and be a cheapskate!
My daily shed - a humble 306 Hdi - has served me well for the last 6000 miles but the tyres now need replacing on the front axle.
The standard size is a 195/55/R15, however this particular size seems very expensive compared to 195/50/R15
I've looked online and the recommendation is that you don't exceed a 2.5% difference in rolling circumference from the manufacturers' spec, whereas the 50 profiles would make a 3.4% difference.
Selecting a tyre at random on Camskill - Dunlop Sport Fast Response, £66.50 in the correct size or £45.20 in the smaller profile!
The other advantage is that I can get the tyre I originally wanted in the smaller size - A Uniroyal Rainsport 2, unavailble in the correct size.
So where do you draw the line? Is 3.4% going to make a huge difference in reality?
I could understand it on a 3-year-old car, but this is a 12-year-old shed, meant for cheap motoring. If there are no dangers represented in having the wrong size tyre then it must be worth the saving offered?
Basically, if PH are more in agreement with me than my boss then I'll feel better about myself and be a cheapskate!
From personal experience you will be fine. I've had a few old renaults, Clio's and 5's that should have had 195/45/15 tyres on but invariable I'd put 195/50/15's on for the very reasons you mention, plus the 45's were getting difficult to find at the time. Using a tyre calculator they have the same 3.4% error and I never noticed any issues or had any problems.
My calcualator says that you'll be about 10mm lower though, careful, as being lower seems to upset some people on here and the car will be an abomination, and completely undriveable
Al
My calcualator says that you'll be about 10mm lower though, careful, as being lower seems to upset some people on here and the car will be an abomination, and completely undriveable

Al
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff


