Fitting smaller side wall profiles to alloys....

[beanbag]

I've got a set of 16" alloys on my BMW 1 series and I currently have a set of PS3's on them. The dimensions for the tyres are 205/55/16.

In the next couple of months I'll have to change them so I'd like to get a set of Goodyear Eagle F1's fitted which seem to come out on top in all of the reviews. Unfortunately they only have this tyre size with a side wall profile of 45. (205/45/16).

Is it possible to fit this to my car or should I stick to a 55 side wall profile height?

Understandably, it'll reduce the size of my tyre so it might look odd too and I'm thinking it'll screw up my speedo too...

Just want to put this to rest

[kambites]

It'll lower your ride height by 2cm and push your speedometer off by 4%.

[conkerman]

I wouldn't bother.

As for effects, yes and yes and you will also be a lot more vulnerable to wheel damage on potholes.

[jon-]

And annoy your insurance company.

The PS3 is a very good tyre.

[Engineer1]

And if you are really unlucky give BMW, and your Insurer a get out for any problems.

[kambites]

I wonder why they don't do the F1 in that size. It's pretty common.

[beanbag]

Stuff that then....still I'm looking for something that suits me better than the PS3's though.

I'm driving about 650 miles per week so I'm looking for very good wet performance, comparable grip to the PS3's but ideally longer wearing with a lower rolling resistance. (The PS3's lasted about 25,000km).

Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance tyres seem to do well in the reviews so that's one choice....suggestions?

[FD3Si]

The did do Eagle F1's in that size - I've had them!
However, that was a GSD3 - the plain ol' F1 is now long gone, so any stock of the 'normal' one will be very old - Current model is the Assymetric 2 IIRC.

As above, I'd be very surprised if that's not available in 205/55/16.

[beanbag]

FD3Si said:

The did do Eagle F1's in that size - I've had them!
However, that was a GSD3 - the plain ol' F1 is now long gone, so any stock of the 'normal' one will be very old - Current model is the Assymetric 2 IIRC.

As above, I'd be very surprised if that's not available in 205/55/16.

Unfortunately not

[jon-]

beanbag said:

Stuff that then....still I'm looking for something that suits me better than the PS3's though.

I'm driving about 650 miles per week so I'm looking for very good wet performance, comparable grip to the PS3's but ideally longer wearing with a lower rolling resistance. (The PS3's lasted about 25,000km).

Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance tyres seem to do well in the reviews so that's one choice....suggestions?

The Primacy 3?

You won't be Michelin for the wear / wet grip compromise, no one really comes close.

[beanbag]

jon- said:

The Primacy 3?

You won't be Michelin for the wear / wet grip compromise, no one really comes close.

They seem to do well in tests. What are they like grip-wise against the PS3's? Is there really *that* much of a difference?

[jon-]

beanbag said:

jon- said:

The Primacy 3?

You won't be Michelin for the wear / wet grip compromise, no one really comes close.

They seem to do well in tests. What are they like grip-wise against the PS3's? Is there really *that* much of a difference?

I've never compared them in your size, but I'd say the difference will be more in feel, rather than outright grip. The wet braking performance of the two tyres should be very close.

I like the Primacy 3, it often scores badly in magazine tests due to the wet weather performance due to not being the best with aquaplaning, but that was as the result of studies by a German research group showing only 1% of accidents are caused by aquaplaning.

I think for doing a lot of miles it would be my tyre of choice.

[beanbag]

Cheers for the feedback Jon. To be honest, with the mileage I'm doing these days, I think the Primacy 3's are a top choice.

I'm going to put the same on my girlfriends VW EOS. She has a set of P-Zero's on there which are next to useless with the type of driving she does. They cost about £60 more per wheel and she never goes over 120km/h so they would make sense for her too.

Cheers!

[CrisW]

Have you tried a slightly wider tyre. A 215 section would make little diffence to the rolling radius. If that was more common...

[jon-]

CrisW said:

Have you tried a slightly wider tyre. A 215 section would make little diffence to the rolling radius. If that was more common...

205/55 R16 is the second most popular tyre size, after 195/65 R15, then 225/45 R17 and 225/40 R18. They all have a broadly similar rolling radius, hence the popularity knock on effect as wheels get bigger..

[jon-]

beanbag said:

Cheers for the feedback Jon. To be honest, with the mileage I'm doing these days, I think the Primacy 3's are a top choice.

I'm going to put the same on my girlfriends VW EOS. She has a set of P-Zero's on there which are next to useless with the type of driving she does. They cost about £60 more per wheel and she never goes over 120km/h so they would make sense for her too.

Cheers!

My pleasure, you know where you can leave a review once you've decide how you feel about them

[paranha]

205/55/16 Falken 452 £63-MyTyres.

[FD3Si]

Lummy, colour me surprised. That's made, it wasn't long ago that 205/55/16 was pretty much the ubiquitous size for your average family saloon/coupe. I guess it's not considered a 'performance' size.

452's are no longer made either. 453s are good for the money, but they are no F1 Assym.