Alternative tyre size 195 vs 205
 

I was giving the car a good clean yesterday and had a quick look at the DOT codes on the tyres, only to find that they're about 10 years old. They're Michelin Energy saver efforts and I've never had a problem with them, but they're starting to crack quite badly on the sidewalls and the tread blocks, so it's time to replace them.

Mine is a PPD car so it has 205/65/15s fitted, that being the correct size at the time. Later cars had 195/65/15s fitted. Looking at the rolling radius, the 195/65/15 is less than 2% out so shouldn't cause any problems with the speedo reading. I'm going to buy Michelin, Goodyear or Bridgestone boots for her, but the obscure 205/65/15 is almost twice as expensive as the 195/65/15 size on the same tyre.

Has anybody made the change and noticed any real difference in how the car drives? The ride quality of the car is exceptional on the current tyres, and handling is fine for my needs.

I haven't 'made the change' but my 75 cdt runs on 195/65/15 and steers, corners, brakes and rides really well tbh.
I think the brand and quality of tyre you fit is probably going to make the most difference, a poor quality 205 is never going to perform as well as a top brand 195 for everyday use, plus ... you'll get less rolling resistance which equals more mpg (in theory!)
A while back I shod one of my cars with cheap 205's .. they were called 'woosung slippyslides' or something equally as horrid, they were so bad in every way i didn't even bother to wear them out, i took them off and replaced them with firestone HS1's... not the best at the time but a whole lot better than the cheapo's.
Sometimes .... less IS actually more. imo.

Hi Ross,

If I were you (and I expect to be one day - sort of), I would buy 205/60x15. They have the same load rating, are slightly wider, 1/4" smaller diameter (car would sit 1/8" lower which is negligible), fit the stock width wheel and are as readily available as the 195/65x15.

Cheers,
Glenn

When I bought the car in 2017, all 4 tyres were 205/65/15 with Contour alloys.
Thanks to the forum I've found Crown alloys and when I was to change the front pair of tyres, I realized too that 205/65/15 were 50% more expensive than 195/65/15 (around £45 - Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance).

So I bought the same Goodyear but in 195 and at the moment I've 205 fitted on the front (formerly on the back) and the new 195 on the back.
I feel absolutely no real difference at all! It drives fine.

Next I'll change the other pair probably at the end of next August, just before the MOT (that uses to happen only every 2 years in France).

Alternative Tyre Size
 

If I could add a word or two to the discussion.

I went for 205 Dunlop's up from the 195's in September '16 (Search for 'Tyres et al' - posted 27 September 2016).

The difference was amazing as the handling was far, far superior.

Using the internet with National Tyres doing the fitting (all within the price quoted) bought prices right down for a set of four.

The make of tyre you choose is always a matter of personal choice but in my opinion 205's are the way to go.

Cheers

A personal choice maybe, but the well-known quality of the brand very much matters as can testify some independent & professional advices. The value on wet ground (A, B, C...) isn't at all subjective, but seriously tested, at least I assume it. Our safety depends on that. Only Dunlop, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli, you name it & a few good & reliable others for me...

When I bought my set of crown alloys, there were cheap Chinese tyres on them that were suspiciously unevenly worn. I left them during the summer best two months: that was appalling!
Same misadventure with a pair of Serbian tyres on my 25 which were as slippery as soap in corners!

Another parameter that matters: better to slightly over inflate your tyres than the contrary. My Chinese tyres above had likely been largely under inflated before, that's why the edges were far more damaged than the centre. Personally I'm checking tyres pressure at least once a month, even twice if the car is frequently used.

Hence a few mm in width looks for me far less important that brand, pressure and condition indeed: better a good used pair of tyres than a brand new inferior & cheapo one... so much so that a good pair isn't necessarily much more expensive. I don't want to be greedy on my safety & my passengers', but price difference related to a few unsuspected mm cannot be justified properly.
IMHO difference between a premium 195 and a bad 205 looks abyssal...

I bought my 75 tourer with a set of 215/55 r16 on Union wheels. They had fairly new Autogrip P308s more of a budget (Chinese) tyre. They performed ok with no issues, until it snowed!
During last winter I bought a set of 15" Contour alloys for £40, although 2 tyres were shot, in the snowstrom I replaced them with a couple of winter Jinyu tyres 195/65 r15. These were brilliant in the snow coping with 4" with no trouble. and this is now my winter set, although the 2 rears are not winter tyres.

In the spring (April) I bought a set of 15" Comet wheels with a decent 6mm+ tread set of 4 Uniroyal rain expert tyres 195/65 r15, from a member on here (an excellent price, many thanks SteadyEddie). I used them in the spring for over 2 months with no rain! and refitted the Unions for the summer to use them up and save the uniroyals for the autumn.

In October before my trip to Paris, the Comets went back on and have been there since. They coped extremely well with recent heavy rain at all speeds.

My opinion is the 215/55 R16 gives better handling, grippier and seems more assured when driven with purpose on A roads with bends. It is also smoother on the motorway,with a load in the back.
The 195/55 r15 seem a little more twitchy at a high speed, however the higher profile of rubber makes them a bit smoother round town. Strangely these rumble more when cornering.

Winter tyres rumble more on the motorway when it isn't snowing, they are even smoother round town due to a lower pressure and softer compound. Handling at a greater speed is not so good, however they aren't designed for that!

I personally for normal summer driving would go for the wider profile as this gives a smoother ride with more grip, and the most expensive you can afford.
In winter with the increased risk of aquaplaning and snow, then a narrower profile is preferred as it performs better due to increased psi exerted on the ground for a given vehicle weight.

In the past on previous cars I have fitted wider tyres to the same wheels on Fords and Vauxhalls and improved grip and handling.

I fitted 195 65 15 Dunlop Fast Response, as a direct replacement for the tourer when I bought it, replacing some cack I'd never heard of before...........Horace tyres anyone?? :eek: and found them to be excellent.

I used to buy Michelin when Costco sold them exclusively, however the Michelin Energy always cracked on the sidewalls before the tread was anywhere near worn out.


Avon ZV7 are good, and less than £50 a corner, plus they're made in the UK :D

I agree: Dunlop Fast Response are excellent, 4 of them on my 25.
TBH Goodyear & Dunlop are coming from the same owner...

Regarding differences perceptible between 195 & 205, I'm very doubtful.
Likely a bit of placebo effect... ;)
Like those fitting tuned induction & tuned back box who think that bigger noise means better performance...
The point is not a theoretical question of a few mm that should give more grip, but what those extra mm actually do give in the real life... :D

Good call had these on the CDTi and could not fault them.