Tyre size & driving differences
 

This afternoon out of the blue, I was offered a set of 15" Comet alloys free gratis by a chap walking past with his elderly Dad whose garage the wheels had been cluttering for a few years. Half an hour later, he delivered them and thanked me! :shrug:

What can I expect in terms of ride compared to my 16" 7-spokes if I decide to use them? The 15" rims are in great shape (mine aren't) but I don't want to compromise the ride (and would also have to buy a new set of tyres).

Dougie.

http://dougie.guru/imgs/IMG_6578.jpeg

http://dougie.guru/imgs/IMG_6577.jpeg

A bit more comfort!

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

Would they affect handling as well e.g. more wafty?

Just for information, I recently fitted 225/55/16's to my Unions rather than 215's & the difference is marked. A far more relaxed drive.

The ride quality depends upon the tyre's profile Dougie rather than the wheel diameter. Low profile tyres are fashionable but give a firm ride.
Higher profile tyres provide more comfort. In theory their taller sidewalls allow more flexibility and therefore less sharp handling but it's all relative and dependent upon driving style.

Why not try the Comets as they are and, if you like them you can renew the tyres with confidence. :}

Simon

Thanks Simon. I'd do exactly that but for the fact that the tyres on them are shot.

Dougie.

I have a Connoisseur with 215 55 16 and a Contemporary with 215 50 17.
I do prefer the comfort of my connoisseur, the ride of the contemporary is a bit more harsh. AFAIK, the 15" are the best for comfort for our cars..

Fair enough. It's just a case of deciding whether you like the appearance of the Comets then. Looking at your photographs, your car currently appears to have the factory-fitted 16" 7-spoke wheels.

So, to preserve your current level of comfort you'll need to keep the same sidewall height (in mm). The profile is expressed as a percentage of the tyre's width so a bit of action on your calculator will reveal the height (in mm) that you need. From that you can work out the percentage (the profile figure) required from available tyres to fit your 15" Comets.
Apologies if you already know all this. ;)

Simon

P.S. According to my research your factory fitted tyre spec. would probably have been 215/55R16.

Interesting topic, my previous car ran on 15" rims the current one on 17" Meteors and yes on today's roads the ride is more harsh,
I've just found a Mk 2 brochure/ price list which offered, as an option, 16" Meteors which would give the balance between ride, handling and looks, however I have never come across 16" Meteors!

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I've now had the time to have a proper look at the tyres which the guy described as "shot".

They're all 5015 manufacturing codes (so mid-Dec 2015) and were laid up in Jan 2020 in a dark garage. They're half-worn with no cracks or visual defects with 14psi pressure so I've pumped them up and will check them in a few days. I've had far worse! If they're ok, I'll fit and try them which is really the only way I'll know if I'll like them or not. I'd certainly not describe them as shot.

The rims are perfect bar one small scuff which is repairable.

Watch this space (if you're bored :D).

Dougie.