Tyre Sizes Question - Please Help!

[Kev&Flo]

Hello everyone!

Me and my boyfriend bought a little blue convertible a couple of months ago and it has been lovely, we had to put some new shock absorbers on but apart from that she's run beautifully, no problems touch wood, just a couple of squeaks from where the roof joins and my bf fixed that by reading the advice on this forum so thanks very much

But now we've had a little dilemma: we were thinking about getting new tyres.... so the websites all say that we should have 205-45-16 tyres.....but the tyres on the car at the moment are nothing like that, they're 195-55-15...

Now my boyfriend is telling me that I'm having a worry about nothing, that they're totally safe and that when we need to replace them we'll get what all the websites are saying is the right ones (the 205-45-16 ones).

So is there any chance that one of you guys that knows loads about the car, can you give your advice? Are the current tyres dangerous or ruining our car? Should we get them changed? And would we be doing the right thing by putting the 205-45-16 tyres on when we get them changed?

Any advice greatfully appreciated

[GrandadMonkey]

Welcome to the forum. We have a Peugeot 206cc 1.6 petrol Allure and that has 15" alloy wheels with 195/55 R15 tyres. It came like that knew. You don't tell us which model you have bought but it sounds as if you probably have the same, or something very similar. So your wheels and tyres will be correct for your car in all probability. You can't put 16" tyres on 15" rims.

Personally we prefer the 15" wheels with the standard profile tyres because they give a good compromise between comfort and handling.

[Kev&Flo]

That's great Grandad, thank you so much that's exactly what we've got! A Blue Peugeot 206 cc 1.6 Allure with petrol, its an 03 reg with 85,000 miles (sorry, should have put those bits in at the start shouldn't i?? )

But I don't understand... when we put our numberplate into websites like Black Circles it came up with the correct tyre as the 205 ones... are you basically telling me that we have the right tyres on our car after all???

Thanks for your help... you might have saved us a bundle because we were going to get one of those mobile tyrefitters out to us... would we have ordered the wrong tyres over the internet???

[Capncol]

They had a choice of wheels from new. The tyres you have been quoted for fit the Nimrod wheels
like these

[GrandadMonkey]

That's great Grandad, thank you so much that's exactly what we've got! A Blue Peugeot 206 cc 1.6 Allure with petrol, its an 03 reg with 85,000 miles (sorry, should have put those bits in at the start shouldn't i?? )

But I don't understand... when we put our numberplate into websites like Black Circles it came up with the correct tyre as the 205 ones... are you basically telling me that we have the right tyres on our car after all???

Thanks for your help... you might have saved us a bundle because we were going to get one of those mobile tyrefitters out to us... would we have ordered the wrong tyres over the internet???

Yes, you've got the correct tyres on the car already. The websites use databases provided by the DVLA and give an indication of what tyres (or other parts) you car MAY have, but you always need to check what is actually fitted to YOUR car. Which you did. So no harm done. Good job you got a second opinion from us. Well done!

By the way, at that age and mileage your cambelt (timing belt) is due for renewal is it hasn't already been done. It is good practice to renew the idler & tensioner pulleys, plus the water pump at the same time. Quite expensive (£400 ish) but rather that than risk the old belt snapping.

[gazza82]

Also bear in mind a previous owner could have swapped from 16" to 15" ...

Those 205/45R16 tyres aren't cheap at around £100 each ... unless you go for some unknown budget make ... so it could have been down to cost or even ride comfort.

[Kev&Flo]

That's great Grandad, thank you so much that's exactly what we've got! A Blue Peugeot 206 cc 1.6 Allure with petrol, its an 03 reg with 85,000 miles (sorry, should have put those bits in at the start shouldn't i?? )

But I don't understand... when we put our numberplate into websites like Black Circles it came up with the correct tyre as the 205 ones... are you basically telling me that we have the right tyres on our car after all???

Thanks for your help... you might have saved us a bundle because we were going to get one of those mobile tyrefitters out to us... would we have ordered the wrong tyres over the internet???

Yes, you've got the correct tyres on the car already. The websites use databases provided by the DVLA and give an indication of what tyres (or other parts) you car MAY have, but you always need to check what is actually fitted to YOUR car. Which you did. So no harm done. Good job you got a second opinion from us. Well done!

By the way, at that age and mileage your cambelt (timing belt) is due for renewal is it hasn't already been done. It is good practice to renew the idler & tensioner pulleys, plus the water pump at the same time. Quite expensive (£400 ish) but rather that than risk the old belt snapping.

Grandad thank you thank you thank you The tyres are going to be changed to the exact same ones we have on the car already, we're now just hunting around various websites and local dealers to see where the best value is. If anyone has a recommendation for some reasonably priced tyres (under £70ish each) for an occasional wannabe-boy-racer who drives too quick on the motorway then please go ahead Other times my bf can be well behaved in it, seems to depend on his mood.

Reading this forum before we bought the car meant that we made sure we only bought a car that had had the timing belt etc changed

[GrandadMonkey]

We have Continentals on our 206cc, 3 are originals (done 29,000 miles). One was replaced a year ago (puncture) and we got a Continental Premium Contact 2 195/55 R15 85V which is a slight upgrade on the original Premium Contact. Cost us £92 including new valve and balancing. We never use budget tyres any more. The original three still have plenty of tread left for another 12 months. That's why we stuck with Continentals.

I have Michelin Primacy tyres on my Golf Estate, they are good too.

Glad you got a car that had been properly serviced - Well done!