Great price on an odd size tire

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Feb 10, 2002 | 03:57 PM

Gold A4 QT

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Great price on an odd size tire

what should I do? A local tire store is having a sale on their complete stock. The only tires they have that interest me are Bridgestone RE 950s. The size selection is limited. The closest there is to stock in a 16" is a 215/55. This will cause a speedo error of +2.5%. Is this going to be OK or should I not get them. Price is $200 for the set, including mount and balance. The correct size is either 205/55/16 or 225/50/16. The sale ends tomorrow so I have to decide quickly. Thanks for helping.

Feb 10, 2002 | 04:40 PM

Pizzicato

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I thought speed-o errors was caused by incorrect tire height ?

Feb 10, 2002 | 04:49 PM

CMC

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That is a great price on those tires, especially if you include the mounting and balancing costs.

The 2.5% speedo error isn't really that great. If you're driving 70 miles an hour, your speedo will be off by about 2 mph, that's not so bad is it? I know some people have put the A6 wheels in their A4's, and A6 tire size is 215 55 16, they drive their cars fine.

Feb 10, 2002 | 05:05 PM

ex-quattro PETE

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From: Michigan, USA

It will also decrease your wheel gap, which is a good thing if you're stock ...

because the sidewall will be slightly higher so it will fill your wheel wells more, but not enough to have any rubbing I would think.

So, if you don't mind the speedo/odo error, go for it!

Feb 10, 2002 | 05:19 PM

djnelsen

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well yeah.....that's exactly the issue here. The 215/55 has a taller sidewall than a 205/55.

Feb 10, 2002 | 06:07 PM

Pizzicato

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they're both 55 ?????

Feb 10, 2002 | 06:16 PM

djnelsen

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LOL!! You don't quite get it, do ya?.........=)...........

The second numer in a tire designation represents a percentage of the width.

So a 205/55 means that the tire is 205 mm wide, and the sidewall height is 55% of 205, or 112.75.

A 215/55 means that the tire is 215 mm wide, and the sidewall height is 55% of 215, or 118.75.

So a 205/55 and a 215/55 have different sidewall heights! Get it?