What would you call an ODD BALL tyre size?

[Mitsuru]

What would you call an odd ball size of tyre?

Had to take the rear wheel off mothers mk4 Astra, it is a standard 16" Astra Alloy wheel.
Had 3 nails in it and on the edge so needs a new tyre on the rim. I was In the car recovering
from a trip to the eye infirmary so bright lights and movement not a good idea! So it was my
mother who took the wheel into the garage only to be told that it is an odd ball size and will
be harder to get a replacement!

The tyre size in question 205 / 50 r16. I had to point out to my mother that that size of tyre
was on her Volvo V70, my 16" alloy rims on both the blue mk1 neon and the silver mk2 and
on all 3 mondeos among other cars!

Something tells me it will a rip off price, for possibly a cheape new tyre or re-mold!

So what would you call an odd ball tyre size and the price quoted? Lets hear what they tried
to rip you off for!

[Luxobarge]

That's not a particularly unusual size, but it's less common that the 255/50/16, which is an option you could fit to the car (but across both tyres on the axle) and will be cheaper because it's more common. It will give you a softer/gentler ride, slightly less taught handling and the increase in diameter will make a small difference to the speedo but probably still within spec. (On the Volvo, the speedo over-reads by a few %, and fitting these tyres makes it just about spot-on).

If want to stick with the 205 profile and are not happy with their price then shop around, I've found that all tyre places will be able to obtain this size but as I say it's lesss common so will be more expensive. Have you tried black circles and the other on-line suppliers? At least have a look at their price so you can benchmark your local place and see if they really are giving you a "rip off" (I doubt it).

[TerryG]

I have just had 2 new 205x50x16s on my focus, Good Year Performance at £145 for the pair fitted and balanced. They were in stock at my local tyre place. They are the same on the company fords so I wouldn't say they are an odd ball size unless you have been to somewhere specialising in van tyres.

[Mitsuru]

LUX it is the fact that the size 205 / 50 r16 was so common but a few short years ago it was stupid!
And as the 205 or 225 refers to the width which means rolling resistance and aerodynamic resistance
increasing you would have thought that they would have kept between the 165/175 to 205 for
economy not making them wider!

I was under the assumption that as the bigger the tyre wall, it would mean more flex in the tyre making
it the softer ride not the wider width, which is one of the reasons that 4x4's have the bigger tyre wall
for off roading and taking the pot holes at speed.

It wasn't my choice to take the wheel where it had gone too! But I am not paying the bill!(YET!!!!!)

[Luxobarge]

You're right, sorry, I meant 205/55 as opposed to 205/50.

[mr rusty]

Oddball? Anything metric!

Some Jags, beemers, metros, maestros, montegos from a short period in the eighties, and probably some exotica too.

You can still get them in the beemer sizes at astronomical prices, but if you have a metro running 315mm rims, you have two options- either get a set of imperial alloys- I got a set of five turbo cross-spokes, and fit normal easy to get imperial sized rubber, or you're stuck with old stock remoulds from the eighties, for originality freaks with a death wish only!

[JPB]

.... And if you think it's hard to get new TD tyres, try finding the 9mm valves to fit their wheels!
I only found the one new set on eBay and they're listed in among lawn mowers..


Aron, 205/50%x16" seems to be pretty much a default size these days just as much as 165/82%x13 was in the 1970s, '80s and early '90s. The Mk7 Golf in SE form with standard alloys takes that size, though the S takes 15" steels with trim.
I was told by a Shitbottle guy who stays down that way, by my parents - and travels to work at the Washington Datsun plant every day - that steel wheels cost more to supply with new cars than the alloys do these days and that the tyre sizes that go with the entry level stuff are also dearer in spite of thae models costing less in the showrooms. Small wonder the manufacturers don't want us in base models. Apart from Citroen but they always were honest that way.

[suffolkpete]

The rear tyres on my Matra are 195/70 x 13 and are impossible to find. It had 185/70 x 13 on it when I bought it but it showed a rather scary tendency to swap ends so I managed to track down a couple of nearly new Michelins of the correct size, but I don't know what I'll do when they wear out. Michelin Classic list an XDX in that size (they are the same as the fronts on the Alpine A310) but no doubt they are about £300 a corner.

[JPB]

I had great difficulty finding 175/82%x13s for my Vauxhall VX2300 (FE series) and that was in the late '80s when that size was also specified for the then current Sierra Estates. I remember spending over £300 on a set of four at the time because the only tyre I could get in that size was a Michelin, not cheap. I could have fitted some 165s or some 185s but the former looked too small and the latter were only available in an expensive Michelin X as found on Vanden Plas 4 litre R models, or in commercial spec and indeed I had them on the CF at the time, but it weighed a ridiculous amount and I suspect that its tyres would have been far too hard in the walls for the (relatively) light VX.
Slightly closer to the present day, my last MK3 Golf (Variant) used 195/60%x14 tyres when the hatch and Vento versions used 185s, again only the expensive brands were able to provide a set of these and oh boy did they take financial advantage of their knowing that they had effectively no competition! The chiselling bastridges.

145/82%x12" were pretty hard to get when I last bought a set for the last Rebel. GUS265L had come to me with mini tyres (145/70%) and they were unpleasant on a car whose overall gearing gave only 14mph per 1000rpm even on the correct size (5.60x12), the mini rubber meant that the car was doing 7,400rpm at its maximum speed and while the 750's short stroke engine can stand that sort of abuse all day long, my ears couldn't..
But my vote for the current least easily available tyre (I guess that's one of the criteria for Oddball status?) goes to the 135/80%x14". I'm reliably informed that some owners fit the 145/82%x14" tyres intended for Minors or the one for Peugeot 304s, etc. with a kerbing bead, but they look a bit too soft in the walls on the Daf's narrower rims.

[Toledo Man]

I've got 15" steelies on my Astra and I can get part worns from a local tyre place for £15 a corner without too much trouble. Are the tyres the correct profile? Avoid the "fast fit" chains and try a local independent tyre place. You will get a better service and possibly a better price.