Wrong tyre size

[proton1212]

I have a 1999 vauxhall omega 2.0 automatic.

I took it in to have the brake pads replaced. while I was there I metioned that I have not got a spare tyre and I could do with a second hand one just in caes of a puncture.
He sold me one with a good tread and good walls on it
When I got home I noticed that the tyre size was 205/60 R15 instead of 195/65 R15

will this be OK to use or should I take it back

 

[stuartturbo]

close enough not to worry about it 1% difference

 

[proton1212]

Thanks... thats a load of my mind

Its only a spare but I might be over 100 miles from home when I need it

 

[Peter.N.]

They have more or less the same circumference and are interchangeable on some cars.

Peter

 

[TeamLemon]

I'd prefer one slightly too big to one of those 'spacesaver' spares - those things are lethal!! TBH, how often are you likely to use your spare? I wouldn't worry about it, better than not having a spare at all

 

[proton1212]

I can't see the point in those 'spacesaver' tyres.
If you pay that much money for a car then you want a PROPER tyre

 

[PJF220]

I'd prefer one slightly too big to one of those 'spacesaver' spares - those things are lethal!! TBH, how often are you likely to use your spare? I wouldn't worry about it, better than not having a spare at all

Why do you say they are leathal? They are perfectly good to get you home, it's idiots who decide to drive at 100mph with a 15" space saver and an 18" alloy and don't bother to get the puncture fixed who are lethal.

 

[jetex]

Vauxhalls come with 15" wheels and a 14" spare as standard. Different sized spare wheels are o/k as a get you home thing, as long as you don't exceed 50 mph.

 

[alfajon]

Not certain, but I think I got picked up / advised in an MOT for having different size tyres on the same axle.

Any MOT testers clarify?

Different sizes front / rear are OK eg TVRs



Jon

 

[Mickymoody]

I have a 1999 vauxhall omega 2.0 automatic.

I took it in to have the brake pads replaced. while I was there I metioned that I have not got a spare tyre and I could do with a second hand one just in caes of a puncture.
He sold me one with a good tread and good walls on it
When I got home I noticed that the tyre size was 205/60 R15 instead of 195/65 R15

will this be OK to use or should I take it back

Thats a massive NO NO ! Completely wrong, and illegal to use, in any scenario. Even worse than using a spacesaver. On the front it would cause your steering to be out, on the rear, it would cause the car to crab. ie 4 wheel steer offline. TOTALLY WRONG.

The rules about spacesaver wheels are totally wrong; you can't use them on a driven axle. So why 4x4 cars have them is a mystery, until you find the rule that if you DON'T have one, and break down, due to a puncture, that if no spare is available, even if unusable, then you will be fined, for lack of recovery. And to use mismatched wheels/tyres is also illegal. So you are fekked if you do, and fekked if you don't.

 

[empip]

Autoexpress exploration.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/230895/are_spacesavers_safe.html

Mixing of tyres

26.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (5) pneumatic tyres of different types of structure shall not be fitted to the same axle of a wheeled vehicle.
(2) Save as provided in paragraphs (3) or (5), a wheeled motor vehicle having only two axles each of which is equipped with one or two single wheels shall not be fitted with—
(a)a diagonal-ply tyre or a bias-belted tyre on its rear axle if a radial-ply tyre is fitted on its front axle; or (b)a diagonal-ply tyre on its rear axle if a bias-belted tyre is fitted on the front axle.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to a vehicle to an axle of which there are fitted wide tyres not specially constructed for use on engineering plant or to a vehicle which has a maximum speed not exceeding 30 mph.

(4) Save as provided in paragraph (5) pneumatic tyres fitted to—
(a) the steerable axles of a wheeled vehicle; and
(b) the driven axles of a wheeled vehicle, not being steerable axles,
shall all be of the same type of structure.

(5) Paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) do not prohibit the fitting of a temporary use spare tyre to a wheel of a passenger vehicle (not being a bus) unless it is driven at a speed exceeding 50 mph.
...

Any vehicle built and approved after 1987 has to comply with ECE regulation 64 or community directive 92/23. These state that a temporary spare tyre has to be approved for use by the vehicle manufacturer.

Cannot really imagine new vehicle for UK market being sold with none compliant equipment.
-0-

 

[Avocet]

The differences between the two sizes would be very small - (although that doesn't make it right)! I wouldn't want to do it on MY car, but I doubt you'd actually notice much difference in use. Many manufacturers fit "space saver" spares that are only a little bit different to the tyres on the car - which is irritating, but you're still limited to 50 when using them. As the previous poster mentioned, there's nothing legally wrong with using space-savers on a driven axle, lots of cars have them. The car would be likely to torque-steer somewhat if you booted it with a space-saver on one side though!

 

[Paul_C]

if you DON'T have one, and break down, due to a puncture, that if no spare is available, even if unusable, then you will be fined, for lack of recovery.

Under which legislation? There is no law which requires you to carry a spare.

 

[nickso]

here we go again, micky insisting on laws that don't exist and he can't link to.

his argument about the motorway is useless too as i believe the highways morons will fine you or confiscate your vehicle even if it has genuinely broken down and you can't remove it within the time they specify, it is not limited to running out of petrol or not having a method of repairing a puncture.

 

[Ricardus]

Thats a massive NO NO ! Completely wrong, and illegal to use, in any scenario. Even worse than using a spacesaver. On the front it would cause your steering to be out, on the rear, it would cause the car to crab. ie 4 wheel steer offline. TOTALLY WRONG.

Rubbish.
Spacesaver spares by law have to have a big sticker on them advising they are restricted to 50mph.
This is because there's a legal exemption allowing for emergency use of mismatched tyre sizes across axles for vehicles travelling at less than 50mph.

So all the major car manufacturers actually knew more than Mickymoody. Who'd have thought eh?


I'm becoming increasingly convinced that Mickymoody is either the reincarnation of St Jade of Goody, or a sad internet troll who for some reason has decided to camp out in a DIY forum.