Alloy wheel upgrade question

[cdb2]

I'm looking at getting a new A3 SE, couldn't get on with the jittery ride of the Sport with its lowered sports suspension.

The SE come as standard with 16" alloys with 205/55 tyres, the Sport with 17" alloys with 225/45 tyres.

I'm personally not a fan of the standard SE or Sport alloys, so will be upgrading to the 5 Spoke Star Design 17" alloys with 225/45 tyres.

Q1) I'm assuming that fitting the 17" alloys to the SE won't affect the ride quality too much, the dealer certainly didn't think so. They said the hard ride of the Sport is mostly down to the sports suspension not the 17" alloys. Presumably this is correct?

I'm assuming that if I fitted the 17" alloys to the SE that the SE ride would be unchanged or be somewhere between the normal SE with its 16" alloys and the Sport with its 17" alloys and sports suspension??? The dealer thought an SE with 17" would be 95% the same as an SE with 16", i.e. wouldn't have the hard ride of the Sport?????

I just don't want to fit 17" alloys to the SE and find it rides like the Sport - hopefully the jittery ride of the Sport is caused by the lowered Sports suspension????

Q2) In terms of filling the wheels arches, is a 16" alloy with 205/55 tyre the same combined height as a 17" alloy with 225/45 tyre?

Thanks (and apologies if these qu seem obvious to you experts!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush2.gif

 

[Scotty]

On my TT I had 17" wheels and 18". I found the difference quite noticeable particularly when I put the 17s on after driving with the 18s.

I think I only really noticed coz of my H&R springs and Konis which were quite firm anyway.

With regards the radius, yep, they should work out the same. Try one of the many tyre size calculators such as this one : http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html