So talk to me about tyres

[Schizophonic]

On my OEM 17" wheels, my MPG was somewhat respectable and I've changed the fronts only since owning from 2013. I was getting anything between 43 - 45 mpg on town driving and when on motoway doing 65+ I could get 48+ mpg

I'm now got some Vossen CVTs 19" wrapped in some budget 225/35 tyres. Looking on the tech spec sheet its

• 19 x 8.5 Left | 19 x 8.5 Right

however road noise has increased dramatically and i'm getting more road resistance meaning i'm struggling to get anything over 40mpg in town driving and motorway driving is still horrible for MPG.

Winter is about to set in and I'll be putting my standards back on and when show season starts the CVTs are coming back out but I want to replace the tyres. All you tyre gurus, what should the correct fitment be and which size tyres would I look to get if better MPG (less road resistance and less tyre noise)

At the moment my rim edges stick out a bit and it does seem the tyres are stretched. I was going on the advise by the reseller of the wheels so I assume the information he's provided were correct.

Any ideas?

 

[kalniel]

Stock size will be best for MPG and tyre noise.

Go at least 235 for 8.5J I'd say, so 235/35R19. S3 wheels are 19x8J rather than 8.5J but you've already got them I guess. MPG and tyre noise will be far worse than stock just due the size regardless of tyre, but Goodyear F1 Asymmetric probably around the best for MPG unless they do the efficient grip performance in that size too.

 

[MA3RC]

Your new 19" alloys would weigh more than your standard 17" for a starter I'd imagine. So your car has to lug that extra weight around all the time, that'll affect the mpg. Plus the circumference of your tyre will be slightly out. You'd never match your 17's exactly, meaning your speedo is out a bit as well, which could throw your displayed mpg

As for noise you've slashed the sidewall size dramatically, there is less between you and the road. Your old tires would absorb most of the noise, now there is nothing there to do it.

Making such a big jump from 17-19 will always have a similar effect to what you were experiencing. It's what split my decision and made me opt for 18's instead. Albeit the 19's would've looked better.

Different tyres do have better / worse efficiency and noise ratings compared to others, it's just a case of doing your research on what suits your needs the best. I used Black Circles to compare tyres and opted for Goodyear Eagle F1 Asy2 as they were all round winners.

I think ideally on 19's for a standard fit would be 235/35/19

You can see what works for you best here:
http://www.blackcircles.com/order/tyres/search

 

[Dandanfings]

Yep bigger wheels and budget tires will affect the mpg and comfort drastically.
In any case wether you go with lightweight 18s or flashy 19s go with quality tyres.
And the answer for every single tyre question is Michelin

If you go for lightweight 18s and quality tyres you will notice a dramatic increase in economy, comfort and feel more sprightly.

 

[Schizophonic]

thanks for the input guys, i did think why or if 235/35 would be more ideal for my setup.

I went for budget tyres as money was a bit scarce at the time after spending a small fortune on suspension and wheels. Neverless I know spring next year I'll purchase some better and wider tyres to combat the mpg and road noise. Guess I'll have to suffer this for the next couple of weeks before the wheels go into habitation.

 

[desertstorm]

Google. Effects of Upsized Wheels and Tires, a great demonstration of what happens when you fit bigger wheels and tyres. have a look at tyreleader.Co.UK for tyres at reasonable prices. As stated above cheap tyres will usually give you more noise but the loss of sidewall will also have a big effect. Goodyear eagle f1 are a good choice.

 

[4K]

Agree. Goodyear Eagle F1 are incredible tyres. I swear by them.

Quiet, very very safe in the wet and decentish MPG. 17/18's are around £90 a pop on the A3's.