hydroplaning

Has anybody experienced the change from 195/65/15 tires to 205/65/15
tires. I have dedicated 195/65/15 snows but in Spring and Summer I will
replace snow tires with either 195 or 205. I would like to know how
much you give up in hydroplaning since you should gain in handling if
you go to the wider 205 tire. This is for a 2000 Accord LX 4cyl
Sedan.(I know the 6cyl Accord came with the 205/65/15, so anybody with
a 6cyl might at least give their experience with the 205/65/15 tire).
Thanks

 

When I bought our "new" 1991 Civic the only thing
wrong with the car was the prior owner had bought
Low Profile/WIDE (Rice Boy) tires for her. It rained the
afternoon I picked her up and she handled like I
was on ice with a thin water layer. Very bad.
I called around and found a conversion shop willing to
trade me stock tires a $200 boot for the fancy tires/rims.
I could have got more with a little more effort, but it was
a good deal. We had an ice storm here in central
Kentucky last week and the Civic, after I got the doors
unstuck, gave no problem and drove like the road was dry
and not covered in ice.

Unless you really know that wider tires will help handling,
I would be real carefull. Car makers tend to know what
they are doing when they put a certain size tire on a given car.

Having said that, I was given a new set of 4 tires for my 1985
Celica that were 185 instead of the 175 that was stock.
The original buyer said they where too noisey, I must be deaf
because they sounded fine to me. They did not effect the
handling of the Celica at all. No increased Hydroplaning, and
she still could get stuck on a frost covered road.
I have been offered a set of 4 nearly new 165X for my Civic
which has, I think 155. Or 175 if my stock tires are 165.
I know they are +10. I suspect that +10 won't make any real
difference. IT is supposed to help with highspeed, interstate,
driving. I know it had no effect on the Celica. I loved the way
the Celica would handle curved roads. It was a fun car to drive.
As long as the snow stayed away!

I love our Civic, but it is not meant to handle like the Celica.
And with twice the MPG, the Civic is a lot less expensive
to drive.
Terry.

 

Terry,

Thanks. I know what you are saying, that is why I hope enough people
will reply with more information. I wish I could drive the 2000 Honda
Accord 6cyl. since that had 205/65/15 so I could feel the difference
myself. But alas, that would be difficult but if enough people like you
write in and hopefully specific to the 2000 Accord 4cyl and the tire
change I spoke of, then at least I would get some idea.

Appreciative.

 

Depends on the tread pattern. Some tires are better than others.

 

Alex,

I agree and would probably put on Potenza RE950s. Still the question is
whether to stay with 195 or go to 205. Would there be a large
difference with hydroplaning due to the wider profile even with great
rain tires.

Thanks