Confused about tyre sizes. Help?

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At the moment i run on 15 inch alloys with 195/50/15 tyres, i understand that the first number is the width of the tyre or am i completely wrong?

I am upgrading my alloys to some MOMO 16" which come with 195/45/16 tyres, is this going to be a simular total size of tyre and alloy as my current wheels but with a smaller profile wall?

Also this alloy is availaible with 205/45/16 and 205/55/16, if the first number dictates the width or the tyre then how can these fit on the same alloy as the 195s do?

Im sure there is a very simple explination to this, prolly cause ive got my facts wrong but if you can help that would be cool.
 
195/45/16 is only 1% bigger circumference compared to the 195/50/15's you got already so will fit perfectly on your car.

You tend to be able to fit slightly larger tyres to alloys no problems, you just have a larger sidewall bulge, afterall 205 is only 10mm wider, and as a percentage of the width it isn't much. For example, the alloys on my Dolomite come standard with 175/70/13, you can fit 205 wide on there no problems.
 
Thats that cleared up then thanks dude, and nice one for a 130bhp dolomite, my mum had a red one about 18 years ago, although i was 4 i still remember it.

One more question, at the moment the tyres i have on my 15s doesnt have a lo profile look at all really being a 50 profile, tyres look a bit too big, infact i rushed into the whole buying of my 15s without really thinking and now im paying the price. How much less tyre wall would u say the 195/45/16 would have then my currents?

Thanks again...
 
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It will take 9.7mm off your sidewall, so yes it will be lower profile. Enough to be able to notice it, but not too much to hinder handling.

Thanks for the nice comments about my car. :) Hoping to get it making a bit more power in the future, cant let Lashout be the only one on here with a powerful Dolomite. ;)
 
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