Ford Focus Tyres Insurance Problem

Ghuraba

Ghuraba

Ghuraba

Associate
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
1,332
Location
Leeds
Hi there

I bought a car few days, 51 plate Focus Zetec 1.6 petrol with 205/40/17 tyres. Seems my insurance company might have a problem with this. Ford have told me the standard fit is 195/60/15. But what I am getting conflicting information regarding is what is tyres I can fit on the 17" alloys. Rapid Fit have told me various sizes depending on which branch I ring! One size was 205/45/17 another size 215/45/17 and Troy Autopoint have said 215/40/17 to 215/45/17 (ST model he said) but would be ok on the Focus.

So my questions is, is there anybody here who knows for certain what tyres I can put on this car that keep it within the Ford specification allowed?

Thanks

Michael
 
I'm confused, what do tyres have to do with insurance?

Aahh, you've had larger alloys put on at some point it seems?
 
Sounds like he has aftermarket alloys on the car so would need to declare these to his insurers, need to find out if these alloys were on the car when it was new by contacting ford if they were then the car is as standard as when it rolled out the factory if not then you would need to declare them!
 
Is the car definitely on standard Ford alloy wheels? The only way you can tell is by taking off the wheel and checking any markings stamped or stickered on them. There's nothing to say they are aftermarket Ford or 3rd party wheels.

You can fit multiple tyres onto one rim and keep more or less the same rolling radius (within 1%), and most wheels are actually wider than the tyre fitted from the factory so only by taking it to Ford and letting them look at it are you going to know for sure. Which insurance ocmpany is this by the way, and are they really that interested in the tyre width and profile?

You can check the real word differences of the tyre sizes here: http://www.tyretraders.com/Tyrecalculator/
 
Sorry, forgot to mention they are not standard fit alloys they are 17" Ripspeed I was told. I am not sure what model as I can't seem to see them on Halfords site. Just cheap ones I was told.

I am ringing the insurance company at 1pm today as yesterday they requsted the standard fit, which I didn't know, but were closed when I tried to ring back with the information.

Insurance company was Swinton (brocker) MMA the insurer. He wanted size, make, price, standard fit.

Michael
 
The Focus ST170 had 215/45/R17 with it's 17 inch wheels so that may be the best route. The tyre calc confirms this. I'd be seriously tempted to get some stock 15" wheels to avoid having to pay extra on insurance and an extra £40 a corner for tyres. Plus you'd lose the nasty Halfords wheels :)
 
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Your insurance company don't care about the tyre size, but they do care about the aftermarket wheels. Changing tyre profile won't make any difference to them.
 
They won't insure me on these lol. I need to put 15" on them. I didn't think it would matter other than an increase in premium. So now I have to get some from the scrap yard or pay a few hundred + tyres.

Thanks

Michael
 
its because its classed as a "modification"

if you want to fit aftermarket ripseed wheels your 1 step away from mcdonalds car parking cruising and crashing your car street racing.

Its a slipper slope.... supposedly :rolleyes:

Your best bet is to get some standard zetec alloys back on. I cant check the link as im at work

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....69&ih=014&category=28648&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

But you'll find loads of them on ebay. Chavs buy focus Zetec, fit rispeed specials and sell the OEM ones on ebay. You want to go the other way, so do the same. Sell the ripspeed ones on ebay and you'll get a bit back.

There'll be a boy racer somewhere who wants 'em :)
 
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MrMoonX said:
moody! from what I can make out the guy was telling him the tyre size of the ST wheels and that they would fit his rims, he is talking BS as the ST has 18inch wheels for a start.
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Sorry if that came across as a little 'dry'. He was saying the ST Model of the MK1 Focus, which was the ST170 has the size of tyre he needs to keep the same rolling radius (215/45/17) which is spot on.
 
Janesy B said:
Sorry if that came across as a little 'dry'. He was saying the ST Model of the MK1 Focus, which was the ST170 has the size of tyre he needs to keep the same rolling radius (215/45/17) which is spot on.
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ahh i always forget about the 170 just assumed it was the newer ST
 
It's a Forgettable car :p

I do recall mentioning to the OP in another thread that these wheels are more trouble than they are worth....
 
Janesy B said:
It's a Forgettable car :p

I do recall mentioning to the OP in another thread that these wheels are more trouble than they are worth....
Click to expand...

Yes you did but I didn't buy the car because of the wheels. They just happened to be on it and I wanted to know what they were. It had no bearing on my choice of that car whatsover. But I assumed it would just be a small premium increase not that my current insurer would not even cover me. My fault for not checking first.

As my renewal is up in Febuary I am cancelling the contract and Esure will insure me. Either way it will cost me a few hundred if I change the alloys to 15" + tyres just to keep my current insurer happy. So I may as well just keep the 17" alloys that are on them and pay an extra £60 for the modification with a new insurer.

Thanks

Michael
 
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