Hi-
I am not well versed in the world of tires and wheels so I'll ask a simple question--
I have the snow tires from the Subaru I traded to get my E and want to put them on it. The tires I have on the E now are 215-70R16 and my Coopers are 215-60R16. What would be the drawbacks to using these this winter? Would they be an appropriate tire for that rim?
p

215/60-16s are 6% smaller in diameter than stock, same width, and should fit just fine on your rims (though a set of dedicated rims for snows is always a good idea).

The smaller size would also affect your speedometer accuracy. It would indicate a higher than actual speed.

So would that in turn lead to a higher than accurate odometer?

Call your local Honda dealer, mine offered me some steel take-offs brand new for $10 each. YMMV.

So would that in turn lead to a higher than accurate odometer?
Smoking the weed outside the box prevents "higher" speedometers and odometers!

Not to worry -- at most, given the percentages tossed out here, your speedometer might indicate 70 MPH, when, in fact, you might only be going 67.5 MPH, for example. Actually, quite typical for "nominal speedometer error" in this day and age... :wink:

Worst case, you might be inclined to change your oil sooner than you might otherwise. It's not as if it would "rack up" hundreds of imaginary miles that would affect your Blue Book value in the course of a "normal" winter season... ;-)

The 60, part of the 215/60/16 is an aspect ratio in relation to the side wall and the width. True the tire is smaller, but perhaps more important it is also wider. Wider is not desired in a traction based winter tire- some cars to accomodate the rim have to use them. A taller tire is the most desired for traction. Your 70 series tire is a better choice. 75 even better etc etc.

I agree completely with your observations :shock: , ehiney, but the guy seems intent on "using" his snow tires. If only we had a better clue as to where "NEK" was, in his location...

Some people really need dedicated snow tires, and some just want to "feel" more secure. At this point, the guy sounds more like he merely would feel better "using" what's left of leftover tires he has on hand. My first response was merely an attempt to reassure him he wasn't insane to consider the option.

I think that the "215" part of the tire size is the tread width in millimeters (I'm not exactly sure where they measure it, but 215 is always skinnier than 225 for instance). So while the 215/60's DO have a shorter side wall (the side wall is 60% of the tread width), they should be the same width as 215/70's.

Correct, Presto. 215 is stock; anything higher (numerically) will be wider than stock. Too wide, and something will rub. And all things being equal, snows should ideally be a little narrower than summer tires, never wider.

"I agree completely with your observations :shock: , ehiney, but the guy seems intent on "using" his snow tires. If only we had a better clue as to where "NEK" was, in his location"..

The NorthEast Kingdom of Vermont is the three counties in the Northeast corner. We get loads of snow and the town I live in actually is a micro climate that gets slammed because of the topography. I actually do need snows here. I tried to get by one season (cheap bastard) and I got stuck in my driveway. I live on a backroad and drive more dirt road than pavement when in the local area. I hope that helps.

I hope we helped a little, too, Big Daddy P Love...thanks for filling us in on "NEK". I used to snowmobile a lot in northern Wisconsin/Michigan, which is also situated in a "micro-climate" - all the lake-effect snowfall!