GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Howdy ya'll. I did look back over the forums to see if this was addressed but it wasn't. . really. Doing some online tire shopping, I found that my '03 Vibe has the wrong size tires on it. All the websites say it should have 205-55/16s. But on the car are 205/60/16s. Not sure how that happened. . . But i did see that the 60s come a little cheaper, and with a wider variety. I'm trying to decide if I should stick with them or go back to 55s. I have always found my speedometer to be a little off and maybe that is why. Automatic with aluminum wheels.I treat my Vibe. . .like an SUV. It's not all wheel drive but you can't tell from how I drive it. I drive down jeep roads and across fields and through rivers. So maybe the slightly taller tire, with a little more rubber on it, is a good thing. Thoughts? Money wise, I'm already having to spend about $400 so a little bit more isn't a big deal, if I need to switch to the lower-profile tire. And. . any comments as to whether I should go with a touring tire or a performance tire? She gets mighty loud over about 70 mph. . . no idea if that's a tire thing, or a Vibe thing. And one more thing. . i should NOT buy a tire without a warranty right? thanks y'all! Here's hoping my front driver tire doesn't blow before I get some new ones. . .

Tire warranties are like battery warranties. Read the fine print and you'll find that it's not all it's cracked up to be!

Use this to see how different sizes will effect your speedo reading.http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.htmlRon

Hi OrangeBlossom, and welcome to GenVibe!The difference between a 55 and 60 series tire is not all that great, but it will affect your speedo a bit, as well as the final drive gearing. So it will figuring out your fuel mileage, but if you are more comfortable using the 60, go for it, just keep in mind you may be traveling slightly faster than you think!!The higher sidewall also affects ride and handling, but again, probably not to any great degree. We're only talking about 5% aspect here. I agree w/star_deceiver. Save your money on the warranty until you need it.Noise is two-fold: The Vibe is an economy, not a luxury car, so the factory sound deadening is not all that. Also, the tires you chose will have a huge affect on road noise. Though very relative, read the other customer reviews using the same tires, but pay special attention to those driving the same car. They will be the most telling.

stick with the 60 if you do drive the way you do, and because your used to them.You didn't mention what tire you have now. Most tires get louder as they get older.skip the warranty if you can.

I ran 205/60/16 for a couple years on my Vibe with no issues.

I use 205/60/16 as my winter tires, and its the only time my speedo is right, with my stock 205/55/16 summer tires it reads 2km too fast