Is there really a noticable difference in peformance or is it just nice to have? I ask because I have 255's now and I am looking to get new tires but the price difference between the 245 and 255 is pretty big on this tire I am lookin to buy.

 

Only difference for you would be the width and the price. No increase in performance and handling with the 255/50/16 tires. I run 245/45/ZR-17 and with these there is a differnce from the stock tires.

 

So ur saying with a difference in 5 in profile and with a 17 inch rim I would notice a difference in performance (postitive I assume) but with the same profile size and rim size I would not notice a difference in width?

 

Well, you're going to _have_ a difference in handling.. Whether you can really notice it not is questionable... If your tire is that much wider, you will have that much more tire touching the ground... But a 255/50/16 is going to be a little taller than a 245/50/16, so it might cancel out due to the small increase in profile...

 

Well I do autocross so I will notice the smallest amount in times if performance is decreased. I guess thats what I am asking.

 

I moved up in width from 215 to 235 when I had my red bird with the 15x7 rims... I did notice a positive difference in handling (more grip, just as you would expect)... I think you would notice a difference with 255's vs 245's, especially if you are in tune with your car (which, doing autocross, you no doubt are!)...

 

The 255/50 tire is wider and not taller as stated in a previous post. I also said you will not notice any difference in handling between the 245 & 255/50/16 tires.

 

It will be slightly taller... Here's a online calculator that will show you how much (0.2 inches more radius)...


http://www.powerdog.com/tiresize.cgi


You would have the same height tire if you could find a 255/48/R16, but good luck on that..

 

A 255/50 will be wider and taller than a 245/50. for one thing it is 10 millimeters wider and the second number (the 50) measures the sidewall of the tire in percentage of the tread width. So in other words, 50% of 245 millimeters is obviously a smaller number than 50% of 255 millimeters.

I hope this helps.

 

LoL, ok people. I realize that 255 is bigger then 245, lol. I am not retarded so u guys can stop explaining that to me but thanks for the response.

I think I got what I wanted to hear. I was looking for the difference in PERFORMANCE.

 

you're gonna be lookin at a half a centimeter difference in height. I would reason that the more width would cancel out anything you'd lose in the height, if anything with such a small difference. But I'll let you know for sure next month, I'm runnin 245/50-16's and I'm going to the 255/50's.


Which reminds me....I thought you were going with 17's?

 

I thought about it after awhile and I think I am gonna stay with the 16x8's. The more I look at them the more I like them.



So there really is no difference between the size 245 vs. 255?

 

There is a difference... Its wider and a little taller (a little, we're talking less than half an inch) and you will notice an improvement in handling.. Thats all this thread has summed up to..

 

The gta's do look sweet on your car. I was gonna go with 17's as well, but I have formy wheels on there now, and I actually really like them, so I think they're staying.

But to be perfectly honest I dont see how a 1 cm width and a 1/2 cm height difference is gonna make a big enough difference for you to feel, even autocrossing.

 

Dude, I put those 255's on my car yesterday, and I think it actually handles better now. Maybe it was going from those crappy kuhmo 711's to Firehawk sz 50's, but it feels more firm around bends now. Weird.