Hi - I’ve recently brought a 2019 Focus 1.0 Ecoboost ST Line. It’s great but I’ve just today noticed it is fitted with 215/40R17 tyres as opposed to 215/50R17 which the manual and the door side guide suggests would be right. The tyres were new when I brought it from dealer so I suspect they put all 4 on for sale (had 24000 miles on). 
 

Anyone know if this is a big issue? Should I worry / go back to dealer? 

I did scuff an alloy badly as well and I’m wondering if the low profile of the tyre hasn’t helped (could be my ineptness though to be fair)

thanks 
 

 

 

Your speedo will be wrong, maybe not much but it will be wrong and everything else in the car will have been configured at the factory for the size of tyres that it left the factory with. I would get seller to change them, legally they don't have a leg to stand on.

You will still probably kerb the wheels with 50 profile tyres as well and are more likely to pothole damage the wheels as well.

My car came with factory fitted 65 profile tyres, which horrified me at first but now I'm smug about it because it is impossible to kerb the wheels on the biggest kerbs.

16 hours ago, Tizer said:

My car came with factory fitted 65 profile tyres, which horrified me at first but now I'm smug about it because it is impossible to kerb the wheels on the biggest kerbs.

I concur, a previous car of mine had 225/40/18s fitted. Dam thing was a magnet to concrete kerbs!

215/50 is still a decent amount of sidewall.  It's only 5mm less than the 205/55's that were standard on loads of Focus/Golf sized cars up until more recently.  

The reduced comfort would be my main concern dropping from 50 to 40 profiles.  If you're bouncing off kerbs often enough for that to be a concern then I'd be more worried about the steering and suspension components.  

I forget my tyre size, definitely 18” wheels. Was surprised at needing to replace the front 2 pilot sports(?) from factory, at 17k miles. Replaced with Michelins but cheaper ones. Needing changed now again at 36k! I thought expensive tyres got more miles out them! Definitely not the case.

Tbf you can often get more miles out of budgets* as they use hard compounds that don't wear easily but also don't grip on rough or damp surfaces...

*(If they both started with the same amount of tread)

1 hour ago, Alex.S said:

I forget my tyre size, definitely 18” wheels. Was surprised at needing to replace the front 2 pilot sports(?) from factory, at 17k miles. Replaced with Michelins but cheaper ones. Needing changed now again at 36k! I thought expensive tyres got more miles out them! Definitely not the case.

17k sounds pretty good, I got 11k out of my fronts

See when I’m a bit quick off the mark instead of a wheel spin it’s more of a judder. Is that traction control? 

4 hours ago, alexp999 said:

17k sounds pretty good, I got 11k out of my fronts

That’ll be the ST effect !

4 hours ago, alexp999 said:

17k sounds pretty good, I got 11k out of my fronts

Does the Mk4 ST have a proper LSD?

I've been looking at Mk7 Golf GTi's...most cone with the performance pack which was bigger brakes, a few more bhp, but also a proper LSD.  It's the LSD I was most interested in with over 200bhp through the front wheels.

5 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

That’ll be the ST effect !

Smiles per gallon! 

4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Tbf you can often get more miles out of budgets* as they use hard compounds that don't wear easily but also don't grip on rough or damp surfaces...

*(If they both started with the same amount of tread)

The dealership replaced the back 2 factory Michelins at 36k but said they were completely illegal! An oversight on my part. Replaced with a brand (I forget the name) but owned by Michelin, they look chunkier. They done that without asking me at a service. The guy at Kwik fit says I can get any tyre I like. He’s ordered me 2 Goodyear. He recommended, or more importantly Ford recommend 

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I've been looking at Mk7 Golf GTi'

Scottish news today a Golf GTI driver caught doing 140 mph on the M80 . No surprise there wasn’t much footage! Guy got done for drug driving too! 🤦🏼‍♂️ 

28 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Does the Mk4 ST have a proper LSD?

I've been looking at Mk7 Golf GTi's...most cone with the performance pack which was bigger brakes, a few more bhp, but also a proper LSD.  It's the LSD I was most interested in with over 200bhp through the front wheels.

Yeah it has an E-LSD like the VAQ in the golf. 
 

13 hours ago, Alex.S said:

Scottish news today a Golf GTI driver caught doing 140 mph on the M80 . No surprise there wasn’t much footage! Guy got done for drug driving too! 🤦🏼‍♂️ 

Sounds like he had an interest in the LSD too...  

I did an indicated 130mph in a mapped diesel Golf about 10 years ago and ran out of balls at that point...empty roads & fewer camera's about back then though!  If I bought a GTi now, it'd rarely pass 40mph, just got to point of thinking "sod it", it's something I've wanted for a while so why not.  Chain driven so no cambelt worries, no DPF to clog on short journeys, tax is the same on everything 2017 onwards, insurance is cheaper than my 2.0 TDI, main dealer servicing costs are about the same as a 1.0 EcoBoost, some even come with a heated windscreen.  Only thing stopping me is the ride comfort...would only buy one with DCC and probably drop a wheel size to 17s with 225/45/17 as well.  (Bringing this thread back on topic!)

4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

  Only thing stopping me is the ride comfort...

Way off topic (as usual) but just a random thought. Doing a bit of car research with a mate who has suddenly developed an interest in the VW T-Roc. Never driven one, but everything I've read on that has mentioned the good ride comfort, particularly in the "Life" ** which has 16" wheels as standard.

(**The "lead-in" model but seems very well equipped - climate, etc.)

3 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Way off topic (as usual) but just a random thought. Doing a bit of car research with a mate who has suddenly developed an interest in the VW T-Roc. Never driven one, but everything I've read on that has mentioned the good ride comfort, particularly in the "Life" ** which has 16" wheels as standard.

(**The "lead-in" model but seems very well equipped - climate, etc.)

Thanks for the suggestion Roger.  T-Roc is another crossover though, I reckon they're just as rolly on corners as my Focus Active. 

15 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I reckon they're just as rolly on corners as my Focus Active. 

Yes, I can't cope with "rolly" either!😀 My mate still seems quite keen (just had an email from him on the subject) so I'm interested to see what he thinks when he takes a test drive.

Hi,

This size: 215/40/R17 IS NOT in the official list of wheels allowed in this model!

 

To save starting another thread , this one seems appropriate…I got 2 pilot sport on the front yesterday , Kwik Fit technician straight away spotted the considerably cheaper Riken on the back! I hadn’t thought much of it but the dealership really should have given me a chance to go to Kwik Fit and get the pilot sports on the rear . They did call me during the cars 2nd service asking if I wanted them to replace the back 2. I thought nothing of it , figured they’d fit good quality tyres like the ones they took off. Kwik Fit recommend I call Motability ..get them changed..lot of hassle tbh . Psi , they blew the new front 2 up to 40 psi and never touched the back 2 ,they are at 30. 

The tyre size is 235/40 R18 

feels a bit quicker , hopefully less thirsty ! 

What psi do other owners with the same tyres keep theirs at? Mine were at 33 front 30 rear, I think that’s fords recommended psi. 
have a couple of passengers occasionally and seldom have a full load . 

 

 

21 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

What psi do other owners with the same tyres keep theirs at?

I'm 32 all round - yes, vastly different size, but in this case, size genuinely doesn't matter LOL You can experiment if you wish, but unless you are in the top 1% of the world's drivers, you'll not notice the difference of a couple of pounds!

The difference between the recommended psi and the psi recommended for a full car  is considerable. Low 40s 

 I can feel the grip difference with the new pilot sports on the front.

Any opinions on Riken tyres ? Some awful reviews online 

19 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

The difference between the recommended psi and the psi recommended for a full car  is considerable. Low 40s 

 I can feel the grip difference with the new pilot sports on the front.

Any opinions on Riken tyres ? Some awful reviews online 

Ours are all 32psi. Still on the original tyres PS4's at 18300 but will be changing the fronts around October along with an oil change (6 months).

Never had Riken tyres but had Nexen tyres on our previous focus which were fine.

The newer PS5's had a decent write up but apparently they are not the PS4's replacement according to Michelin.

4 minutes ago, Wino said:

The newer PS5's had a decent write up but apparently they are not the PS4's replacement according to Michelin.

I asked about cross climates, got told Motability won’t authorise them. I’m more than happy with the PS4’s and they’re happy to fit them as part of the lease. I might as well contact them about changing the rear two for PS4 , if you don’t ask you don’t get! 

 

All at 32 , would you say front 2 at 40 is too much?