I have recently purchased a new 1lt Zetec fitted with 17" x 7 215/59 Tyres included in the appearance pack. The car drives very well and I'm generally pleased except for the constant twitching of the body over bumps. The suspension seems to work fine on big bumps but on almost flat roads there is a feeling of the car pitching about as all four corners rise and dip in small undulations. Iv never noticed it before on other cars but these have all had standard wheels.

I have the same wheels but can't complain about the ride, I think it's always calm and composed. The ride is probably slightly more choppy with the bigger wheels as the standard 16 inchers have taller side walls, but I've only driven one with those wheels once so can't compare.

my mates has 18 inch its a mk2 mind but the ride is far choppier in that than mine with the 16 inch wheels i think its beacause the car sits higher with the bigger wheels

Hi, I thought that the car cannot sit any higher because the outside diameter of the tyre will still be the same due to the profile. Also I think that only one ground clearance measurment is also given by Ford for all of the Mk3's. I have recently driven both a Titanium estate with 17" wheels whilst my own Titanium X with 18" wheels was in the workshop having a new thermostat housing fitted. I found the 17" wheels to be smoother but the handling silghtly 'wooly' compared to my own car with the 18"'s, which I prefer. Doesn't the zetec have harder seats as I seem to remember on the Mk2's they had 'sports' seats and even 'sports' suspension...

Chris

the zetec does have the sports or stiffer springs which makes it i wouldnt say bad but you canfeel every dip and bump in the road compared to newer focis which have the hydro elctric steering that stiffens the rack allowing for softer springs its not the suspension just the crappy roads that never get fixed right. it may sit the same height maybe i imagine it sits higher

My titx with 18s feels fine but I'm used to the harder mk2 st on eibach with 225/40/18 tyres so the 235/40/18 tyres are much more comfortable with more sidewall flex.

No problems here either with the 18's on a Mk3. Ride is fine, maybe it is also down to the tyre brand / compound ?

compared to newer focis which have the hydro elctric steering that stiffens the rack allowing for softer springs

Hi, just to bring you up to date, and I'm not trying to be smart, it depends upon which gearbox you have fitted as only the 1.6 Petrol Ti-VCT powershift doesn't have the Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) and there is no hydro involved with EPAS at all....

Chris

my car doesent feel harsh. are you sure the tyres are not way overinflated by a work experiance kid at the garage before you got it.

Does your car have cruise control

Jamie