15'' vs.17"

That;s odd. TireRack doesn't show a run flat tire in the 195/65/15 or 195/60/15. The Goodyear site does not show them in the OEM size either. What tires are you running exactly?

 

I looked for them last night and could not find anything either...... Strange?


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If they are run flats then I think they are not the correct OEM size. OEM size for the 2011 Prius 15" wheel is 195/65/15. For the 17" wheel it is 215/45/17.

 

Do you have the original OE 15" wheels or aftermarket wheels. Your saying your car came with the run flats? Were they installed by your dealer? Could you share the specifications with us skeptics, make, model, and size?


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You fooled yourself.

 

I WAS WRONG. they aren't run flats. I would have been confused for a long time were it not for PC.

 

Be glad they aren't run flats.

Run flats are noisier, rougher riding and more expensive.

 

Agreed. Had them on my previous car, and what a difference when they wore out and I replaced them with conventional tires.

 

Cool you would have been a first. Sorry for pestering you. Glad you figured it out.


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I agree run flats are horrible. My old Corvette came with them. I tried to autox with them and it was like cornering on ice. When I swapped the for Nitto performance tires the difference was night and day.

 

I don't doubt it for a second. However, I feel that in order to feel the difference, you have to drive the car "athletically." Another member said that he could feel it even under mild accel. I remain skeptical. My 15" Gen II alloys + winter tire is 9lbs lighter than OEM 17 + tire, and I don't feel any difference. Maybe I'm not looking for it.....I certainly don't drive it hard enough to feel it.....or maybe others find what they expect to find.

Anyway......one of the thrills about the Prius is the mpg. And one of the key ways to get great mpg is driving style. Anticipating red lights and slow traffic is the best way to keep the car in motion, once in motion. So if lighter rims give better accel and braking, how useful is that if we are trying to avoid that as much as we can?

 

Agreed. Lighter rims, however, confer better mileage assuming you're driving style is the same. But if you're accelerating and braking harder, then yes it won't matter. All depends on what "thrills" you I guess.

 

When I said that I can feel the difference between my stock 15s with LRR tires and my 17s with performance tires I did not mean to infer that the difference was due to wheel weight alone. My 17s only weigh 1lb more than my 15s, however, the 17" tires weigh approx. 4lbs more than the 15" tires. I think the tires are what make mild acceleration much more sluggish than my 15s.

 

Oh definitely, especially if the tires are not LRR.

 

Aye. My Kumho ecsta ASX are definitely not LRR. Whereas my dB Super E-Spec tires are.

 

You mght want to try driving a Prius with the 15" and then a Prius with factory 17" tires. You will notice an immediate difference. Then read the specs on what is different between the cars OTHER than tire size. The Prius V (17") has a quicker steering ratio, different suspension, a LOT better ride, and better handling. Mine is rock solid at 80 plus MPH and I gladly accept the 2 MPG hit the tires give in exchange for better safety, ride, and comfort.

 

As longer as your keep the efficient tires it came with and replace them with other LRR tires otherwise mpg can drop precipitously. Before they came out with efficient 17" tires most of us were recording 4-6 mpg drops. The Geniii likely wouldn't drop so far due to higher torque.

 

Really? The 17's ride better than the 15's?

 

Not in my experience.