Winter Set: 185/65/15 for 2017 Hatch EX; bad idea?

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Proud new owner of a lightly used hatch, comin' in hot with a dumb question. I have a set of Blizzaks only used one season that are 185/65/15; will getting those mounted on 15" steelies be unsafe or cause the car undue stress???

Tire size calculator says it's a 4% difference, and the car would sit an inch lower. Will those cause actual problems past the inaccurate speedometer?

Is that 3% suggested max just a loose suggestion or will I run into real issues? Losing ground clearance in the slop also doesn't seem wise, but money is tight after buying the car; $400-500 is more doable than another $1k right now.

Thanks for your input!
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Osobigg

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currently im running 205/65/15's and i wouldn't recommend a 15" wheels.
the fitment is super tight and a piece of gravel can cause damage to your brakes if it get stuck

if i were to redo, i'd get 215/55/16's or 205/60/16's.
 
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currently im running 205/65/15's and i wouldn't recommend a 15" wheels.
the fitment is super tight and a piece of gravel can cause damage to your brakes if it get stuck

if i were to redo, i'd get 215/55/16's or 205/60/16's.
Thanks for the response and the intel!

I'm tempted to cut corners after dropping ~$18k on the car, but I figure that's a bad impulse. Now just scouring my local used market...

Michelin Xi3 look spankin' new for $250, at 215/60/16 - think that's too much width? Diameter comes in just under the 3% suggested max difference.

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Osobigg

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215/55/16 is the stock DX or LX tire size.

I got my xice3’s on Steelers from Costco, the 16” would have been $200 more

Paid $820 CAD for them, $1050 CAD for 16”

it was worth the $65 sign up fee for me
 
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215/55/16 is the stock DX or LX tire size.

I got my xice3’s on Steelers from Costco, the 16” would have been $200 more

Paid $820 CAD for them, $1050 CAD for 16”

it was worth the $65 sign up fee for me
That's worth looking into if I end up buying new. Thanks!

Currently I'm trying to figure out if 55mm offset is too much, as I can snag some 2004 Accord wheels for next to nothing.
 


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I use 15" steel wheels with 195/65r-15 Michelin X-Ice II's on my '16 EX-t (OEM is 215/50r17), I can't say the offset but no problem with wheel-caliper clearance and in the winter in cold weather the narrow width works well plus the added sidewall makes my ride a bit quieter.
I don't think a 185 is that much of a difference from a 195 as far as sidewall height and circumference.
I'd say try it if you have it. Compare your speeds on a GPS and see if you are OK with it.
 
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I use 15" steel wheels with 195/65r-15 Michelin X-Ice II's on my '16 EX-t (OEM is 215/50r17), I can't say the offset but no problem with wheel-caliper clearance and in the winter in cold weather the narrow width works well plus the added sidewall makes my ride a bit quieter.
I don't think a 185 is that much of a difference from a 195 as far as sidewall height and circumference.
I'd say try it if you have it. Compare your speeds on a GPS and see if you are OK with it.
I do like the idea of tall sidewall, but they just look so very small, so I ended up getting those beater '04 Accord rims. Funny enough, he was selling cause he found a deal on a set of the 17" OEM civic wheels.

Now I'm looking at 215/60/16 Xice tires, but that's the max suggested difference in width (8.5" tires on a 6.5" rim) --- and a little wider than I wanted for the winter. Just such a nice deal at $250 for 90+% new Xi3s I might get them anyway and stop worrying about the width so much.
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