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Helpful hint on 1999 Ford Contour Svt tires

Mr Bill

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
105
I had to replace my front tires due to damage from the winter. I had just bought new ones all around. When I checked irecently, it was hard to find a 215/50/zr16 any more at a reasonable price so instead you can go to a 205/55/16 and drop to a v rating. Checked with tire rack and they said with stock rims will work and no rubbing on front. I buy most of my tires from them. On the back it may be tight and need some minor mods but backs still new with 215/50/16. Over the years I have noticed it harder and harder to get stock tires at a good price but going to a 205/55/16 opens a ton of doors.

Also many places will not replace the tires with other than stock unless you can prove it's safe for the vehicle(lawsuits). Since my installer has a connection to tirerack all is good.
 
Yes the 98 to mid 99 SVT came with 205/55 tires. The late 99 and 00 cars came stock with 215/50 tires. Either size is acceptable as the diameters are similar.

Also as the others have said the 225/50 are a good option.

And please explain about places not installing tires that are not OEM unless they are proved safe. I have never once heard of this. A tire place should install what ever tire the person wants.
 
I can't recall but I never heard of it also. Will drop a line when I find out.
 
I am going to make one exemption to my last statement about a tire place installing what ever tire the owner wants ... I could see a place refusing to stretch a tire onto a rim, ie the wide is to small for the width of tire that should be on a wheel, and possible one that is to wide. Otherwise any normal size, more so if it is a stock size shouldn't be of any issue.
 
Funny. I tired to order that size from TR (online) about a two weeks ago. I got a call after placing my order saying they won't sell me that size because it's not stock and won't fit my year. He tried to sell me a larger than stock size. I told him it would rub, and I was well aware of how to read and properly size tires for my car. He started making references to my car being lowered too much and causing mechanical problems (mind you my Contour is 100% stock). When he made a joke about 'kids these days' I chose to spend money elsewhere. As a husband, father of a great 4 year old and manger in a multi million dollar company, the jerk on the phone had no room to refer to me as a 'kid'. I ended up spending a little more, but got my tires locally. I also didn't spend money with them on new struts and springs after that.

I understand where they are coming from. You can't slap the wrong size tire on. It's unsafe, and the idiot owner might come back with a lawyer if/when they fail. The part that didn't float with me was the size was OEM on the car, even when they said it wasn't.
 
I had a similar call from tirerack years ago when I ordered FSVT wheels and a set of tires. I had to set the car choice to a Focus to get the wheels to come up. Someone called and questioned the tire size choice for the wheels and I just explained what I was doing and it was fine.


I suppose one could order tires and not specify a car, then they will not know what the tires are for. But also know that I think about it the last time I ordered tires online I got them from discount tire and not tirerack. The last two times I got tires I went to a local shop to order them.
 
Huh, weird, when I ordered my MR125's with 225/45/ZR17 tires, tirerack called me and the guy on the phone just wanted to let me know they are a little wider than what they usually like to run on Contours and may rub. I told him the car was lowered, most of us here on contour.org run that size, and that multiple wheel/tire size calculators had shown it to be a viable option. He said, and I quote; "Ah, well it sounds like you know what you're doing, thanks for your business!"
 
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