I have a 2002 Mazda 626, which came with 205 / 60-15" tires. Does anyone know if the 60 height is the correct size, or should they be only 55 in height? And- does anyone know if they should be 205 in width, or should they be only 185 or 195 in width? Also- I was reading how a less wide tire, such as 185 or 195 witdth will concentrate the vehicle weight and perform better in the rain & snow, but if thats the case why would anyone put 205 width tires on it; is there any good reason to run a 205 wider width tire? I am buying new tires, which will be M+S (mud + snow) rated to get me through the Winter snows, and want to make sure I'm getting the best tires, best size. Thanks in advance for any experienced 626 drivers who can help! [NOTE: Edited 10/8/19 after first posting 10/2/19, to confirm the label inside the drivers door specified 205/60/15, so the factory size is 205/60/15]

 

There should be a tyre label on either the Drivers or Passengers door or B pillar close to the door latch/catch. Failing that what does your owners manual say?


185 width would be better in the snow. 205 would handle better in dryer or warmer months. More contact area gives more traction & control.

In the USA market the 15" rims ran 185/65/15 or 195/60/15 or 205/60/15

 

Yes, the label inside the drivers door specified 205/60/15, so I just installed brand new Cooper 205/60/15. When I explained to the tire guy that I understood the wider 205s would perform better on dry pavement, but that a narrower 185/195 tire would perform better in the snow, he confirmed the factory rims I have were made for the factory-sized 205s, and that a 185 tire would require new rims. Considering that 185 width is better in snow, and that 205 handles better in dryer or warmer months (because more contact area from the wider 205s gives more traction & control, but less contact area from the narrower 185s concentrates the GVW (gross vehicle weight) into a smaller area to get a better bite or grip in snow), I have have a couple questions: Should I invest in a new set of "winter rims" that are for 185 width tires, so I can run 185 width snow tires in the winter?

Second to that is: Would 185s run better in the rain as well? Logically I think they would, but am open to learning more from anyone who cares to comment. So, (because I'm not "racing" - the fastest I drive in dry conditions is 95/100 mph, so where I really worry about safety is in wet conditions, during rain & snow) - the third question is: should I invest in 185 rims for year round, and stop running the 205s?

Also, as a side note, I recently learned the Sway Bar was loose, and needed to be repaired, so even with the new tires I felt (in dry conditions) like I was hydroplaning and ready to loose control- so I'm getting the Sway Bar repaired this week. Question: Do they make premium or higher-quality Sway Bars for regular sedan-sized cars (like a 2002 Mazda 626), and would it increase my safety to invest in a new, higher quality Sway Bar?

And another side note, in case anyone is interested in Alignment related issues: the driver's side left rear wheel won't align and they say its "not adjustable" -bear in mind we're talking about a 2002 Mazda 626 with 185k miles on her. When I ran into that on another car (2002 Subaru Legacy with 294k miles) the issue turned out to be the control arm bushing wore out so the control arms were sagging almost imperceptably, but it was enough that the tire ran (microscopically) up on edge, not level, flat aligned. After repairing, restoring the integrity of the control arms structure, the car aligned just fine. I'm glad I learned that from my Subaru because it allowed me to educate the alignment guy at this place. While it may seem at first like the alignment cannot be adjusted, the issue is structural from the control arms and once the control arm bushings are replaced and the integrity of the control arms structure is restored, the alignment can then be resolved. But - its just one more thing to do!