In September 2009 I bought a Seat Altea 1.9 TDI 105 hp new, except that something, I’m satisfied. When you need to change your current wheels, what are the most recommended?

Today, my Seat Altea takes a 205/55 R16, I have thought of a ride him 195/65 R15, which they are also approved for the car. What will I notice something? I’m pretty satisfied with the motor on the highway, but not so much overtaking road with steep climbs, since the change hampers the car’s performance too. In fact, I almost full speed in both fourth and fifth. Would I lose reliability, progressiveness or consumption boosting the engine? If you advise me where I could do it with guarantees and at what price.

Response Highway Technical Director Miguel Garcia-Puente

Answering your first question, the first thing you notice is the change in tire pocket. And we do not say by price new tires, but because moving from 205/55 R16, to the 195/65 R15 you indicate, will require also change your current tires because they are not of the same diameter. Apart from this important detail, we not quite understand the purpose of the change that you propose to us. If you complain that your Seat freckle have a long exchange developments that penalize its performance, with mounts that indicas empeorarás in this regard, because the 195/65 R15 tires have a slightly longer than your current tire development.

Also knocked back in other ways, since this measure lowers the tire width, representing less cornering and braking, and its profile is higher and therefore the lateral drifts in curved braces are also evident. The only thing you win is comfort, since having more ball height of the tire, transmit less potholes. You will also improve the consumption at cruising speed, since its development is somewhat longer. As it regards how to enhance the engine, imagine that you mean “reprogramarle” the electronic control unit. In principle and if you’re not going to use this amendment to bring the engine always burned, and just looking to improve torque within a reasonable figures, there should be no problems. Our experience has demonstrated the reliability of the company DEMAC (Tel. 902 363 859), whose engineers take into account the limits of the engine, clutch and gearbox, to reprogram the ECU with a margin of maximum security. The price of this rescheduling, always depending on the model, and the overall level of improvement would be around 400 euros.