Ford Focus 55 2.0 Titanium - Ford Focus 55 2.0 dropping from 17" to 16" wheels

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Sat 19 Oct 2013 21:30
Ford Focus 55 2.0 Titanium - Ford Focus 55 2.0 dropping from 17" to 16" wheels - loosest-cannon
I've currently got 205/50/17s on my Ford Focus 55 2.0 Titanium which is a pain during the winter at any sign of slush or snow. Only on our estate, the main roads are fine.
I did give some consideration to buying a smaller set of steel wheels and swapping them for Winter and it was recommended to go for 205/55/16s which seem to be one of the options my car could have had.
Needing new tyres anyway I looked and for anything decent at 17" it's starting £120+ whereas for the 205/55/16s they seem almost half the price.
Then I had a thought. If I bought a set of alloys at 205/55/16 and new tyres it'd probably only cost me the price of the 17" tyres and I'd make cost savings over the years on tyres. I could even sell my 17" ones on eBay.

1. Would I notice any difference having 205/55/16s in slush/snow rather than the 205/50/17s?
2. Would I need to tell my insurance company since 205/55/16 is an option on the sticker in the door?
3. Would the smaller wheels be ok for my brake discs on the 2.0?

Thanks for your help!
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Sun 20 Oct 2013 22:04
Ford Focus 55 2.0 Titanium - Ford Focus 55 2.0 dropping from 17" to 16" wheels - MrEckerslikefromRamsbottom

Both tyre choices have the same width of 205, and so they both have the same road contact area which gives the same braking efficiency. You will have a more comfortable ride with a deeper profile tyre.

There are a couple of wheel and tyre suppliers on the Internet who offer a full set of German-made steel wheels complete with Winter or all-weather tyres such as Kleber Quadraxers (which are very good in snow - I've used them).

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