> D40M2′s Front 195/50 VR15
>         Back  205/50 VR15, with Borbets type T wheels.

> Since I’m a new Miata maniac,
> Does this sound like a reasonable setup?

  i just put on 205/50 15′s all the way around and it looks and drives
great, and yes i thing you got a great deal…!!!

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>Sha…@webspan.net (Shayne) writes:
>>Looking to replace my stock base model wheels/tire setup with:
>>D40M2′s Front 195/50 VR15
>>       Back  205/50 VR15, with Borbets type T wheels.
>>Since I’m a new Miata maniac,
>>Does this sound like a reasonable setup?

>Pick one of the two sizes, and make all 4 tires the same.

>1.  This allows for rotation.
>2.  195 is plenty big enough for non-forced-induction Miatas,
>though 205 will give a very full wheel well appearance, and
>doesn’t hurt all that much.

>Oh, you’re going up from stock.  In this case, you will probably
>notice the weight of the larger wheels.  On my car going from
>14" Mazda alloys to 15" aftermarket was a 33% weight hit per
>wheel + tire.  The shocks don’t work the same with all this new
>mass, but the lateral grip is great.

>If you’re doing this mostly for grip, do swaybars & the miata.net
>alignment (different settings from stock) to your car first & see if
>you like how much grip you get.  Going to huge tires (for a Miata) is
>not nearly the most efficient way (in terms of money, weight, and
>ride quality) to get more grip.  Whatever tires you’ve got now will
>stick a LOT more with a $50 alignment and $200 swaybars.  Though if
>you’ve got $1000 to blow on the wheel/tire combo anyway, you may as
>well add the other 2 mods to get the most from it.

>(I run D40M2′s 205/50/15, swaybars & alignment, plus a LOT more
>power than stock…)

Thanks for the advice,  you always seem to have right answer.
I appreciate it.  I will be going with 15" 205s all around, for mostly the
appearance.
Will also look into the alignment change.  The sway bars are on my list.
Someday, after the car is broken in, I will be going the supercharger route.
(probably, a year or so down the road)
Hell, I haven’t even advanced the timing yet.
She’s only 3 days old with 120 miles on her.

Thanks again, Eric & Harry 

Pick one of the two sizes, and make all 4 tires the same.

1.  This allows for rotation.
2.  195 is plenty big enough for non-forced-induction Miatas,
though 205 will give a very full wheel well appearance, and
doesn’t hurt all that much.

Oh, you’re going up from stock.  In this case, you will probably
notice the weight of the larger wheels.  On my car going from
14" Mazda alloys to 15" aftermarket was a 33% weight hit per
wheel + tire.  The shocks don’t work the same with all this new
mass, but the lateral grip is great.

If you’re doing this mostly for grip, do swaybars & the miata.net
alignment (different settings from stock) to your car first & see if
you like how much grip you get.  Going to huge tires (for a Miata) is
not nearly the most efficient way (in terms of money, weight, and
ride quality) to get more grip.  Whatever tires you’ve got now will
stick a LOT more with a $50 alignment and $200 swaybars.  Though if
you’ve got $1000 to blow on the wheel/tire combo anyway, you may as
well add the other 2 mods to get the most from it.

(I run D40M2′s 205/50/15, swaybars & alignment, plus a LOT more
power than stock…)

> Looking to replace my stock base model wheels/tire setup with:

> D40M2′s Front 195/50 VR15
>         Back  205/50 VR15, with Borbets type T wheels.

> Since I’m a new Miata maniac,
> Does this sound like a reasonable setup?

Those are reasonable sizes, but why not use the same size at both ends?
The Miata does not have so much power that you need bigger tires/wheels
in back, and it is an inconvenience.  You can tweak the handling by
alignment and tire pressures, and use the same wheels/tires all the way
around.

Harry