[sandygordon]

At last brought home the all new ford figo titanium TCDI oxford white.

Wanted to upgrade to 195 55 R15, but somehow wanted to retain the stock alloys. Ford Figo Alloys look like "idly trays" from a distance but when observed from near, the design looks smart. It has been growing on me for the past few days.

Tried the 195 60 R14, but that was a sqeeze on the stock alloys and the tyre juts out of the fender in the front. So zeroed on the 185 65 R14 Michelin XM2


My 2 cents
- Superb tyres for the price (had used them for 20k km on the Dzire)
- MRF made a lot of road noise, after the Michelin upgrade the road noise is nil. Grip is fantastic.
-I did not notice any significant change in the steering weight. It was still vague, but in a good way.
-I have not tried cornering, but ride has become more cushy. The expansion joints are dismissed off with a thud than a crash of the stock MRFs.

At the tyre shop


Recommended upgrade for Figo / Aspire for in town use
Fingers crossed on the side wall problems the XM1s have been having

Buy back for MRFs Rs 2700/tyre
Michelins costed Rs 4900/tyre
Filled them to 33psi and balancing was done on stock alloys.
Upgrade is not evident from the side (Variance in diameter is a mere 2.2%)


More photos and review soon

[shourya_lahiri]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

Tried the 195 60 R14, but that was a sqeeze on the stock alloys and the tyre juts out of the fender in the front. So zeroed on the 185 65 R14 Michelin XM2
Attachment 1561548

Thanks for the update. Can you throw some light on this part? I mean this sqeeze that you mentioned, is it detrimental by any chance? plus I believe the tyre well is designed to take on the 195 section tyres, then why is the jutting out a problem? All this because I am really looking fwd to this particular size, the 195/60 R14 and I also love the stock alloys.

[Coplay]

I am not quite sure if this has been discussed here already (Couldn't find a related post).
Would it be a bad idea to install 16" wheels and tires on the Figo ?
Looking at various pictures, I couldn't help but notice more space. Would the tires touch the walls while turning ?
The reason I ask is purely for Aesthetic purposes.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by Coplay

Would it be a bad idea to install 16" wheels and tires on the Figo ? Looking at various pictures, I couldn't help but notice more space. Would the tires touch the walls while turning ? The reason I ask is purely for Aesthetic purposes.

Hi Coplay, I would personally advise against 16" on the Figo, and ask you to limit yourself to only 15", for these reasons:

1. Its not just the visual appearance of space, but the clearances that the designers provide that is also to be considered (as you've rightly pointed out about tyres touching).
2. So, if you fit 16" rims without increasing the overall diameter of wheel+tyre, then your tyres will be very low profile, resulting in a harsh ride, particularly on the kind of roads we have in India. It is for this reason why even the big 3 German marques offer 18 - 19" rims in Europe where the roads are perfect but reduce it by an inch or so for Indian conditions.
3. If you fit 16" rims but decide to increase the diameter of wheel+tyre, so you get more sidewall for extra cushioning effect, then the risk of tyres touching are increased, because even internationally the Figo is offered with only 14" or 15" rims and never with 16". Furthermore, the added weight of the wheel+tyre will increase the unsprung mass of the car, making the suspension less reactive to bad roads, and diminishing comfort.

It is best to look at the range of tyre sizes that a car is sold with internationally, and limit it to those tested sizes (e.g. the Polo internationally runs on larger rims); or look at cars that the manufacturer sells with larger rims even in India (e.g. Punto).

[espraveen]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

... Tried the 195/60 R14, but that was a sqeeze on the stock alloys and the tyre juts out of the fender in the front. So zeroed on the 185/65 R14 Michelin XM2 .............
Fingers crossed on the side wall problems the XM1s have been having...

My Figo TDCi has crossed the 40,000KM mark on 185/65/R14 Michelin XM2s and the tyres still look like they have another 20K KM of cushy life left in them(although I'm planning to change them at the 50K KM mark). There have been absolutely no sidewall problems so far!!!

I have the 195/60/R14 Michelins in my mind for the next tyre change. Did you really find this size a misfit technically speaking or was it just an aesthetic misfit?!

Pic: The Michelins at the 40,000KM mark during WA/WB

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by espraveen

My Figo TDCi has crossed the 40,000KM mark on 185/65/R14 Michelin XM2s and the tyres still look like they have another 20K KM of cushy life left in them(although I'm planning to change them at the 50K KM mark). There have been absolutely no sidewall problems so far!!!

I have the 195/60/R14 Michelins in my mind for the next tyre change. Did you really find this size a misfit technically speaking or was it just an aesthetic misfit?!

Hi Praveen,

Why mess with something that's running perfectly ?

Would advise you to stick with 185/65-14.
1. +1 size to stock size is the safest bet. 195s on stock rims may have negative impact on handling. Spongy feeling while hard braking or cornering.
2. Michelin always has good inventory of 185/65 R14 because of good demand. 195/60 R14 may get phased out as most cars with 195s are coming in 15" only.

Note : I have used 185/65 R14 tires on my cars(Stock size 175/65R14) for over 2 lac kms.

[espraveen]

Originally Posted by kpzen

.. Would advise you to stick with 185/65-14.
1. +1 size to stock size is the safest bet. 195s on stock rims may have negative impact on handling. Spongy feeling while hard braking or cornering.
2. Michelin always has good inventory of 185/65 R14 because of good demand. 195/60 R14 may get phased out as most cars with 195s are coming in 15" only.
Note : I have used 185/65 R14 tires on my cars(Stock size 175/65R14) for over 2 lac kms.

Thanks for the inputs

Yes! 185/65/R14 looks like the best upgrade for Figo/Aspire (stock alloys). I think if one wants to go for 195 section tyres then they have to upgrade the alloys to 15'' as well or maybe go for 14'' alloys slightly wider than the stocks!!

[Coplay]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

Hi Coplay, I would personally advise against 16" on the Figo, and ask you to limit yourself to only 15", for these reasons:

Thanks ArunPhilip. Everything you said makes complete sense. Mine was just a casual query.

Cheers,
Coplay

[Seahorse]

Originally Posted by sandygordon

Expecting delivery of the Ford figo titanium TCDI this weekend.
Does anyone have a picture of 195 60 R 14 on stock rims. I kind of like the silver finish on stock rims. Would like to keep them as the car would be primarily used for city runs and occasional highway runs(read wide city roads as it is KL). More over roads in Cochin are like what the voyager would encounter on Mars.

Have you taken delivery of the car already? What are the upgrades and accessories you chose for your car? I am going to get delivery of Aspire Titanium 1.5 diesel by Feb. Also please share about your brief
review of this machine.

[swapnil.awate]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

Hi Coplay, I would personally advise against 16" on the Figo, and ask you to limit yourself to only 15", for these reasons

Arun sir, I have couple of doubts regarding tire upsize (Apologies, if it has repeated earlier):
1. After upsizing, whether the tire inflation pressure should be increased/decreased?
2. Whether tire upsizing (marginal changes in rolling diameter) affects the way ABS works?

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by swapnil.awate

Arun sir, I have couple of doubts regarding tire upsize (Apologies, if it has repeated earlier):
1. After upsizing, whether the tire inflation pressure should be increased/decreased?
2. Whether tire upsizing (marginal changes in rolling diameter) affects the way ABS works?

Hi Swapnil, they are both very good questions.

Let me take the easier - and less contentious - question first: about change in behaviour in ABS after an upsize.

An upsize that changes the rolling diameter (hence circumference) of the tyre will change the distance covered by one rotation of the tyre, resulting in a variation in speed compared to stock size - this is something you already know, given that you're asking this question . If the upsize is within limits (2-3% change) then the impact of this is usually negligible.

However, ABS will be impacted to an even lesser extent, because ABS uses the relative speeds of the wheels to determine if a wheel has locked up. So, if your left tyre is rotating at 600 rpm, and the right tyre at 200 rpm, the ABS system will know the right tyre has locked up, due to the significant difference in their rate of rotation. As you can see, this rate of rotation is unaffected by the size of the tyre (and even if you convert the wheel rpm into a speed, the relative difference will be the same - the right wheel's speed will be 33% the speed of the left wheel).

So, there's nothing to worry about in terms of ABS performance.

Coming to the next question of tyre inflation, there's a lot of information on the internet on this topic. However, there might be a simple solution in your case - what size are you upsizing to?

Let's take a look at the sticker for tyre pressures in the Figo/Aspire:

As you'll see, Ford recommends a pressure of 32 psi (low load)/35 psi (heavy load) for both the stock 175/65 R14 size, as well as the export size of 195/55 R15 (which has 3 differences: a wider tyre, a lower profile, and on a larger wheel).

On that basis, I'd say that as a starting point, you can continue to stick to Ford's recommended pressure. I know that on mobike008's thread, you don't intend to change from 14" wheels. That means that you are probably only changing the width (just 1 difference, maybe 2 if you change the profile). In any case, as long as you stay within the 2-3% variance, you can continue to use Ford's recommended pressure as a starting point.

Now, I mentioned using Ford's recommendation as a starting point, because you can really change the pressure by 1-2 psi higher or lower, depending on your needs and preferences.

• Dropping the pressure by 1-2 psi will give you a little more comfortable ride within the city over bad roads.
• Increasing the pressure by 1-2 psi will give your car a tighter feel, but will be more uncomfortable.
• Do remember that if you go on the highway, then you must set the pressure to the recommended pressure, or even 1-2 psi higher. Setting it lower than recommended will raise the risk of a tire blowout (it sounds counter-intuitive, but a lower pressure tyre on the highway means that the tire will flex more, heating up the tyre and the air within, and the subsequent expansion can cause a blowout).

Just to give an example - in my case, since there are just 1-2 people in my car, I set the pressure 2 psi above the recommended, since I like the tighter feeling it gives (particularly under heavy braking), by sacrificing some ride comfort.

PS - drop the 'sir', Arun will do just fine

[swapnil.awate]

Thanks a lot Arun!

I purchased a Ford Figo TDCi Titanium on Dussera, that is, 11th October 2016. It has covered ~7000 kms as of now. On day 1, [/FONT]it headed to my usual tire shop for a tire change. I am sharing my experiences and learnings about the tires, which, I have mentioned in my ownership review as well. Those people who are reading about Figo recently might be aware that the OEM rubber (MRF ZV2K, stock size 175/65R14) has complaints.
1. Poor grip
2. Lot of noise
3. Very hard sidewall
4. Smaller diameter of 14”
5. Smaller width of 175 mm



I am not in favour of 15” diameter as it may results in lower aspect ratio and it may hamper the ride quality. I don’t want to lose that supple edge. I wanted to go for 195 mm width for a car producing 100 PS of power, but Ford ASS discouraged me as it violates the warranty. Nonetheless, their tire pressure placard on door includes 195/55R15 tire, but arguing was futile. So, I decided to go for stock size but better quality rubber. I considered Continental Comfort Contact, Pirelli P7, Yokohama S-drive and Michelin Energy XM2. As I have changed the car, I decided to be constant with my previous tire viz. Michelin, to judge the car fairly. I used to tell my friends that Michelin is the Alphonso Mango of tires. My all Sparks (We own 4 Chevy Sparks!) in my family are fitted with different tires – Michelin Energy XM1+, Michelin Energy XM2, Continental Comfort Contact and Yokohama A-drive. Michelin Energy XM1+, Yokohama A-drive and Michelin Energy XM2 are found to be very good tires on grip, handling, comfort, life and puncture resistance point of view in ascending order. Not happy with Continental. Although it was good on grip, handling and comfort fronts, on one of the bad sections of the usual road the front left and rear left, both the tires suffered from side wall cut, at the same time. Usually on that section of road, in the Sparks equipped with Michelins and Yokos we didn’t even slow down. Expected a lot from the German brand, but disappointed. This incident took place around 3 years back. Conti is in the contention once again as I found that Conti has worked on the side wall issue. They have more number of plies in side wall now and thicker rubber, but that has made it stiffer than Michelins. With Michelins, I have crashed badly into potholes few times expecting either a tire cut (as in older thin walled Conti) or rim bend (as in stiff walled MRFs, JKs), but observed nothing. So, I must say Michelin has woven some magic into it and call it IronFlex technology. Alphonso Mango, you know! So for me its Michelin Energy XM2 hands down. I exchanged four tires which cost me Rs. 8400/- in total. It’s worth spending on Day 1 than any other fancy accessory or number plate.


As far as experience in Figo, over past 7000 kms is concerned, the Michelins have been delightful. Grippy, cushy, silent. Hoping the life of ~50k kms. I am using a stock size and surprisingly didn’t felt the need for upsize yet. I was in a spirited mood during one of my drive through Kasara Ghat (Nashik-Mumbai) and heard tire squeal twice. Hence, next tire change will be 185/65R14, Conti or Pirelli.

Mod Note: Please format your post on the forum itself. Using external editors may lead to unwanted tags showing up

[docmoya2007]

I recently had a highway ride on the MRF ZV2K tyres, size 175/65 R14 on my 2011 Ford Fiesta Classic SXi. Main complaint I had with the tyre is the road noise. I am keen on upgrading to 195/60 R14 tyres. I was previously thinking of the MRF ZLO tyres when the time comes. Michelin Energy XM2, Pirelli P6, Yokohama Earth 1, Yokohama S Drives, Continental EC3, GoodYear NCT5, MRF ZSport & Bridgestone Turanza AR10 were among the brands discussed in the Ford Fiesta : Tyre & wheel upgrade thread. Which one should I go for? My proirity is low road noise for highway ride on smooth tarmac, but curveous hilly roads.

[rider_kaush]

I will be getting my new Figo Titanium 1.2P delivered this weekend or next week probably.

Will be using it for short night drives within city and occasional long drives on weekends.

Should I go for a 185/65/R14 Michelin XM2 upgrade right away or upgrade later if I face any of the typical issues mentioned here.

Asking this since usage will be limited within city most of the time.

[bhphog]

Originally Posted by rider_kaush

I will be getting my new Figo Titanium 1.2P delivered this weekend or next week probably.

Should I go for a 185/65/R14 Michelin XM2 upgrade right away or upgrade later if I face any of the typical issues mentioned here.

As a owner of a Figo 1.5 Tdci, I am sure the under powered petrol version doesn't need bigger tyres.
Why mess up the suspension and steering components when it won't make a major difference in the performance as well as handling and comfort?
Then there is the issue about warranty.