ok.. so i have an '05 SXT, with the Stock Rims.
From what I've seen the Stock tire size is 185/60 R15's.
This car is Running on 195/55 R15's
now @ some point, i will have to replace these tires.
is there any advantage to the 195/55 15's? (better handling, grip, cooler looks?)
or am i just better off going back to the 185/60 R15's?
or is it a toss up and i should just do whatever i want?, Factory recommendations and engineering degrees be damned!?

 

Whichever is cheaper or better, depending on what you want. The 195 is wider, but has a shorter sidewall so the overall diameter is fine compared to the 185.

 

i seem to notice a lot of people run 195/65 R15's as a winter tire and on the two neons we have..... mine runs 195/65R15 and the other has a 185/65R14(stock metal rims). ive never really noticed any difference in mileage or anything of that sort.... and on an average driving with both vehicles getting about 450 or so kilometres on a tank......

 

They are so close in overall diameter, it's nothing you will notice.

 

The wider the tire the more the tire has a tendency to hydroplane. 10mm isn't a big difference though.

 

I'm running 275x40 17's on the @$$ end of my Mustang and I have no problem with hydroplaning. I don't run all season tires either, they're summer/rain tires ... I had more problems with hydroplaning with the factory 195x60 14 all season tires ...

1988 Mustang Coupe LX
(origianally 4 cyl) 2003 Terminator swap w/ 6 spd convertion
handles all the power in the rain or dry

 

Where did you get that from? What is true, is the wider the tire, the more tendency it has to track. Still, a 195 is not wide at all.

 

I used to sell tires. Also I've been through about 2 different classes.

You can feel free to look it up on the web if you want. If you keep the diameter of the wheel the same but change the width you WILL have a higher tendency to hydroplane.

 

I still call BS. Factory tire size on a 2002 Ford Mustang GT is a 245/45/17 A/S, on all four corners. I have 275/45/17s on the front and 315/35/17s on the rear, max performance summer tires. I can drive 70MPH in the rain and wind with 0 hydroplaning "tendencies." Not sure what horrid conditions you have to be in to achieve what you are describing...

 

Wider tire means greater surface contact ... greater surface contact = better traction ... if it didn't Corvettes wouldn't come with 315's they'd come with 195's !!!!