i have bought a set of 17" rims for my sapphire 1,8 lx today they are ET38 with 215/40/17 tyres they fit the rear arches nice and sit in well only thing is they catch the back box pipe on the bend before it meet the rear box also the front suspension cups are really close to the tyre there is about a 1 cm gap between the strut cup and tyre is this normall and would it be better if i ran 205/40/17 tyres on the front ?????????

 

gap on the stut cup wont matter as they move together.
What exhaust do you have? as i have 205's but there nowhere near the exhaust

 

et38 isn't that wide, maybe some 5mm spacers @ the rear will do. And maybe your exhaust rubbers are a bit worn, so the exhaust will be able to move around to much (and hitting your wheel)
Might require having your arches rolled!

 

the backs are spot on they sit in the arches really well wouldnt of said the arches need rollin its just a standard exhaust at the minute im just waitng to get a stainless so im not so worried about that at the momment done about 200 mile with the rims on now and no rubbing at all so im well pleased

 

At worst you'll need spacers to move the wheel out a couple of mm

 

i have 225s on the back of mine et35 no probs with the zorst