Mish
fighter the +6 used in the uk is only on the 13" wheels which ofter require a narrow tyre stretched over the rim to make it fit properly.
True, but it doesn't matter how tall the wheel is (i.e. 13", 15" or whatever) when it comes to specifying offset. From what I can gather, UK wheels are often made to keep the backspace identical with the factory figure; hence the ET06 on the 7" RS 4 spokes vs. ET19 on the 6" factory versions (giving 108mm backspace in both cases). This is sensible, as it ensures that the wheels won't foul struts etc., although it can make it awkward to fit tyres as you say. ET12 works well with 7" wheels on Mk2 Escorts though, as they neither hit the struts or cause the tyres to rub on standard bodywork even when fitted with the correct 195/50 tyres. I can't yet say definitively whether they will rub on the front spoiler, although I will eventually find out the hard way....