Motoring Discussion > Replacing tyres with different speed rating Accessories and Parts
Thread Author: hawkeye Replies: 13
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 20:07 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - hawkeye
I've bought some tyres on Ebay. Brand new Michelin Energys (should that be Energies?). They saved me a bundle but they are the wrong speed rating for the car. They replaced some shamefully balding V-rated tyres; these are T-rated suitable for a sustained 118 mph whereas my ageing C8 is only good for a theoretical 116 mph according to the handbook. Why does my people carrier need tyres suitable for a sustained 130 mph? Do those nice people at Citroen think I might get offered a tow by a madman in a Veyron when I next run it out of diesel?

Has anyone else done cost-cutting like this?

PS The insurers aren't bothered.
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 20:19 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - Bellboy
a people carrier is capable of holding many people and luggage so the tyres need to be up to the job of what is basically a fully loaded van
im surprised your insurer is happy as i would expect the higher speed rated tyre to have more cords in it for sustained full load full speed conditions
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 20:49 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - spamcan61
If the insurance company are happy fair enough, I'd be more bothered about the load rating than the speed rating on an MPV.
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New Fri 19 Mar 10 09:46 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - FotheringtonTomas
Speed rating is not load rating.
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New Fri 19 Mar 10 09:54 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - spamcan61
>> Speed rating is not load rating.
>>

yeah, I know, but if the speed rating is lower then is the load rating the same? maybe yes, maybe no.

edit: and reading the rest of the thread the load rating is the same. Happy days then.
Last edited by: spamcan61 on Fri 19 Mar 10 at 09:56
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 21:35 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - VxFan
>> PS The insurers aren't bothered.

Ask if they'll put that in writing.
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 21:41 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - -
For a people carrier it's the load rating that's really the point, it's probably coincidental that the higher load tyres are higher speed rated anyway.

Did you check load rating H?
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 22:59 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - hawkeye

>> Did you check load rating H?
>>

Yes. Extra load replaced extra load. It's only the speed rating that's different. They're van tyres; they make lots of them; that's why they're cheap.

130 mph! As if. What were they thinking?
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 23:10 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - -
I'd be happy then meself H if they're proper van tyres and not some old stock been lying round 10 years, so long as the insurance is ok with it, you'll now have to drive flat out everywhere bump up and park on the kerb and go through every pot hole.;)

Always led to believe that the insurance was a dodgy area for lower speed ratings, though it's often the case for winter tyres.
I've always replaced speed ratings with the ones originally fitted to the vehicle, interesting this.
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New Thu 18 Mar 10 23:12 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - Manatee
What does the handbook say? Cars are often fitted with tyres of a higher speed rating than the minimum spec - presumably the price was right at the time they were supplied to the factory. I think my wife's Civic came new with H rated tyres, it currently has T rated Michelins on it.

If they're at least up to the required load and speed rating then they're OK - I seriously doubt that the specification is for an 'enhanced' rating for speed and/or load - that's what the ratings are for.

The effective load capacity will also be higher (i.e. have a bigger safety margin) when the tyre is operated well below it's maximum speed rating.

Incidentally, V rating is 149mph. H is 130mph.
Last edited by: Manatee on Thu 18 Mar 10 at 23:13
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New Fri 19 Mar 10 06:40 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - Perky Penguin
My understanding is that a car that can do 120mph, say, also needs tyres that can cope with the associated acceleration and braking. it is not just a speed factor. In Germany one is required to fit the appropriate rated tyres but that is probably because they still have some motorways with no speed limits
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New Fri 19 Mar 10 09:48 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - FotheringtonTomas
It doesn't, I don't know, yes, good, also they'll be fine.
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New Fri 19 Mar 10 10:18 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - bathtub tom
Good point about the age of the tyres. Can be checked from info on 'car bibles'. Scroll down to: DOT Codes and the 6-year shelf life.

www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html#top
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New Fri 19 Mar 10 13:38 
 Replacing tyres with different speed rating - Bill Payer
I used to work for a car manufacturer and there was a hullabaloo about an insurance company not paying out on one that manufacturers cars due to the car having the wrong speed rating tyres.

We looked into and it turned out to be untrue. We checked with several insurance companies all they all said speed rating in irrelevant in the UK as the max speed is 70MPH.

I would have thought that, say, a powerful 150MPH car would need appropriately rated tyres but apparently not. As long as the load index is correct then that's fine.
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