TYRES AGAIN...

[c15]

After having spent about 2 hours going through all the forums looking for information... I am looking for the speed ratings for the tyres... Have called many tyre manufacturers and most are saying the same thing..

205/55 R15 W in Toyo and Bridgestone S-03
245/45 R16 Y or Z in Toyo and only Y in S-03...

I thought the car would need Z-rating, which would leave me with only Pirelli, Continental, Michelin or Dunlop to choose from, anyone got any ideas???

I don't normally drive much above 155mph here in Germany anyway, but W only gives me 15mph more...

[FlipFlopGriff]

The old system was much clearer.
As I understand it V=up to 149.1mph, W=up to 167.8mph, Y=up to 186.4mph and ZR = 150+mph.
So ZR was OK before but now there are 3 classifications. Can't see why you would be told to go for W front and Y at the rear - do the rears turn faster - probably the wheel spin speeds!!!
FFG

[19560]

FlipFlopGriff said:

The old system was much clearer. As I understand it V=up to 149.1mph, W=up to 167.8mph, Y=up to 186.4mph and ZR = 150+mph. So ZR was OK before but now there are 3 classifications. Can't see why you would be told to go for W front and Y at the rear - do the rears turn faster - probably the wheel spin speeds!!! FFG

Spot on. The problem is that when the Griff was launched the 55 profile was the new fangled super low profile but now new sports cars use 40 or lower profile so 55 profiles are very hard to find.
I've just bought a pair of 205/55/ZR15 SO3PPs and they do have the W sub-division. This would not be a problem to most Griff drivers. One alternative is Goodyear who make the F1 GSD2 in 225/50/ZR15 and 245/45/ZR16.

[c15]

Well after a lot of to and fro-ing with a tyre dealer I spoke directly with Bridgestone in Belgium.

I didn't know this but the S-03 is now obsolete!! Only stocks are being run down. The S-02 and S-01 are being continued... So much for the S-03 replacing the S-02, it appears the S-03 is not as good as originally thought at Bridgestone.

Anyway, the gave me the 4 tyres (W and Y rating), for €492.00, incl. fitting and balancing its €578.00, GBP350.00.... not bad eh!!


Cheers Steve

[c15]

FlipFlopGriff said:

The old system was much clearer. As I understand it V=up to 149.1mph, W=up to 167.8mph, Y=up to 186.4mph and ZR = 150+mph. So ZR was OK before but now there are 3 classifications. Can't see why you would be told to go for W front and Y at the rear - do the rears turn faster - probably the wheel spin speeds!!! FFG

Oh FFG, in answer I am not being told to get W for the front, they only make W in the 205/55 R15 size... Since now that most sports cars have 17inch+ wheels they have no need to make narrower tyres at the higher speed ratings, as the EU car makers tend to electronically limit cars to 255km/h, and the Japanese cars don't leave the factory for the domestic market without the compulsory 180km/h limiter.

Thats why even Bridgestone employees suggested going for Pirelli's!!!