Advice on Bentley Arnage Red Label tyres please

[Champagne Charlie]

Greeting from France

I live and work over here in the sw of France.

Sadly my newly purchased Bentley Arnage which was bought sight unseen (yes, I know the pitfalls!) was bought the day before France was locked down by the pandemic. I am lusting after returning to pick it up.

I know that it needs tyres and I wonder please if any kind soul could give me advice. The seller is away.

It is a late 2000 registration and is a standard RHD Red Label 6.75 with the single big turbo (405bhp I believe). It has the standard Red Label 6 spoke alloy wheels which I presume (?) will be 18 inch?

Can anybody tell me the correct tyre size for this model?
Also speed rating?
Also Load index?

I would also be interested in other owners view on brands.

I believe, and I may be wrong, please advise, that this car came originally with Pirelli tyres? I normally avoid Pirelli like the plague as in the more than a million miles that I have driven over the years I have only ever had two tyre blowouts and both of them were Pirelli tyres.

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Keep safe friends.
Paul

[Champagne Charlie]

Thank you very much but I think your car is a later model and came with bigger wheels?

Can anybody confirm please?

Thanks a lot.
Paul

[Champagne Charlie]

Yes, thank you for that.

I was hoping for the original rating for speed and weight. If anybody has the original size for the 2000 Red label it would be much appreciated.

I don't believe that V rated tyre would be acceptable to insurance companies. It is not what speed the car is driven at but rather what the vehicle manufacturers specification was.

Insurance companies will look for ways to avoid paying and having the wrong speed rating or load is a classic problem. That is the reason for the question. It is not that other tyres cannot be fitted but rather in the event of a claim that it will be refused if the tyres are not correct.

If anybody has a handbook from 2000 red label the allowed variations and sizes should be listed.

Thanks to everybody.

[Champagne Charlie]

Thank you very much. The size and speed rating is as I suspected.

Can any kind soul tell me the load index please? I have seen XL rated but the load index varies between 103 and 106 from what I can understand.

Thank you very much.

[Champagne Charlie]

Exitleft said:

Funny how forums work. I say that the factory tyres have worked great over 16 years and several sets, and you come on having never driven the car on them and say they’re rubbish. Best of luck finding something suitable with the right speed and load rating that aren’t designed for SUVs.

That"s a really unpleasant and sarcastic response to a genuine opinion.

If you read my original post that started this debate you will see that I have strong feelings about Pirelli tyres as well despite in your words "come on having never driven the car on them and say they’re rubbish". Indeed I do.

The reason for that as I explained is that I have had only two tyres blow out in many years of driving and both were Pirelli, one a P6 and one a P Zero. In both cases the whole side wall blew off.

Fairly obviously if nothing else is available I will have to use Pirellis but I for one very much appreciate the view and his comments.

[Champagne Charlie]

alabbasi said:

How old were the tires? I've had tires blow out on me in the past (because I sometimes drive relics that had not been on the road for years until I got them running). Tires are usually very old. I expect this to be normal on a car like an Arnage or any other exotic(ish) car given how many that I see which are around 20 years old and have only 20,000 miles. They're probably still on the original tires.

The P6's were on a fairly new Golf GTI in about 1986 (it was a C reg) and were very recent although I have always driven long distances. As far as I recall they were about a third worn. I was doing about 95mph and went across the two lanes of the A1 twice and was lucky not to be killed. The entire side of the tyre came out. When I checked the others all three were split in a single perfect line around between the side wall and the tread but you could only see it off the wheel and by standing on the side of the tyre. Pirelli offered me a half price tyre as a gesture of good will!

The P Zero I can't actually remember the car as I used to run several at the same time but it was probably an Audi Quattro, the proper full blown baby in metallic green. It was a much slower speed on a country lane but it put me off the road although I was only I think doing about 30mph as I was behind another car. The noise was very loud indeed and I remember it now. The tyre was less than half worn.

Both these were many years ago but readers will understand that having two such experiences it would be stupid to have a third.

Are there seriously no other options for the Arnage than Pirelli?

By the way. To confirm for any other readers who followed my original question is that the car has as standard 255/50X18 Y Rated tyres at 102 load index.

[Champagne Charlie]

Exitleft said:

*
Based on the responses to me trying to be helpful I don’t think I’ll bother giving any more advice even when it’s asked for.

The problem is your response was very sarcastic and unhelpful.

By all means leave an opinion on if you like or dislike the tyres but I think if you re-read your comment you will see why you have had a negative response to it.

[Champagne Charlie]

Thank you for that very interesting information.

I agree with you from what I have read elsewhere. The problem that I have at present I can only find the Bridgestone tyre in W rated 106 format.

On the label Inside my glovebox it does give 255/50X18 Y but also says that W can be used. I don't want to run foul of dodgy Insurance companies looking to avoid claims but that information is direct from Bentley. I would prefer Y's but may go with W's.

Could you tell me where you have seen the Bridgestone tyre in a Y rating please?

Kind regards
Paul

[Champagne Charlie]

alabbasi said:

It sounds like your effort would be better spent finding a reputable insurance company

There is a huge misconception about speed ratings. Any insurance company will happily accept payment but will look for an out including whoever you are insured with.

I would never dream of fitting a tyre rated at below the producer recommendation as it automatically invalidates any insurance cover.

The only reason why I would consider a W rated tyre is because the wording on my car does say that it is allowable. I will certainly check with the insurance company however.

How fast you were travelling makes absolutely no difference to if a claim will be met or not. Fact. If you have a brand new tyre on your car by even a reputable manufacturer like Michelin if the manufacturer of the car recommends a Y and you have a W rated tyre they WILL refuse any claim no matter how caused if you are at fault. It is the first ting checked by Insurance assessors. .

[Champagne Charlie]

No, I have no personal experience of a Insurance company refusing such a claim but...……….You never run at 186mph so stick on some V rated tyres. The Insurance company will smile and cash your cheques but wait until you run into the back of a new Mercedes causing injuries to the driver.

Are you confident that they will pay out 100,000 Pounds plus or do you think they will send you a polite letter saying that regretfully...……..

It's a lot cheaper.

Don't believe me; just ask your Insurance company. Have you ever been asked for a copy of your driving licence by an Insurance company? No? Wait until you have an accident. Why? because at that stage they start looking for errors. Had a speeding conviction 6 years ago that you failed to reveal? Sorry...……….

[Champagne Charlie]

Monkrover said:

I'm late to the party here.
I have a recently acquired 2000 Arnage Red Label which runs on 255/50 R18 102Y tyres and is currently shod with the factory Pirelli tyres.

I'm not a huge fan of Pirellis and so have been looking around for a comparable tyre. Given the Pirellis are anything around £400 each, I have identified the correct specification Bridgestones, actually 106Y instead of 102Y, but they only available on the continent so I may have to get some shipped in.

I like Bridgestone tyres but they are not the longest lasting. However at just over £150 per tyre I'm not really that bothered..

I'll be changing them in the next few months so will report back on what I finally decided and how they fare.

Once you have them fitted do please let me know how they feel. I think they have to sound a better option over the Pirellis. Good luck with the car. I absolutely love mine. When my local French garage test drove it (he drives VERY quickly) he came back with a huge grin on his face and said it was like a "raz de marée en roues" (a tidal wave on wheels).