Just after a few opinions as can't decide what to do..

My new runaround is a Golf mk4 TDI, it needs new tyres on the front , the rears are approx 4.5mm currently all four are Continentals. One thing I noticed when pricing up new tyres is that the current ones are 91H and the original fitment is 91V.

I'd like to get it back to original spec tyres but that would mean mixing the speed ratings as I'd put the new ones on the back (91V) and move the old rears to the front (91H) to wear them down quicker. Is this going to be an issue ? I'm guessing at normal speeds I'm not going to notice anything untoward and the only slight issue may be insurance should I have a crash and they see the speed ratings are mixed front to back.

Should I just buy four new 91V's and try to get a few quid back selling the rears on eBay ?

H - 131mph

V- 149mph.

I wouldnt of thought youd be going that fast?

It has nothing to do with the speed you will drive at.   You must, by law, fit tyres with a speed rating appropriate to the maximum design speed of your vehicle.

What is the maximum theoretical speed of your car?   (Not the maximum you will drive at.)   If it's less than 130 mph, then "H" rated are fine, if it's over 130 mph then you need "V"'s.

Edited 10 January, 201511 yr by bealine

It's a PD130 with a max speed of 127mph.

So H rated tyres are up to the job, even though they aren't original fitment would I have any issues insurance wise?

No, you'll be fine. Stick to the original plan!

No, you'll be fine. Stick to the original plan!

As in it'll be fine to mix speed ratings until I wear the H's down at the front?

As in it'll be fine to mix speed ratings until I wear the H's down at the front?

 

Yes

Cheers guys, much appreciated..

The handbook or sticker in door jamb may tell you more about suitable tyre sizes. 

My car is rated Y

But Y rating tyres command a premium over V/W rates tyres. Also not a lot of companys make Y rated tyres.

So i fit V/W's don't think i'll ever exceed 186mph

Edited 10 January, 201511 yr by BigJase88

.

Edited 2 February, 201511 yr by Otaylor38

It is not only about the Speed Rating and possible Max Speeds, it is Load Rating, and where you might not use half the potential of the car speed wise,

Cornering, braking and accelerating is what the Manufacturer, Designers & engineers considered when giving Manufacturers Speed & Load Ratings.

It is not only about the Speed Rating and possible Max Speeds, it is Load Rating, and where you might not use half the potential of the car speed wise,

Cornering, braking and accelerating is what the Manufacturer, Designers & engineers considered when giving Manufacturers Speed & Load Ratings.

What exactly is a load rating mate?

Always wondered that haha

http://blackcircles.com/general/load-rating

Who cares black and round they will do the job

Over 200,000 miles so far and still here

Who cares black and round they will do the job

Over 200,000 miles so far and still here

Uh. Okay...

Who cares black and round they will do the job

Over 200,000 miles so far and still here

If your car is fitted with tyres with incorrect speed/load rating as stated under the EU Type Approval Certificate for that vehicle model, not only does your motor insurance becomes invalidated but you are potentially committing an offence which carries three penalty points per tyre.   Hope no one has an accident with you!

When driving on a wet/icy road or at high speed, you only have four tiny footprints of about two square inches each in contact with the road surface at any time.    That is why it is imperative that:

1.   Tyres are correctly fitted according to both the car and the tyre manufacturers'  instructions.   If tyres are directional, they must be fitted to rotate in the correct manner.   Tyres must be correctly inflated.

2.   Punctures are only repaired using the vulcanised plug method and no repairs at all are done on the shoulder of the tyre.   ON NO ACCOUNT must a tube ever be placed inside a tubeless tyre (you may laugh, but it is common practice by some tyre sheds in the name of "customer service" and "saving the punter a bob or two".   Used car dealers often ask for this to be done.   The tyre fitters a certain police force used to use did exactly that "to save money" about 20 years ago with the result that two policemen had a very serious accident when involved in a high speed pursuit!)

3.   "Part Worn" tyres should be destroyed and NEVER used on a road-going vehicle.   (Where do you think "part worns" come from? Usually accidents where the original car has been written-off.   It's your life - new tyres are worth paying for!)

4.   Wheel damage on the rim should be repaired before new tyres are fitted.   A damaged rim will cause a local "hot spot" and heat is a tyre's biggest killer!

5.   If price is an important factor to you, DO consider alternative tyre brands from leading fitters.   National Tyres Service website shows ratings for wet weather grip, wearability and fuel economy.   If you are considering a brand you have not previously heard of, ask the tyre fitter if they have an "E11" symbol.   All tyres used in the EU must be approved by having an "E" or "E11" stamped on the tyre - tryes constructed for other countries - especially those in Equatorial or Tropical latitudes - may not be made of suitable compounds for the cold, wet conditions we experience. 

6.   Examine your tyres regularly.   There is a tread wear indicator built into most tyres which shows as a solid black bar when your tread reaches 2mm depth.   Although the law allows 1.6mm, there is evidence to show a marked decrease in wet weather braking ability once the tread falls below 4mm and a serious deterioration below 3mm.   It is up to you when you decide to buy new black balloons, but I would certainly do it once the tread wear indicator shows through.

 

I hope that's helpful - I used to work in the tyre industry and it is something most drivers take for granted.   The chart below will help you to identify what markings to look out for and where you will see the "E11" symbol

Edited 11 January, 201511 yr by bealine

If your car came with (for example) 225/45/17 94V rated tyres from the factory then you should only be fitting the same factory specification or higher tyres. That means you can go higher than 94 load rating and higher than V speed rating if you wish, but going below those means (as pointed out above) your probably committing an offence and your insurance will be invalid if you have an accident and the insurers deem your tyres have contributed to the cause of the accident. Not a situation I would like to be in.

 

Edit: You can fit lower speed and load rating tyres if you wish as long as you contact your insurers and clear the changes with them. That will get you past the insurance issue, but you still run the risk of prosecution for an offence, although it's highly unlikely if you have insurance approval. Insurers are generally lenient with load and / or speed ratings if you're fitting winter tyres (for winter obviously) but again best to ask them if they are okay with the change.

If your car came with (for example) 225/45/17 94V rated tyres from the factory then you should only be fitting the same factory specification or higher tyres. That means you can go higher than 94 load rating and higher than V speed rating if you wish, but going below those means (as pointed out above) your probably committing an offence and your insurance will be invalid if you have an accident and the insurers deem your tyres have contributed to the cause of the accident. Not a situation I would like to be in.

Edit: You can fit lower speed and load rating tyres if you wish as long as you contact your insurers and clear the changes with them. That will get you past the insurance issue, but you still run the risk of prosecution for an offence, although it's highly unlikely if you have insurance approval. Insurers are generally lenient with load and / or speed ratings if you're fitting winter tyres (for winter obviously) but again best to ask them if they are okay with the change.

So you're saying it goes off the OEM tyre rating?

So what about winter tyres? Theyre always rated less than the factory fitted summers arent they?

People buy winter tyres with lower ratings because they think they're not going to be traveling as fast, and because they cost less, and whatever reason. It's not because they're rated less than summer tyres, just that people buy lesser rated winter tyres.

 

And as far as I'm aware the tyres fitted to the car when it left the factory are the tyres the car was type approved with, and those are the tyre specs that need to be adhered to.

Thought winters just had a lesser speed rating anyway.

May well be wrong on that though.

The Grey Area of Construction & Use & the UK / EU, Winter Tyres etc. Insurance Companies and fitting Safe & Legal Tyres.

(if you are in a fatal or accident with Life Changing Injuries, then the tyres on the vehicle might come under close scrutiny, even though 

they pass MOT's and Road Side checks.)

 

People do fit lower Speed Ratings, but must have the correct Load Rated tyres.

& Winter Tyres can be on All Year, and Winter Fuel is October to March in the UK, and Cold Weather & Snow can fall in almost 12 months of the year in parts of the UK, there were minus nights in August & September in my area.

The vector 4 seasons I've put on are H rated.

It seems id best check what the bridgestones before were.

Although theres no chance in hell a 1.2 htp will reach 130mph without going off a cliff lol

Edit: they were H too. Happy days.

It has nothing to do with the speed you will drive at.   You must, by law, fit tyres with a speed rating appropriate to the maximum design speed of your vehicle.

 

 

It'd be nice if, when people spout rubbish, they try to back it up by pointing out where this 'law' is written.

 

For instance, it is permitted to use a lower speed rating when fitting winter tyres. Manufacturers sometimes suggest that if the speed rating of the tyres is lower than the maximum speed of the vehicle, a small note is placed on the instrument panel next to the speedo to remind the driver. In many circumstances it's a moot point - it's very difficult to find car tyres that have a speed rating lower than the national speed limit.

 

Load Index, on the other hand, is a strict legal requirement. Cars should have a ministry plate under the bonnet which states the maximum axle load for each axle. The tyres ftted across an axle must be capable of carrying the maximum axle load. Generally manufacturers specify tyre load index with a margin above the maximum axle weight, but on some cars the margin seems pretty thin.

 

The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 - Regulation 25

If your car came with (for example) 225/45/17 94V rated tyres from the factory then you should only be fitting the same factory specification or higher tyres.

 

Skoda in Germany publish a document with all the wheel & tyre combinations that are permitted (in Germany) - the current issue is from July 2014. It can be seen that sometimes the minimum permitted load index and/or the speed index is lower that the tyres fitted in the factory.

 

For example, it appears that standard fitment on one of our cars is 205/45R16 83W yet the Skoda document points out that 205/45R16 83V is permitted, as is 185/55R15 83H.

 

The level of misunderstanding in this area is immense; by way of example I had an argument with a tyre fitter in Bracknell in which he didn't want to fit 205/55R16 91V tyres (standard fitment) to our other car because the existing tyres were 205/55R15 91W.