Having researched winter tyres for the coming season  iwas wondering what differenve the speed symbols make to a tyre when using them on snow and icy roads.  Some car manufactures  suggest V (149mph) others suggest H (130mph) and T (118mph) . If all are avilable which would be the best choice.

Andy

You're not going to be driving on ice at those speeds. Theyre more informative about the speed you can do on dry roads.

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^This.

 

I'd imagine that the overall speed rating of the tyre would make no difference at all to how it performs at road speeds on an icy/snowy road. IMO it would be better to base your choice of tyre on other ratings e.g. grip in the wet, economy, noise etc.

Legally your speed rating may be faster than the maximum speed of the car. So it would be illegal to drive the car with h or t and you would not be insured.

Legally your speed rating may be faster than the maximum speed of the car. So it would be illegal to drive the car with h or t and you would not be insured.

 

Skoda specifically mention winter tyres can be run at a lower speed rating as long as the speed rating of the tyre isn't exceeded. There's even the winter tyre speed warning that can be set in the maxidot - more appropriate for the autobahns than here, as I think you'd struggle to find a tyre rated slower that 70mph!

The manual says so, but the law trumps the manual.

So if I fit H-rated winter tyres rated to 130mph am I breaking the law?

 

If so, could you kindly point me to the relevant statute?

The Motor Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2001

“

16. Tyres

6. Each wheel on each axle shall be equipped with a tyre which has a load capacity such that when the axle is loaded to its maximum permitted axle weight, the weight transmitted to the road surface by that tyre does not exceed that load capacity.

7. The speed capability of all tyres fitted shall be not less than the maximum design speed of the vehicle.

”http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/25/schedule/3/made

That is for Approval - i.e when they leave the factory.

 

Once it has left the factory it is of no relevance whatsoever.

 

It isn't even an MOT failure to have tyres fitted with a lower speed rating than the maximum speed of the vehicle.

 

I have queried this with my insurers over the last 5 winters now, 3 different insurance companies, and they have all been perfectly happy with H-rated winter tyres on both an Octavia II and an Octavia III. I was quite specific on exactly what make, size and rating of tyres I was fitting on each occasion and as long as the size and load rating were approved by the manufacturer they weren't bothered that they were H-rated.

 

Most winter tyres are H-rated - by your logic almost everyone who buys winter tyres is breaking the law.

Having contacted Skoda regarding the fitment of winter tyres on a new SEL Estate 4x4 the answer is below.

 

Thank you for your email dated 24 August 2015, regarding winter wheels/tyres for your ŠKODA Octavia.

I have checked with our Technical Department and they have confirmed that the permissible wheel/tyre combinations that can be
used on this car are as follows: -

Tyre Size     Wheel Size        

205/55 R16 91V    6.5J x 16
205/55 R16 91V    6J x 16
205/55 R16 91V    6J x 16
225/45 R17 91V    7J x 17
205/50 R17 89V    6J x 17
205/50 R17 89V    6J x 17
225/40 R18 92Y    7.5J x 18

the original tyre size is 225/45/17            
 

Which is absolute rubbish as you won't find Y rated winter tyres - it is permissable to fit H-rated, but stick to the approved sizes and load index.

 

When was the last time you exceeded 130mph in the UK (H-rated tyres).

Having just checked the The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, there doesn't appear to be any requirement for speed ratings beyond 70mph on any vehicle, unless I have misread it.

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/25/made

Cheers Andyvee,  It would have been better in the first place if Skoda had left 16" wheels on new orders instead of 17" My order went in before they allowed 16" wheels to be fitted, and would not change during build time.

Get a set of 16" steels and some wheel trims - keeps your nice shiny alloys from getting damaged by all the salt, or a clumsy tyre fitter when changing tyres twice a year.

 

It seems expensive at first, but the tyres should see you through 4 winters and as long as you have the space to store the wheels it makes it so much easier to change to winters and back again.

 

i bought a set of 4 steels in the Skoda approved size and offset with Michelin TS850 tyres on from Germany including shipping for less than the tyres alone cost in the UK! They turned up in 3 working days as well!

I have some 205/55/16 94 H XL tyres on 6.5J 16" alloys in the For Sale forum, and there are several other similar offers of steels or alloys in the same size too.

Apparently they are illegal, they have to be V or Y rated

Apparently they are illegal, they have to be V or Y rated

 

 

Quite! My insurer (forum sponsor Adrian Flux) have been happy to insure me with H rated winter tyres. The Yeti is rated at max 125mph, and with a remap (also declared) I could have potentially exceeded the 130mph of the H rating! I don't think I'll be troubling the V rated tyres I've just put on though (the highest rating Nokian do for the tyres).

Are we allowed to know the German contact for the wheels?

Are we allowed to know the German contact for the wheels?

 

probably deltikom trading as mytyres.co.uk

Other European providers like Oponeo and Pneus Online do steel wheels + winter tyre packages quite cheaply. I've used both for tyres and got keen prices & speedy delivery.

On my MK2FL I had "H" rated tyres, on for every MOT with no issues.

 

I guess in mainland Europe it might be an issue but here in the UK the max speed is 70mph so surely if it is rated over that then it should be fine.

I don't know why VAG won't just do something like this which is from my Subaru and make it clear and simple. Our KIA has a similar sticker too. H will be fine on UK roads. I ran Ts on an older Polo without issue, as they're still way in excess of the speed limit (and the car's abilities).

I don't know why VAG won't just do something like this and make it clear and simple. Our KIA has a similar sticker too.

 

I'm sure in the MK2FL owners Manual there is something along that effect, I do remember there being a max winter wheel speed somewhere.

The MK3 manual explains the speed ratings and explains you can fit whatever speed rating you like as long as you don't srive faster than the speed rating for your tyres. Pretty self explanatory really. 

When you have snow, ice and frost 3-5 months a year and some wet before and after that, you just choose best tyres for those conditions. You never need over T-rated tyres, when the max. speed anyway is 60 mph (100 km/h).

Maybe I get the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 oversize 205/60 R16 96T XL for Octy.

Those are for northern areas only and not available in UK, I'll think.

205-60R16-96T_Ice2.pdf

Edited 28 August, 201510 yr by Grumpy Finn