VRS speed ratings

[courty]

Quick question, to put my mind at ease. 

 

Am I correct in thinking that my car can accept a 225 40 R18 W fitment, even though currently it's running 225 40 R18 Y (Bridgestone S001) from the factory? 

 

Looked on black circles for GY Efficient Grips, put my reg in and the speed rating goes from Y to W.... read into the insurance bit and it states don't mess around with the ratings as it could invalidate?

 

Any guidance much appreciated. 

[flybynite]

17" wheels are listed as W.  18" and 19" are listed as Y 

 

Thats where the confusion comes from web sites can be a bit general, if you want to be certain look at Skoda documentation

[fatzy]

2 hours ago, courty said:

Quick question, to put my mind at ease. 

 

Am I correct in thinking that my car can accept a 225 40 R18 W fitment, even though currently it's running 225 40 R18 Y (Bridgestone S001) from the factory? 

 

Looked on black circles for GY Efficient Grips, put my reg in and the speed rating goes from Y to W.... read into the insurance bit and it states don't mess around with the ratings as it could invalidate?

 

Any guidance much appreciated. 

 

It is quite easy, really: the tyres on the car shall be capable to withstand the vehicles top speed. So all you need to do, is to find the official top speed for your car. I don't know the exact number for vRS, but can 228 km/h correct?

 

Then, the tyres fitted to that car must have a speed index V, which equals 240 km/h or 149 mph.

 

Have a look at this site:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35 

[flybynite]

Although the ratings are in miles (or km) per hour it is not speed that degrades the tyre it is heat and stress forces. There are other ways of putting heat and stress on a tyre than going high speed.

 

Speed is a convenient metric to use to gauge the capabilities of the car and heat going into the tyre. It is the same with aircraft tyres. Does not mean that is the only thing looked at.

 

Just because your car cannot go above a certain speed does not mean its capabilities do not need a higher rated tyre. 

 

Skoda list the speed rating for each model and and tyre size, If it has been judged the car needs a higher rating than its maximum speed would indicate how would you be so sure it doesn't?

 

I don't spend money on a decent car and then look for the worst tyres I can get away with. I go with simple, if the manufacturer lists a certain standard of tyre I personally don't go below it.

[Geek42]

Details of what's type approved can be found here:

http://www.skoda-auto.de/SiteCollectionDocuments/Serienreifen_Skoda_2014_07_1.pdf

 

Assuming I've read the engine codes correctly 'V' is acceptable for the 17" on most non-vRS models, but 'W' for the vRS 17" and 'Y' for the larger rims, as flybynite states. I'm not usually overkeen on spending money, but tyres is one place I wouldn't want to take any risks in saving a couple of quid.

[themanwithnoaim]

Don't do it, you'll be UNINSURED

[fatzy]

Have you checked the owners manual for tyre information?

[courty]

2 hours ago, themanwithnoaim said:

Don't do it, you'll be UNINSURED

That's what I was assuming!

 

9 hours ago, Geek42 said:

 but tyres is one place I wouldn't want to take any risks in saving a couple of quid.

 

Hardly risk taking, £94 a pop with A wet grip ratings... I was leaning towards the aforementioned GY tyres as they seem to offer more rim protection as opposed to the latest F1's. 

[flybynite]

45 minutes ago, fatzy said:

Have you checked the owners manual for tyre information?

 

The owners manual says:

CAUTION! The information about the load index and the speed symbol for your vehicle are listed in your vehicle documents

Which give the applicable tyre for your specific car and wheel size

 

And:

This indicates the maximum permissible vehicle speed with mounted tyres for the respective category

Not the same as saying "if your car does that speed fit those tyres"

 

It also says

■ We recommend that any work on the wheels or tyres is carried out by a ŠKODA Partner.
■ We recommend that you use wheel rims, tyres, full wheel trims and snow chains from ŠKODA Original Accessories

Who will check ETKA and that will give the details as above. I doubt you would find a dealer would fit a 'V' rated (non-winter) tyre to a VRS with 18" or 19" wheels

 

I also doubt Skoda would fit a higher rated tyre than they had to leaving the factory

[themanwithnoaim]

 

21 hours ago, courty said:

Looked on black circles for GY Efficient Grips, put my reg in and the speed rating goes from Y to W.... read into the insurance bit and it states don't mess around with the ratings as it could invalidate?

 

Any guidance much appreciated. 

Never take advice from someone trying selling you something , they'll tell you anything to make a sale.

 

I once went into a chemist for cough medicine,  they didn't have any so, sold me an extra large packet of exlax, he was right it, it stopped me coughing, I was too Fn scared to cough