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Tyre speed ratings - rip off in progress?
jps - 6/12/16 at 03:00 PM

Having run my Kia Ceed SW (estate) for 36k now it needs some new front tyres - the ones currently on it were on it from new.

The code on the side shows 205/55/R16/91H - which I read as H for the speed rating - good for 210km/h - 131mph. Kias own tech spec shows the top speed as 193km/h - 120mph. At best the non-estate version of the Ceed (which I had assumed would be quicker) is show as topping out at 200km/h / 124mph - so my version is the fastest Ceed on paper...

But the online "put in my reg and tell me what tyres I need" tools I have used tell me I need a V rated tyre (up to 240km/h) - which funnily enough seem to be more expensive than the H versions of the equivalent tyres...?

Is there any actual explanation for this - or are tyre suppliers just trying to convince people they need a higher rated (more expensive) tyre than they actually do...?

ian locostzx9rc2 - 6/12/16 at 03:04 PM

Just covering themselves probably 205/55/16 tyres are cheap enough anyway

gremlin1234 - 6/12/16 at 03:44 PM

since most manufacturers of that size tyre make it in v rating, they tend to be the cheaper option.
if you look at blackcircles website, its only winter tyres listed as having less than v rating for that size.

what make are the original tyres?

jps - 6/12/16 at 03:57 PM

Original tyres were Hankook - and I've gone for the same as replacement (mainly because they score good for economy on the A-F rating given). Strangely I've just gone back to the site I was looking at and now can't find the ones I was looking at listed...! But there was a few quid difference on the tyre between the H and V - the V being more expensive...

EDIT - jsut had a look on BlackCircles to see if i'd gone mad - but they do exist in the size/rating i've ordered - the specific tyre is a Hankook Kinergy Eco K425 (the choice was so massive I had no idea what to buy if i'm honest!)

[Edited on 6/12/16 by jps]

mcerd1 - 6/12/16 at 09:51 PM

forget the tyres that are on the car and defiantly ignore online tyre selectors - I've found they are wrong more often than not...

what does handbook say it should have ? that's what the car was type approved with and what you'd need to have for construction and use (should something happen a pedantic insurance company may not pay out otherwise...)

also remember that the speed quoted in the ratings are only for a few min at a time and not full loaded either, never mind with no allowance for a less than perfect surface etc....

jps - 7/12/16 at 08:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1forget the tyres that are on the car


But they are the tyres that were on it from the factory....

mcerd1 - 7/12/16 at 08:56 AM

^^^ but even they could be over specified if they had some spare...

jps - 7/12/16 at 09:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
^^^ but even they could be over specified if they had some spare...


But that's my point - the ones fitted on the car from new are H rated - which it tallies with the published top speeds...

But the calculators based on my VRM indicate V - which is higher rated and, in some cases, more expensive...

morcus - 7/12/16 at 07:20 PM

I had the same experience, though I had no intention of buying online but went on there to look. Oddly no one in town stocked the tyres Ford said should be on a Ford Focus but Halfords were able to have me some for the next day for a reasonable price.

craig1410 - 7/12/16 at 11:42 PM

Try these guys - I always get my tyres here as I can never match the prices anywhere else.

http://camskill.co.uk

NTDWM by the way, just a happy customer.