“Why do I have to spend extra money on “V” rated tires?
\nThey are rated at 148 mph and I’m not going to drive that fast!”<\/b><\/p>\n
No, you aren’t (most likely), but, the “V” rated tires are necessary to provide the stability you need to carry a fully loaded 4,000-pound car down the highway at a high rate of speed.<\/p>\n
Lower-rated tires have a more flexible carcass, and will tend to generate vibration and noise more readily than a “V” rated tire will, and will fail more often under similar operating conditions. Jaguar recommends a specific tire rating based on a ratio of speed and vehicle weight, and ignoring their recommendation has caused more than one Jaguar owner some discomfort.<\/p>\n
“V” rated tires are not necessarily more expensive, either. The Pirelli P4000, which is an excellent dry-weather tire, can usually be found at www.tirerack.com. The Michelin MXV4, an excellent wet-weather tire, is comparably priced. Both of these are “V” rated tires and are widely available. They are priced competitively with good-quality “S” rated tires.<\/p>\n
Our recommendation is not to be lured by lower-priced tires, as the price\/performance tradeoff just doesn’t work.<\/p>\n