V and Z rated tires

Make very little sense to me, on some of these new cars. "Race tuned suspension, and 150 horsepower" with 0 to 60 mph in 7 seconds plus the low profile tires like 225 x 50 that just get pinched on the first pot hole, blowing out the side-wall, and rendering a 200.oo tire worthless. T and H are more than enough in a country where the maximum speed limit is 75mph......personal opinion!

Reply to
r parris
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do you really drive only 75?

the statement has nothing to do with tires though.

BUT

some people like the look and may blow out the motor having fun. LOTS OF FUN!

i my self go around 90 or a little less in the south

Reply to
pool man

IF you don't like V's and Z's, you'll positively hate N's. That's Porsche's special designation for tires that meet their own specs. My

911 has Pirelli PZero N3's on it. I never even knew that designation existed till now. One has to realize that these specs originate in a country where people regularly drive at speeds twice the max in the US.

I was watching a tv show last year about the autobahn. They showed a guy who had the job of testing Porsches after they were customized and before delivery to the customer. I think it was Ruf he was working for. The camera man got in the back of a 911 at like 3AM at a gas station. A few minutes later they were doing 200+ MPH down the autobahn!

Now there, or on a race track, the N3 designation may very well make a real difference. But, for us here in the US, I don't believe it does.

Reply to
trader4

That is why MB has limited our top speed to 130MPH... because they believe people will not spend money to buy V or Z rated tires... Instead, they specify the H rate... although they do provide VR and ZR tires.

Reply to
Tiger

In Europe there seems to be a genlemans agreement to limit top speed on mainstream cars to 155 (or 250kmh).

Many Germans pay to derestrict their M level BMers. I dont know about other makes.

Reply to
charles blassberg

Sounds like another MB owner who likes the status of the Three Pointed Star but doesn't have the funds to pay the running costs! Remember, if you have to ask, you can't afford it! Have you thought of a nice 1987 Volvo Diesel? In the UK the speed limit is only 70MPH. That doesn't stop some of our S55, E55 and SL55 customers getting only 9000 miles from a pair of rear tyres!

245/40R18Z's aren't cheap. But you don't buy a car with 476HP to look good. Where I live, spotty teenagers with Vauxhall Corsa 1.4's run them on 17 inch rims with 205/40R17W's. And in the UK, some of the potholes are bigger than a Vauxhall Corsa!!!!
Reply to
Lee

" snipped-for-privacy@optonline.net" haute in die Tasten:

In fact my winter car runs on winter tires rated up to 190 kph (approx 116 mph) which keeps me away from going full throttle frequently...

Frank (Germany)

Reply to
Frank Kemper

charles blassberg haute in die Tasten:

Touchy item. Mercedes, BMW and the Volkswagen Group agreed upon the 250 kph limit about a decade ago, when the first german 12 cylinder limousines became available. They wanted to prevent a legal restriction. Today almost every manufacturer has his high speed branch, where you can buy - more or less officially - a faster car. AFAIK Mercedes sells the SL 65 AMG limited to 300 kph upon spcial request. The unlimited car would run some 320 kph, but AMG has some concerns with the tires. Much like the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, this agreement seems to lose power over the years, because Bentley officially sells cars which are way faster than 250 kph and Bugatti has announced the Veyron with Vmax 400(!) kph. The contemporary Lamborghinis also go faster than 250 kph although all these three brands belong to the Volkswagen Group.

Frank

Reply to
Frank Kemper

Don't forget that tyre wear does not just arise from cruising conditions. Rapid acceleration is also a factor.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

Don't overlook that the quality that keeps a tire together at 150 mph+ also keeps that higher quality tire from ply separations after hitting a

35 mph pothole or rough railroad track crossing.

Pete Cowper

1987 300E 1974 911 (V rated tires that rarely see 90 mph)
Reply to
Pete Cowper

The problem isn't the speed rated tire, it's the extreme low profile which amplifies eveery expansion joint on the highway, every pepble, pothole and depression. Try one of the newer technology tires like the Conti CH95 Extreme Contact all season, high performance V=rated. They can be had discounted online.

Reply to
Peter

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