2011 Sedan, do I HAVE to buy V rated tires?

[JCUSN]

So my Dunlops have finally bit the dust, and now I have to replace my tires. Do I really have to fork over the money for V rated tires? Does it make a big difference if I don't?

What do you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[427435]

Not if you don't drive 150 mph.

 

[Mark_888]

If the OEM tires are V rated, then most tire retailers will not install tires with a lower rating (such as H) due to liability concerns. I believe that the Base Model 17" tires are H rated (at least they were in 2009), but the 18" are V rated (R-Spec may be higher than V). The tire retailers are not just concerned about maximum speed, but also handling characteristics.

If for some reason you have 18" tires are able to get someone to put on something lower than V, then don't go below H. You can Google the speed ratings to see what the order is.

 

[jmo51]

If the OEM tires are V rated, then most tire retailers will not install tires with a lower rating (such as H) due to liability concerns. I believe that the Base Model 17" tires are H rated (at least they were in 2009), but the 18" are V rated (R-Spec may be higher than V). The tire retailers are not just concerned about maximum speed, but also handling characteristics.

If for some reason you have 18" tires are able to get someone to put on something lower than V, then don't go below H. You can Google the speed ratings to see what the order is.

Does any company make a 17" or + tire that has less than an H rating?

 

[Kamkaze]

You can install what ever tires you want just go to Discount Tire or a place like it. Get the Hankook V12's they are a great tire with great reviews and they are Y rated.

 

[Mark_888]

Does any company make a 17" or + tire that has less than an H rating?

Sure. Here is a T rated tire that is same size as Genesis Sedan Base Trim 17":
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/fi...ar=55&rf=true&rd=17&sw=false&rc=GAAINT&cs=225

 

[Mark_888]

You can install what ever tires you want just go to Discount Tire or a place like it. Get the Hankook V12's they are a great tire with great reviews and they are Y rated.

Y rated are higher than V. OP is looking for something less than V, not greater than V:

• S - Up to 112 mph
• T - Up to 118 mph
• U - Up to 124 mph
• H - Up to 130 mph
• V - Up to 149 mph
• W - Up to 168 mph
• Y - Up to 186 mph
• Z - 149 mph and over

I guess it depends on the specific Discount Tire store, but I have read reports of them not installing lower rated than OEM tires.

 

[Gunkk]

The OP may also want to consider weight load rating when replacing Genny tires.

 

[Kamkaze]

Y rated are higher than V. OP is looking for something less than V, not greater than V:

• S - Up to 112 mph
• T - Up to 118 mph
• U - Up to 124 mph
• H - Up to 130 mph
• V - Up to 149 mph
• W - Up to 168 mph
• Y - Up to 186 mph
• Z - 149 mph and over

I guess it depends on the specific Discount Tire store, but I have read reports of them not installing lower rated than OEM tires.

I know how tires are rated but my point is for a very reasonable price he can get a great replacement. My guess is he saw the cost of the dunlops and assumed getting a lower rating on the tire would save him money, where as for much cheaper than the cost of the v rated dunlops he can actually get a better tire.

 

[Kamkaze]

Unless you are buying garbage Chinese tires I don't know of many tires discount carries lower than V rating. He'll even tbe cheap as hell sunny 3800's are V rated.

Y rated are higher than V. OP is looking for something less than V, not greater than V:

• S - Up to 112 mph
• T - Up to 118 mph
• U - Up to 124 mph
• H - Up to 130 mph
• V - Up to 149 mph
• W - Up to 168 mph
• Y - Up to 186 mph
• Z - 149 mph and over

I guess it depends on the specific Discount Tire store, but I have read reports of them not installing lower rated than OEM tires.

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[Southern Boy]

From www.discounttiredirect.com web site:

Consider Performance and Speed Ratings

Most people are aware of speed ratings. Simply put, you need to buy a tire with the appropriate speed rating for your vehicle. In Europe, the law mandates that the original equipment tire must be replaced with a tire possessing the same or higher speed rating. However, in the US you can buy a lower (and less expensive) speed rated tire of the same size. If you do this, be aware that you are limiting your vehicle's performance in terms of handling and speed capacity. Generally speaking, a tire's handling response corresponds with its speed rating. Look at it this way: you'll lose that crisp handling the manufacturer designed into the vehicle and you will not be able to safely achieve the speeds the vehicle was designed for if you use a lower speed rated tire than the original design. Conversely, you can improve your vehicle's handling with a higher speed rated tire.

I purchased these tires (General G- Max AS03 225/50ZR18) on line from http://www.discounttiredirect.com who guaranteed to beat any price.

​

I paid $576 delivered to the door. I took them to Wal-Mart tire center and had them installed with life time rotation & balance for $7.50 per tire.

I purchased them in June of 2012, have about 8K miles on them and am very satisfied with them. They are excellent on wet and dry roads, run quiet and after 8K show no wear. General advertises that they are good in light snow also, but residing in Florida that isn’t one of my main concerns, but could be an added assist if I travel north in the winter for some reason.

Might be worth a look http://www.generaltire.com/tires/per...ce/g-max-as-03

 

[krazyfiend]

I purchased these tires (General G- Max AS03 225/50ZR18)....[/url]

I have run 235/45/18 on my Acura and seen light snow (of course, FWD as opposed to the Genny's RWD) and snow performance up here in Indiana has been quite good. I've had dedicated snow/blizzaks before on other rides and no...they aren't as good, but compared in comfort during the cold--they are fathoms better.

At about 10k miles with them and they've exhibited the same characteristics Southern Boy mentioned. I've been on Conti DWS and Hankook V12's before this.. and I've always said..A/S tires means 'No Season -- all that good' tires. I'm eating my words thus far w/ the AS03's.

 

[Mark_888]

Unless you are buying garbage Chinese tires I don't know of many tires discount carries lower than V rating. He'll even tbe cheap as hell sunny 3800's are V rated.

Aside from the fact that I posted a link above to a T rated tire at Discount Warehouse, that is a wild exaggeration because they also carry a lot of H rated tires.

 

[Mark_888]

I know how tires are rated but my point is for a very reasonable price he can get a great replacement. My guess is he saw the cost of the dunlops and assumed getting a lower rating on the tire would save him money, where as for much cheaper than the cost of the v rated dunlops he can actually get a better tire.

If someone is very concerned about the price of tires, I would not recommend Z or Y rated ones because tread life is probably on the low side (sometimes extremely low), making them fairly expensive in the long run.

 

[GenesisCaptain]

So my Dunlops have finally bit the dust, and now I have to replace my tires. Do I really have to fork over the money for V rated tires? Does it make a big difference if I don't?

What do you guys recommend?

There are oodles of good choices other than the OE Dunlops. And, you do not have to drop the speed rating to save money on a good tire. For example, the Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season is a great value in the $150 range, and it is a W rated tire. A lot of people like the H rated Continental ContiProContact at a $150 price. Kumho makes a very good tire, and they have a couple choices at the $150 price point as well.

 

[Top Gear]

$150 per tire or less? Must be nice. Try driving a Coupe with staggered 19's and looking at these options from Discount Tire (next to last at bottom are OE). Tire Rack seems around the same. I've probably got 10k more miles to worry about it

 

[Kamkaze]

Aside from the fact that I posted a link above to a T rated tire at Discount Warehouse, that is a wild exaggeration because they also carry a lot of H rated tires.

I guess I am just used to buying sportier tires and not used to seeing those lower ratings, and if you would actually read what I wrote I said I was not aware of a lot of tires rated lower than V, I never said that they didn't carry them at all, so if anyone is exaggerating, its you exagerating about what I actually said. If the OP is solely concerned about price and not quality I am sure he can find some used tires.

 

[Kamkaze]

$150 per tire or less? Must be nice. Try driving a Coupe with staggered 19's and looking at these options from Discount Tire (next to last at bottom are OE). Tire Rack seems around the same. I've probably got 10k more miles to worry about it

Achilles ATR are a great option for you, they get great reviews and are very affordable.

 

[Kamkaze]

There are oodles of good choices other than the OE Dunlops. And, you do not have to drop the speed rating to save money on a good tire.

This is all I was trying to say

 

[Top Gear]

Achilles ATR are a great option for you, they get great reviews and are very affordable.

Thanks, but...no thanks Tires are very important, especially for performance cars and spirited driving. I'll gladly pay to get guaranteed quality, reliability and performance before settling for the lowest cost Chinese knock-off of the month. Cheap tires will come back to bite you in any number of ways, so the savings at purchase are an illusion.

In the case of the Coupe, the exact OE tires are great, but a bit overpriced (19in wheels, track-tuned suspension). I'm in the Southeast, and snow, slush and ice are rare. So, if I were buying today (using the Tire Rack link I posted), I might go with the "Pole Position" version of the same Bridgestone Potenza or the Continental Extreme Contact. $1,000 and $850 respectively for those sets would be a significant savings over $1,300 OE, and are actually better-rated tires.