tyre speed rating celica

[nick_rs2k]

I have an Celica GT UK gen 7 I have a slight alignment problem with the rear wheels at the moment which I think may have been fixed one side but I need to replace my rear tyres as I don’t want to kill a brand new set of tyres if this isn’t fixed I can get a pair of near new Michelins only problem is they are V rating tyres and the price is right as they will be free.

After googling the top speed of the Celica its 140 MPH and the top speed of the V rating tyre is 149mph so to me this seams fine but when I google new tyres they come up as I need a W rating which is what is fitted to the rears any way and I think I have Y rating on the front . I understand you can go for a higher rating but am wondering if I can get away with the V rating as the tyre is still capable of a faster speed than the car can go what do you guys recon?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Presumably the standard fitting is W. I would check that your insurance company is OK with the change.

[armoredfist2002]

 

It depends on your insurance company, thing is maximum speed on UK roads is 70mph but tyres should be rated for the maximum speed the car can do, which to me is pointless as where on a UK road would you do 140mph.

 

V & W rated tyres are past what the car can do. Insurance companies would only be fussy on ratings lower than the car maximum speed not higher, that's why some insurance companie are fussy about fitting winter tyres, your making your car safer to drive in the winter and less chance of damaging the car but theyre not bothered about this they are only bothered because winter tyres have a lower speed rating than summer tyres.

[FROSTYBALLS]

10 minutes ago, armoredfist2002 said:

 

V & W rated tyres are past what the car can do. Insurance companies would only be fussy on ratings lower than the car maximum speed not higher, that's why some insurance companie are fussy about fitting winter tyres, your making your car safer to drive in the winter and less chance of damaging the car but theyre not bothered about this they are only bothered because winter tyres have a lower speed rating than summer tyres.

... which is one person's opinion, and not necessarily the opinion of the OP's insurer. Check with your insurer - the worst they can say is 'no'.

[nick_rs2k]

I try the insurance company tomorrow I had thought about this before but didn’t want to go down this route but I think you right it’s the only way. i guess like most people I’ve had bad experience with insurance companies in the past like my last call to them with me asking if I could give them two lots of no claims bonus and swap them over each year so as not to lose one set of no claims they agreed it on the phone but because I don’t trust any insurance company I asked for a written receipt that they held two lots of my no claims, after about 5 phone calls and receiving 5 emails 1 of which contained a blank PDF I finally asked to speak to a manager and amazingly the person I spoke to emailed me with a document with the correct wording straight away.

[nick_rs2k]

Just to let people know just in case anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation.

My insurance company said its down to a professional tyre fitter to check that the rating is correct for the vehicle and not for the insurance company to say.

The person I spoke to didn’t know this and had to ask a supervisor but also said because I had obviously fitted bigger wheels to the car this would be a modification which made me see red as the car is totally standard and I was only talking about the speed rating not the tyre size.