Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Mr Hagon on 29 January 2008, 15:54:59
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In order to get my Omega through its MOT last Friday I had to have a tyre replaced. In order to save hassle I got the cheapest tyre fitted. When I finally got the car back it was dark, so I didn't get to look at my lovely new Nexen tyre until Saturday morning.
This is when I found out that it was a V speed rating. According to the manual my Omega should be running on W speed rating tyres, which it is for the other three tyres.
So, what do other people on the forum run, V or W speed rating?
Mr Hagon
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For insurance purposes you must run at least what the manufactures recommend.
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For your info.
http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyrspeed.html
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Would have thought a decent tyre fitter would have put the correct rated tyre on :-?
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V rating is 149 MPH. However, I believe the manufacturer's min. rating is W (168), since it's not impossible for a 3.0 to exceed 149 with a following wind. Weight has a part to play too, and they can be derated under heavy load.
Bottom Line: The tyre fitters have supplied a tyre that's not suitable for the vehicle. I'd take it back and demand that they change it FOC.
Kevin
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Yep, I'd agree that I'm probably best off running what the manual says. I suppose the main concern is that if I stick it in and an insurance assessor sees that one tyre is not the correct speed rating then it's possibly curtains for my claim.
The cheap tyre was to get it through the MOT. Just have to save a bit of cash and go and find a good price for some Michelins or Continentals, having already asked for tyre recommendations.
Mr Hagon
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Well I'm not bothered about the tyre that much, it's more hassle losing the car to have it changed. I have to admit that it was a Vx stealer who put it on!!!
However I did say to keep the costs down as much as possible as I want to fit a matching set in the near future.
Whilst I have phoned round a few places, one did tell me that I could use V rated tyres as it's down to how you drive the car that matters. Try explaining that away when you've crashed at high speed!
Given that the tyre is V rated I guess it will go in the bin when I have the set changed unless either someone wants it or I can flog it as part worn.
Mr Hagon
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For insurance purposes you must run at least what the manufactures recommend.
I would have it swapped for another, the dealer shgould have known better
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I would have it swapped for another, the dealer shgould have known better
Abslutely. I would expect any tyre fitter to be able to identify the correct tyre spec but for a main dealer to get it wrong is disgusting.
You shouldn't have to lose out. They have supplied you with goods that are not fit for purpose. I would demand that they reimburse me or change the tyre for a W rated one.
If you do get past the MOT (shouldn't do but you never know) and subsequently have a claim it's a get out of jail free card for your insurers.
Kevin
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Go back and get it sorted Mr Hagon
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3.0 litre W rated, 2.5 litre and below V rated.
regards
richard
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check what it says in your handbook. I know they changed spec over time (my old 94 and 98's said different things.) and I'm sure facelift is different too.
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I run W's on the tractor and last years 2.5 V6, and Z's on the MV6
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An incorrect tyre is an easy 'get out of jail free' card for insurance companies when claims are made.
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The speed rating reflects the capable max speed of the car and not the speed limits of our roads.
A V rating is more than sufficient for our roads I would have thought and for an insurer not to pay out, surely you'd have to be proved to be exceeding the speed rating of the tyre at the time of an accident?
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After thinking about it last night I am inclined to agree. I should have a W speed rating tyre according to the owners manual.
So, I've left a message for the Service Manager that I am indeed unhappy with the tyre I've been given even if he thinks it's OK and I want it changed. Let's see what happens.
I would say that at the moment the biggest risk is if the insurance company make an issue of the speed rating and I'm not prepared to put myself in that position given that I don't know when I will get round to replacing the whole set.
Mr Hagon
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I think insurers will use any excuse if it's a hefty claim. If you made a modification to a car and didn't declare it, for example, the mod doesn't have to cause an accident for them to get shirty about it.
Also, what's to say you haven't previously exceeded the tyre's ratings and weakened it?
There is more to speed ratings than a simple maximum speed, too, IIRC. Together with the load rating it defines an envelope in which a tyre can be used and it's possible that you'd be outside the envelope at lower speeds.
Kevin
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On a theoritical level, yes the tyre should have the correct speed rating as the manual says, and yes this may be used by the insurer as an excuse for non-payment. And yes, the dealer should have fitted the correct tyre.
On a practical level, I am not too concerned about the fact that you have a 2.5L tyre fitted on your 3.0L car, even if it is technically a no-no.... you are not likely to go anywhere near 149mph anyway. But what would worry me more however, is the fact that you now have two different tyres with different treads and frictions on the same axle. This is NOT illegal (the only legal requirement is that both tyres on same axle must be of the same type e.g. steel-belted radials), but in my opinion a far greater problem than the slightly low speed-rating.
This can cause the car to brake unevenly, especially in the wet, and will not do any good to your long-term suspension wear.
Another common problem is when the two front tyres are identical to each other but are not the same make and model as the rears. This is often overlooked, but if the tyres' perfromance is different enough then you could find your tail overtaking your front end when braking in the wet, even though all four tyres are brand new and made by well-known high-quality manufacturers.
Both my Omega always had their tyres replaced in complete sets of 4.
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I spoke to the Service Manager last night and he will be sorting out a replacement W rated tyre. He was a bit miffed that he will probably have to swallow the cost of the V rated tyre, but my argument was that the place was about to shut when I got the car back, it was dark and I wasn't expecting to have to check the tyre.
Given that the other three tyres are W rated I would have thought this was a no brainer. However the excuse provided was that a junior member of staff found the cheapest tyre in the right size and didn't worry about the speed rating.
Before my current set of Pirelli's I did run two different sets of tyres across the axles, Avons on one and Kumho's on the other. I agree that I would normally replace all four tyres, but I needed to get the MOT sorted and that mean a replacement tyre full stop. Apparently running on the 15" spare is a failure when all the other tyres are 16".
Mr Hagon
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All sorted now. Went back to the Vx stealer today and had a W rated Matador Elite 2 fitted at no extra cost.
Thanks for all of the encouragement to get them to sort it out.
Mr Hagon
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All sorted now. Went back to the Vx stealer today and had a W rated Matador Elite 2 fitted at no extra cost.
Thanks for all of the encouragement to get them to sort it out.
Mr Hagon
Result :y
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All sorted now. Went back to the Vx stealer today and had a W rated Matador Elite 2 fitted at no extra cost.
Thanks for all of the encouragement to get them to sort it out.
Mr Hagon
Oooooo, matador! Nice! ;D Could always put it on a 16 alloy and use it as a full sized spare when you get the whole set replaced :y
Will the omega saloons take a full sized spare wheel in the boot cubby?
Come to think of it, will the omega estates?
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Yes, I could keep the Matador but then I'd have to find a 16" alloy to put it on.
As for the boot cubbyin the saloon the 15" spare fits nicely. A 16" will fit but you can't get the piece of carpet to fit back in place.
I will probably see if I can get some money for the Matador when I have the set changed, either from the tyre place that changes them or I will offer it here.
Mr Hagon
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V rating is 149 MPH. However, I believe the manufacturer's min. rating is W (168), since it's not impossible for a 3.0 to exceed 149 with a following wind. Weight has a part to play too, and they can be derated under heavy load.
Bottom Line: The tyre fitters have supplied a tyre that's not suitable for the vehicle. I'd take it back and demand that they change it FOC.
Kevin
I have been considering this for a while on the wifes Volvo, her car runs W rated tyres which are horribly expensive, Volvo quote a top speed of 149mph for manual and 146mph for auto, well hers is auto so in my mind I can fit V rated as the car will not go over the 149mph even downhill with a tail wind the aerodynamics of the car will not let it go any quicker.
Could our boys in blue on the forum comment, would I be breking any laws dropping the speed rating, I understand insurance companies will look for any escape clause they can but as someone already said they would have to prove you where going faster than 149mph surely.
Mike
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The line in the ground is what the manufacturers specify as 1) original equipement and 2) what they say the maximum speed for the vehicle is, not the speed at which you want to drive.
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All sorted now. Went back to the Vx stealer today and had a W rated Matador Elite 2 fitted at no extra cost.
Thanks for all of the encouragement to get them to sort it out.
Mr Hagon
Oooooo, matador! Nice! ;D Could always put it on a 16 alloy and use it as a full sized spare when you get the whole set replaced :y
Will the omega saloons take a full sized spare wheel in the boot cubby?
Come to think of it, will the omega estates?
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The 2.6l Estate won't. The wheel fouls the sides leaving about 2/3 inches proud above the level of the floor.
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V rating is 149 MPH. However, I believe the manufacturer's min. rating is W (168), since it's not impossible for a 3.0 to exceed 149 with a following wind. Weight has a part to play too, and they can be derated under heavy load.
Bottom Line: The tyre fitters have supplied a tyre that's not suitable for the vehicle. I'd take it back and demand that they change it FOC.
Kevin
I have been considering this for a while on the wifes Volvo, her car runs W rated tyres which are horribly expensive, Volvo quote a top speed of 149mph for manual and 146mph for auto, well hers is auto so in my mind I can fit V rated as the car will not go over the 149mph even downhill with a tail wind the aerodynamics of the car will not let it go any quicker.
Could our boys in blue on the forum comment, would I be breking any laws dropping the speed rating, I understand insurance companies will look for any escape clause they can but as someone already said they would have to prove you where going faster than 149mph surely.
Mike
No they dont have to prove the speed you were doing, their attitude will be that you have items fitted on the car (tyres) that are not up the the specification that was originally stipulated by the manufacturer and so you have modified the car in an advers manner, this in turn would invalidate the insurance.
tread carefully (no pun intended) when it comes to tyres, what seems like good value now could come back to bite you on the bum