Tyre speed ratings
 

You can quote me frustrated as I have spent the last hour trawling through my insurance docs with Quote me happy, trying to send an email thats not sending for some reason (no phone number), looking through google getting conflicting opinions and generally getting no where.

I need new tyres however the OEM ones are £170 a corner whereas the Falkens are £75 a corner for identical ratings (size and load) except the speed ratings.
If I just go ahead and get the Falkens could there be any issues down the line in the event of a claim or is this a non issue that insurance companies have no legal right to use to back out of a claim?

Other than if I was to drive at silly speeds past 100mph would it become a safety issue anyway so anyone know where I/we stand?

I've just covered 12,000 miles on falken 452. I reckon ive got another 3-4,000 before they are shot. Insurance issues based on tyre manufacturer ive never heard that before.

I think you have to worry about your tyres being legal 1.6mm i think . If your car can pass an MOT I cant see a problem with insurance mine has gone through two on the same set of falkens. I think my falkens have a speed rating of Y which is 186MPH far more than my car is capable of.

It wasn't the manufacturers I was wondering about rather the difference in speed ratings. I would be going from ZR to R which is something like 106mph. Quite why they make 18" tyres that restrictive I dont know. The vast majority of cars fitted with those size rims are capable of much high speeds.

Ok, I think Im reading it wrong, sorry.

Mine are 215 40 ZR18 89W the ones Im getting are
215 40 R18 89Y

Is the R bit or the Y bit an indication of the speed.

It's the Y;)

+1, Y is actually a higher rating than W that you currently have fitted.

(I think ZR is a bit of an older designation which meant "over 150mph", but since then Y and W ratings have become more common.)

The R in 215 40 R18 89Y simply means radial construction.

More info here

Cheers, after much time and effort I've finally got a reply from the insurance company who have said that as long as the tyre size is correct I am able to go for what ever speed rating I fancy.