Why not buy cheap tires for my Jaguar?
“Why do I have to spend extra money on “V” rated tires? They are rated at 148 mph and I’m not going to drive that fast!”
No, you aren’t (most likely), but, the “V” rated tires are necessary to provide the stability you need to carry a fully loaded 4,000-pound car down the highway at a high rate of speed.
Lower-rated tires have a more flexible carcass, and will tend to generate vibration and noise more readily than a “V” rated tire will, and will fail more often under similar operating conditions. Jaguar recommends a specific tire rating based on a ratio of speed and vehicle weight, and ignoring their recommendation has caused more than one Jaguar owner some discomfort.
“V” rated tires are not necessarily more expensive, either. The Pirelli P4000, which is an excellent dry-weather tire, can usually be found at www.tirerack.com. The Michelin MXV4, an excellent wet-weather tire, is comparably priced. Both of these are “V” rated tires and are widely available. They are priced competitively with good-quality “S” rated tires.
Our recommendation is not to be lured by lower-priced tires, as the price/performance tradeoff just doesn’t work.
See our Jaguar Parts Store Catalog to order parts.
