Time to replace tires-Do we really need V-Rated

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Dec 9, 2007 | 05:32 AM

shlike

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Time to replace tires-Do we really need V-Rated

tires?. 2003 A4 3.0 Q Tip. I am just hitting the wear bars on my second set of OEM spec Pirelli P6's (235/45-VR17), and am starting to shop for replacements. I have been happy with the Pirellis, have gotten well over 30,000 miles on each set, but I'm looking to save some money and find something less expensive, that will be almost as good. I do not do high-performance driving, and am looking for all-season tires that have the following characteristics:
-Good wear life
-Quiet
Also, I rarely exceed 80mph. Do I really need V-rated tires?

Dec 9, 2007 | 10:18 AM

JeffPGH

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No you don't...

It is probably going to be tough to find an H-rated in that size, though. You may want to try the Yokohama H4S.

Dec 9, 2007 | 11:29 AM

Merkin

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conti

Dec 9, 2007 | 11:34 AM

Bronze

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I've got those exact Yokohamas in 235/45-17 for my "winter" wheels.

They are quiet, feel fine, and do well enough in the snow. If I were to buy all over, I"d get them in 215/55-17 so that they were more narrow and even better in the bit of snow I need to drive on now and then. The price I paid two years ago was around 115 each, with a small special going on at the time.

Dec 9, 2007 | 12:10 PM

vinny.dtw

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Yokohama yk520 from discount tire. Great tire, quiet, 60k mile warranty, and very nicely priced....

I had toyo proxe 4's as well, and they got loud after 15k but still gripped pretty well

Dec 10, 2007 | 07:40 AM

Audi Junkie

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Kumho ASX are V-Rated and are cheap + good. Bridgestone G-009s are better. Yoko H4S has 500 wear.

Dec 10, 2007 | 02:58 PM

shlike

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The Pirelli's have worn evenly, and still have 7-8,000 miles....

worth of good tread life left. The problem is that the wear bars are starting to expose, and this causes a subtle "hum" sound, which will only get louder as the wear bars become more exposed (that's what is supposed to happen).I just don't understand why the wear bars expose themselves with so much tread life left. If I didn't mind the "hum", I would just live with it until the tires are more worn, but the car is so quiet otherwise and it bothers me. Based on the advice here and additional research I have done, I'm going to go with the Yokohoma YK520 from Discount Tire. They have gotten good reviews and should approach the handling of the Pirelli's, but at a substantially lower cost.