Tyre info.

[Mick787]

And another superb bit of marketing. Two of my tyres could do with changing, getting a bit low on the front, still legal but it's nearing the time. The car is fitted with Michelin Cross Climates, 235 60 R18 107W and the rear ones still have 5mm on them. So far they've done just over 28k miles which isn't bad.

Guess what, they no longer sell the 107W rated tyre it's now a 107V. Yep, the tyre fitting companies refuse to fit two 107V's with the existing 107W's, so I have to buy a complete set. You can imagine the sounds of joy when I was repeatedly told the same news by the various companies I tried.

OK some say that 5 years is about the life of a tyre but when it can cost around £700 a set, every little bit helps. They've been on 3.5 years.

[mcouchard]

Are you in the UK if so they are talking rubbish, speed rating isn't an issue. Check what the handbook says and make sure you match that speed rating so the insurance company are happy if V is lower which I doubt just check with you insurer. Years ago when I started putting winter tyres on I checked and the insurance company said they don't care about the speed rating as long as they are legal tread depth. A speed rating on V is upto 149mph and W is 168mph. Not sure what spec you have got but V is over twice the speed limit so think your okay. Try another tyre place or buy the tyres in black circles and book fitting in a local independent.

P.S. From the Volvo website:
XC60 - https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support...a801512b3c764e - So anything H or above
V60 - https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support...a801512b3c764e - Anything V or above on your size.

[MacV50]

He's not taking rubbish. I had exactly the same issue at Costco recently when I had a slow puncture. If they hadn't been able to repair then the two options were

1. to replace all 4 tyres. Was never going to happen as the rears were a month old
2. Replace the pontus l punctured tyre with another brand of tyre in a 107W rating

Luckily, the puncture was repairable but I'll still
potentially face the problem in future

No idea why Michelin had chosen to discontinue the 107W

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Mick787

And another superb bit of marketing. Two of my tyres could do with changing, getting a bit low on the front, still legal but it's nearing the time. The car is fitted with Michelin Cross Climates, 235 60 R18 107W and the rear ones still have 5mm on them. So far they've done just over 28k miles which isn't bad.

Guess what, they no longer sell the 107W rated tyre it's now a 107V. Yep, the tyre fitting companies refuse to fit two 107V's with the existing 107W's, so I have to buy a complete set. You can imagine the sounds of joy when I was repeatedly told the same news by the various companies I tried.

OK some say that 5 years is about the life of a tyre but when it can cost around £700 a set, every little bit helps. They've been on 3.5 years.

Why not do a tyre rotation? Swap the ones with the lower tread to the back and the ones with the most tread to the front? Make sure you get them re-balanced of course.

I know tyres aren't cheap, but at least this way you'll get the most out of them before they all need changing. It could save you money in the interim at least.

I'm not sure which companies you contacted as you didn't say, but I know some of the big ones like Costco can be really picky. Its almost like they grip you by the goolies and almost force you into buying a whole set of tyres when you only need one or two. Try some small independent places if you haven't already. Or, rotate the tyres for now. Sounds like they've been on the car for a good while and they're still legal, so I see no issue swapping them around and that'll give you time to find a better deal.

[Mick787]

MacV50, yep, Costco. I didn't quite trust the response, but then I had the same from KwikFit and also a local small tyre fitting/supply business. Buying 4 new tyres from Costco saves over £200. If the response from a company, irrespective of its size, is that they wont fit tyres of different ratings, the instruction has come from somewhere in the tyre industry and not just from one manufacturer/retailer.

In respect of whether it is rubbish or not, if I rant and rave at them quoting speed ratings, the fitters wont fit the tyres, stating it is a mis-match, simple. One guy said that AWD is the same as 4 wheel drive, pointless arguing, just walk away, they still wont fit them.

The tyres could be rotated I guess, but there is still the issue that two of them will need to be replaced very shortly. I guess it's much like anything these days, manufacturers change the spec and customers have to buy new because there is no support for what you had bought. I have no doubt the insurance companies will be aware of this in the event of a crash. It will be something for their assessors to check in order to reduce a payment.

[Cloth Ears]

It seems it's not recommended to mix V and W, but it doesn't seem to be illegal but you should make sure each axle has the same speed rating on both sides of the car.

That said, I've driven a van where one new tyre completely upset the handling, so I can understand the wariness.

https://www.blackcircles.com/helpcen...0the%20vehicle.

If it were me, I'd rotate the tyres as suggested over the summer, by which time they'd probably all be evening up so a full set would make sense in time for the winter weather. New tyres have around 8mm of tread, so if the rears have only worn to 5mm in 28k miles, but the fronts have worn to 3.5mm, that suggests swapping would get you another 10k or so before the (now) rears got close to the limit, by which time the (now) fronts would probably be down close to 3mm too.

I'm confused at your comment about AWD - I thought this was Volvo's term for 4 wheel drive.

[4x4]

CrossClimate tyres are directional therefore can only be swapped front/rear, they cannot be put on the opposite side

[mcouchard]

You can also of course fit other all season tyres that may have a W rating for example the Goodyear vector 4 are award winning. Plus many brands now have an all season offering but it is perfectly legal to have different speed ratings in separate axles.
Next time ask the fitters to provide evidence as to why and see them go quiet it's just a con. Kwik fit are a joke I have never used Costco. Try National, F1 auto centers or a smaller place that will be just thankful for the business.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by mcouchard

You can also of course fit other all season tyres that may have a W rating for example the Goodyear vector 4 are award winning. Plus many brands now have an all season offering but it is perfectly legal to have different speed ratings in separate axles.
Next time ask the fitters to provide evidence as to why and see them go quiet it's just a con. Kwik fit are a joke I have never used Costco. Try National, F1 auto centers or a smaller place that will be just thankful for the business.

Exactly. Its legal here. I don't know why some tyre companies are more picky than others. Some places wouldn't even look at the speed rating!

[Mick787]

Goodyear 4's may be award winning, just like many a bottle of wine. Wink wink. But after seeing a pair of Vector 4 seasons yesterday that we fitted to the wife's Toyota IQ 3 years ago having lumps of tread parting from the carcass and requiring immediate replacement. I think it may not be a good choice for me to make, but that is my opinion and I'm not a person to judge what is a good bottle of wine. I've bit the bullet and will be getting another full set of Cross Climates, 'V' rated. They should give me peace of mind and not such a large dent in the pocket as if I had gone to another retailer.

Whilst it may be legal to fit tyres with different speed ratings in pairs on different axles, the fitters may not do it.

Thanks for all the comments, just to let members know, this is what I experienced and if you have W rated Cross Climates fitted, it appears they are no longer made. Please bear this in mind when you check your vehicle and if you do find any W rated on sale, then check their dates and ensure you are happy. These things aren't cheap and cost should not impact on personal safety. It todays time though, it may have to.