Tyres

[mikeyscott]

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b0s215..._Noise%3A_71dB

[FunkyMelon]

Originally Posted by mikeyscott

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b0s215..._Noise%3A_71dB

Switch to 225/40/18 profile like every other 18" wheel out there and save yourself £40 a corner...

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b0s134..._Noise%3A_71dB

No idea why Volvo use that daft 215/45 profile.

They're only expensive because they're uncommon!

[mikeyscott]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

Switch to 225/40/18 profile like every other 18" wheel out there and save yourself £40 a corner...

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b0s134..._Noise%3A_71dB

No idea why Volvo use that daft 215/45 profile.

They're only expensive because they're uncommon!

Look at speed change and will prob stay OEM size. Will look into, but never looked at costs re tyres

[FunkyMelon]

Originally Posted by mikeyscott

Look at speed change and will prob stay OEM size. Will look into, but never looked at costs re tyres

You'll read under slightly, if you have access to VIDA you can just change the configuration in there to correct it.

I don't normally worry about costs but refuse to be ripped off just over a lousy profile. £160 saving while buying 4 is worth it for me.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

Switch to 225/40/18 profile like every other 18" wheel out there and save yourself £40 a corner...

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b0s134..._Noise%3A_71dB

No idea why Volvo use that daft 215/45 profile.

They're only expensive because they're uncommon!

If you look at smaller wheel sizes, you'll find a 205/60/16 comes out within 1mm of that odd 215/45/18 diameter - it's actually 652mm for the 16 and 651mm for the 18 but it goes someway to explain things.

My guess is the original design of the car had 16s or maybe even 15s (think back to the 120/140 series on 15s) and a 195/70/15 is 654mm diameter.

This might seem like a load of irrelevant waffle but manufacturers tend to keep certain things the same and work on a constant factor, in this case the diameter of the wheel with a low-profile tyre as opposed to a 165/78/15 which was the original size on the 15" wheels way back when the 120/140 series were designed.

Changing the tooling for all the spare wheel wells designed to accommodate the 165/78/15 to a smaller diameter would be a major headache so they change the tyres to suit. Don't forget Volvo sell in all markets around the world and 18" wheels might not be the best thing in certain parts of the world but 16s or 15s would be better.

Only a guess based on experience of tyre sizes on various cars i've owned over the years.

Just to clarify, the tyres way back when on the 120/140 were classified as 165/15 - the default profile is 78, don't ask me why/how because i don't know, just know that it is.

[mikeyscott]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

You'll read under slightly, if you have access to VIDA you can just change the configuration in there to correct it.

I don't normally worry about costs but refuse to be ripped off just over a lousy profile. £160 saving while buying 4 is worth it for me.

I would get Volvo specialist to amend. However on a different note 215/45 must ride better due to improved profile

[ASGV40]

on my V50 D5 I had:

Pirelli P600
utter rubbish tyres, hated them. Hard wearing but no grip on when and cold

Goodyear Efficient Grip
Loved these initially. Great grip in both wet and dry. Very quite. not very responsive though.
Downsides, front tyres wear was awful and not uniform, could not deal with the heavy engine of the D5. On other halfs smaller car have Efficient grip and they are great. So for light cars they are great but not for heavy cars.

Pirelli P7 Cintauro Blue.
Great tyres, my favourite. Not as grippy as goodyear Eff. Grip but still good. Good direct feel, very responsive.

Just sold the car with the P7 on and front tyres still had loads of life left after 14k miles of use. Wear was very uniform, had much more life left in them even with the heavy D5 engine at the front.

[StatusRed]

Got Michelin CrossClimates on 225/45/R17, can't fault them, been brilliant in the recent bad snow never lost grip! Expensive but highly recommended!