XC70 - 2001 V70XC - Tire Update

Thanks to all who gave me some input with the Pirelli Scorpion tires.
But, in the end, here is what has happened...

1. I went through posts in Tirerack and Consumers Reports and other
online tire sales companies.

2. I also re-evaluated the speed rating on the tires...Volvo ships the
cars with a "H" speed rated tire which is good for 130 mph. That may
be well on the Autobahn, but, living here in the wonderful Big Apple
with our Billionaire mayor, Hizonor, Mike Bloomberg controlling the
budget will immediately remind you that doing anything more than 55 to
60 on most of our highways in NYC will severly limit the life
expectancy of the suspension.

3. So, based on all of this, I settled for "T" rated tires(118mph) and
based on Consumers Reports, put on Goodyear Assurance TripleTred Tires.
It was rated above a "9" on all aspects in TireRack.com. In addition,
it was rated above a "9" for snow handling and noise.

So, the end results..

1. I can hear my self think in the car.
2. I can hear my self talk in the car.
3. Since I am self employed, my handsfree microphone doesn't pick up
the road noise and my clients can hear me well.

4. Though we have had almost no snow here in the city, my drives
upstate have been uneventful in the snow.

5. My gas mileage has actually gone up atleat 1 to 1.5 mpg on the avg.
on highways.

And the tires were around $92.00 each at Mavis Discount tires online.

So...thanks all for your input and happy, safe driving.


GGO in good ol' NYC.

 

I'm glad that you made the right choice. I just got new Scorpions last
Summer at about 50K. One thing about the Scorpions is that they leave a
lot of black on my driveway and the damned Homeowner's Association wants
me to go and scrub my driveway down to remove the rubber from the concrete.
Ludicrous.
I can just see the water police coming around coming around and fining
me for washing down my driveway.

 

You've probably heard it before... it's not the max speed you should
consider.

So let's just say, you need replacement shock absorbers.. Do you pick the
cheaper ones that give you a softer ride but compromise on the "control" of
the vehicle??

Probably not.

Tires are part of your suspension. So you want at LEAST what the
manufacturer sells it with, in fact, some insurance companies in accident
investigations MAY not pay out because you are using underrated and
non-recommended tires for your application. It's all part of your safety
system. Tires also make your car handle, stop, and ultimately GRIP! Lower
speed rated tires on your car may seem like a good idea to your pocket book,
and 9 times out of 10 it won't be a problem. But what about that 1 time?

Your tires are the only thing connecting you to the road.

In buying the best tires for my Volvo, I am keeping my vehicle as safe as it
was designed to be.

JMHO

 

That is one characteristic of Perellis. The get their superb wet
traction by actually almost bonding with the pavement. What is
remarkable about the Scorpions is they get the superb traction and good
mileage. This is unique among Perellis. I don't think there is a safer
tire on the market.

My 850 had Goodyear Eagles and just a month ago had a tire failure.
This is unusual today. Obviously I will avoid Goodyears.

 

M.R.S

Thank you for your thoughts. As a Mechanical/Marine Engineer who has
sailed on ships and held positions as Engineering Director in Hospitals
and Nursing Homes:

1. I would never compromise on safety for economics.
2. I also do not fall for the marketing bullS%*& from manufacturers
and marketers.

This is akin to hearing dealer say "If you don't put a Volvo part on,
you are compromising your car". I put quality parts in my cars, not
the manufacturer's 50% to 100% marked up parts. So, I believe that in
today's days and times, buying a good car doesn't mean having to make
uneconomical decisions.

BTW, the only shocks I have put on my other Volvos have been Bilstiens.

GGO

 

Actually, I love the Scorpions...it's the homeowners association (A
bunch of little Hitlers) that I can't stand.

 

A resident in a local community is trying to get the community to
require the horses pulling Amish buggies have diapers so they don't soil
the street. He must have stepped in a road apple and tracked it into
the house or into a business meeting and became the center of attention.
Anyway, the city council is politely putting him off. I think people
like this need to get a life. Picking other people's nits isn't very
productive.