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I don't work for a tire company, have no vested interest in selling tires. I am a proponent of common sense. SAAB chose V (or Z) rated tires as a complement to the performance characteristics of the car. Not just because of its prodigious speed capability.
You made your informed decision and that's fine. You are entitled to that. But you may have to deal with the possible repercussions (if any)-legal or otherwise-that could arise from that decision. I wouldn't go there.
But the notion that I don't drive over 100mph, so H rated tires are fine-is a reducto ad absurdem argument. You could apply this even further to say, T (to 118mph) or even S (to 113mph) rated tires are fine-since they easily meet your criteria and also fit the under 100mph driving habits. And they're much cheaper than H rated tires too. Last longer, too. Should I start recommending those tires?
Maybe we should petition SAAB to make OEM those kinds of tires warranted to 100,000 miles-like Kelly or Uniroyal. Then we don't have to whine and complain about treadlife.
There are many fine H rated tires-carmakers like Volvo, M-B, Audi and BMW are fitting them to their cars (governed to 130mph, like the S60, C, E series, 3 and 5 series, and A4/A6 series) for those owners who care more about treadlife and cheaper tire replacenent costs than ultimate traction.
SAAB seems to think that it's drivers are "smarter" and fit all of its cars with V or Zrated tires. Maybe they're wrong. No wonder TCS, ESP and 4wd is becoming more popular. Carmakers are trying to save us from ourselves...
It's like the old "55mph saves lives" argument. Sure it does. Then why don't we reduce the speed limit to say, 45mph? That should save even more lives, right? But wait-35mph should even save more lives, why don't reduce it to that?
It's just tires. Maybe I'm dead wrong about all this. But what if I'm right?...
posted by 68.11.3...
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