New Tire Time. 91H, 91V, or 91W?

[ffemtp]

Ok, so it is time to get new tires for my 2015 Jetta TDI SE, 6spd manual. The tires it came with are the 91H. The steering feels a little soft, not as sporty as my MKIV Jetta with 91H tires. Brands aside, I am looking for a decent ride but good control if something unexpected happens. The majority of my driving is on the Interstate.

The tire rep suggested 91V tires. I also see 91W tires out there. What do you folks think? I don't do hard cornering but I do like a firm response, not soft (even mushy) like the tires I have now. For reference, the current tires are the Bridgestone Eccopia tires - I wouldn't buy them again on a bet.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

The letters are the speed rating. Tire performance will depend on a number of things other than that. Sidewall stiffness, tread pattern, how hard the compound is (best indicated by the treadwear rating), and the tire category (all season vs. summer, for example) will all affect the way the tire drives. And most people's evaluation of tires is subjective and based on their own preferences. For example, I like General Altimax tires, have them on three (four, including my son's) cars currently. But some find them too soft and their grip not so great. Others swear by Michelin Energy tires, which I don't like.

If your Jetta has 16 or larger diameter wheels you have lots of options. Look at Tire Rack and their road tests and reviews. You should probably look at either high performance or ultra performance all seasons, or better still, high performance summer tires, assuming you run snows in the winter. Those tires will probably give you better handling, but at the expense of ride quality and tread life. It's always a trade-off.

 

[chaoscreature]

Don’t get hung up on the tire speed rating. Even S rated tires are safe to 112 mph.
If your tire shop is trying to sell you tires based on speed ratings, I would find a different tire shop.

 

[ffemtp]

Don’t get hung up on the tire speed rating. Even S rated tires are safe to 112 mph.
If your tire shop is trying to sell you tires based on speed ratings, I would find a different tire shop.

they really are not trying to sell on on speed ratings. they are making suggestions based on my preferences (basically a little less mushy than those junk Eccopia tires). Based on the H vs V vs W ratings they told me the V tire would be more firm, and the W would be even more firm (due to the speed rating).

Would you folks suggest a 17" tire at all? I have a set of rims that are 17" that could be used as well. Whichever I don't use I will likely sell.

 

[CleverUserName]

I also had the ecopias on a car with sport suspension. They returned great fuel economy but made it squirrelly and oversteered. They are a green LRR tire designed for fuel economy, not good for handling.

I would recommend the Yokohama Avid Ascend GT. They are touring A/S tires, have V rated in most sizes and excellent treadware life. A 17 inch wheel will improve handling with a smaller sidewall but is also heavier so hard to say. Generally the lightest wheel with quality tires will return the best driving experience.

 

[chaoscreature]

ffemtp,

I have always thought 17" was the sweet spot for tires, giving a good compromise between sidewall stiffness, braking / cornering balance and comfort. 18's are too rough and braking/acceleration suffer a bit, while 16's roll around too much.

It really comes down to preference though. If you just want decent mileage and reasonable ride, stick with a touring style All Season tire. There are a million of them out there at all price ranges. Again, speed ratings have almost nothing to do with sidewall stiffness or handling ability. It just means they can handle the heat and stress of going XXXmph.
If you are looking at a 205/55R16 tire, I would get tires with a 91 load rating for sure though since the TDI's are a bit heavy up front..

The traction and temperature ratings are really more important than the speed rating IMO, and I like performance tires so I am usally also very interested in the treadwear ratings.
Don't get a tire with traction or temperature ratings below an A (unless you are looking at specialty tires for racing, mud or ice then this doesn't apply). So you want the treadwear / traction and temp ratings to look something like: 500AA.

This page on TireRack explains it all very well:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=48

And this one explains the load index and speed ratings:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=35

 

[ffemtp]

I've been reading the ratings people give the tires as well. The manufacturer rating on the mileage is something I always watch. I am easy on tires and almost always get more than the rated miles. I also run a little higher pressures. If the stated sidewall max is 44 PSI I usually run about 40 PSI (a little less in the Winter for better traction). In most cases I look for tires that are rated over 500 treadwear.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Typically tires with an over 500 treadwear rating are going to have less grip than ones with a lower rating. Same for LRR tires. If you want a tire the provides good grip, it's going to wear faster. The most extreme version of this in my experience was Hoosier slicks I used on my Wagon on the track. Treadwear rating was 60, I think. They lasted 12 hours of track time. But boy, were they sticky.

 

[ffemtp]

Typically tires with an over 500 treadwear rating are going to have less grip than ones with a lower rating. Same for LRR tires. If you want a tire the provides good grip, it's going to wear faster. The most extreme version of this in my experience was Hoosier slicks I used on my Wagon on the track. Treadwear rating was 60, I think. They lasted 12 hours of track time. But boy, were they sticky.

I'd think those 12 hours we a lot of fun, weren't they? I hope to get more than that out of them...