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Volvo V70 Tire/Wheel Questions

PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
Post your questions and share solutions about V70 tires and wheels here.

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    huskyfan2huskyfan2 Member Posts: 11
    We have a V70 2.5 T with 17" Pirelli tires. Was just told by a tire store that our front treads are "shot". We only have 14K miles on the car. Volvo dealer told us this normal for Pirellis and that our alignment was OK. That being said they also mentioned that Pirelli is offering a "special" warranty for tires that have treads <3mm and less than 15K miles but this only applies to the XC-90. Has anyone else heard of this problem.

    At more than $250 a tire, I expect them to last more than 15K miles.

    Any comments would be appreciated

    TK
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    pilotpatpilotpat Member Posts: 18
    Unfortunate side effect of paying extra for a "performance" wheel/tire package is that you generally get a softer tire - made for traction and cornering, not economy and durability. I assume you've got the OEM P6s. 14K seems early to be bald (if you rotated them every 5k)m but even with regular rotation, 20k would be about your top end on these, I'd bet.

    Another unfortunate side effect is that 17" wheels on a passenger car (meaning no extended wheel-well clearance) ties you to low-profile (45s, right?) tires, which make your choices limited to primarily "High Performance" tires, with similarly soft treads.

    To give you an idea of your predicament - check out tirerack.com for tires in your size and click on the "reviews" - user reviews. Lots of surprised people talking about no tread by 20k or less, no matter the brand.

    Depending on how long you keep the vehicle, a set of 16" wheels with good All-seasons might be the way to go. EDIT - Bet you could sell the 17" wheels on e-bay or in the paper relatively quickly, if they're in good shape.

    Sorry - wish I had better news. Maybe someone out there has a tire they can recommend with better durability, but I made sure to order my new V70 with 16" tires.

    Pat
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    jim314jim314 Member Posts: 491
    My wife's 2004 V70 with base 2.4L non-turbo 167 hp engine came with 195/65-15s in R-rated Michelin "Energy" MXV4 "plus" XSV 91H with 51 psi max infl press, on the base 15" alloy wheels. I keep the tires inflated to the 38 psi max specified on the vehicle tire sticker. We get 30 mpg on the interstate at 70 mph.

    This is a cheap tire compared to the low profile and wide ones, and for the 2004 model year the EPA hwy est was 30 mpg. I'd bet the engine setup was the same as 2003 and 2005 which both had a slightly lower EPA hwy est. So I think the 195/65-15 size has less rolling resistance and air resistance than the lower profile tires. Of course, it will not do a slalom as fast.

    To me the wheels look fine, but to those who are sensitive I'm sure there is a difference in visual impact. The car has only about 21,000 mi on it and the tires have plenty of tread. I'm not good about getting them rotated.

    One rear tire had to be replaced because it got a roofing staple stuck ~1" down the sidewall from the tread and Discount wouldn't repair it. I thought about getting a $10 plugging kit and doing it myself, and if it had been my car I would have tried this, but since it was hers I got a new tire. Total mounted and balanced was $133.70.
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    drcjdrcj Member Posts: 7
    My Pirelli tires were seeming hard as rocks with balancing and roundness issues from the first few miles to about 8,000 miles when I realized they were very poor in snow. I put on the ER 960's about 750 mile ago and I am finding them fantastic for this car. Quieter, round er, better in rain, slush and snow. The 4c active suspension feels like I can use all the settings to my advantage now.

    These Bridgestones took about 150 miles to run in and then just felt "right" on the car. Dry traction may have a little less abrupt turn in response but over all they are a HUGE improvement in all around driving pleasure, a far better ride and very quiet on lots of surfaces. I feel much more confident in the over all handling, braking etc. under all conditions including ice and snow, a fine tire if you have a Volvo R series rocket ship. Worth the $$$ for this high performance all season tire in my opinion.
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    virtuvirtu Member Posts: 8
    The car I am buying (offer presented today) has 216,450 mlles and is a great sporty model in good shape. The Continental Federals on it are shot.

    We have classic Pacific NW wet winters and dry hot summers: rain is more common than snow. I go a few times a month to Seattle (180 miles) or up to Mt. Baker for a ski or hike. I used to love Pirellis' on my old Citroen but it's such a different car. Local dealers sell Continentals and Michelins and Pirelli's.

    Any preference for this vehicle in similar driving conditions? I mostly bop around town looking for coffee shops or art galleries with my bike in the back. Not a speedo!
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    shaquille0nealshaquille0neal Member Posts: 1
    I got another volvo for the heck of it.7900$ for a 2002 v70 t5 with 82,000 in great condition.im amazed that Pirelli tires wear quickly on v70s I got mine used so I didn't know they were oem.ive got my speed wagon on Bridgestone potenza G019s 10,000 miles and Lincoln's head is still covered mind you they came with the car I don't know how old they are.they don't seem to wear at all wet dry the grip is insane.ive haven't used them in the snow yet so I can't speak for my volvo friends in colder climates.im a fairly ehhem spirited driver lets just say sometimes the fans are running when I turn her off.there about 160$ each I'd highly recommend these if tire wear is an issue.as a side note has anyone fixed the silly auto dimming rear view leak on the cheap.it leaked into its housing and now there is a air bubble in the top.
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