better tyres = inform insurance?!?!

[osc89er]

I've just been phoning around for tyres and one of the tyre companies seems to think that if I put tyres on the car with a higher speed rating then my insurance company will need to know about it.

Is this (as I think) absolute rubbish?

 

[osc89er]

Well I went and got myself some avon zz3s on 205/50/16 W rating in the end. Uprated from V rating!!! The only one of my shortlist of good tyres that was available today, I was looking for tyres that are good in the wet (and I am aware that the F1 is king) as I hate the aquaplaning that happens on the cheap federals and GTs that came with the car when I bought it.

My MOT guy was also brand new - charged me £40, fixed the loose hose on my washer pump for free and offers a 7-10 day time for returning for a free retest. Despite the fantastic price, good terms and friendly service he did not try to rip me off with a list of little things that needed fixed.

If anyone is interested it was Saracen Autos on Denmark Street in Glasgow.

 

[osc89er]

Common senses? What is that, like a 6th sense? lol

Actually you could argue that brake discs are consumable. I personally agree with ci_newman, you replace your factory fit Pirellis with budget Tigers and you're dramatically reducing the performance handling capabilities of the car resulting in more likelihood of an accident surely? I'm not saying that insurance companies will ever expect you to declare your tyres but if they did it wouldn't make any less sense than charging extra for different suspension / discs etc.

If a car is specced and supplied with W rating tyres and you put on a V then you have put on a tyre that is inferior to the specification and that is a fair argument to make. However putting on a tyre that is the same size and rated for HIGHER speeds should not invalidate your insurance and that is why I posted about this in the first place.

The company that told me the crap about the insurance company actually gives good service in person but they seem to not treat customers the same over the phone. In the end I went elsewhere, I could have had eagle f1s if I had been willing to wait until tomorrow but I decided i wanted to get everything done and dusted today. One shiny new MOT valid until February 29 2008.