Advice on Bentley Arnage Red Label tyres please
Discussion
Greeting from France
I live and work over here in the sw of France.
Sadly my newly purchased Bentley Arnage which was bought sight unseen (yes, I know the pitfalls!) was bought the day before France was locked down by the pandemic. I am lusting after returning to pick it up.
I know that it needs tyres and I wonder please if any kind soul could give me advice. The seller is away.
It is a late 2000 registration and is a standard RHD Red Label 6.75 with the single big turbo (405bhp I believe). It has the standard Red Label 6 spoke alloy wheels which I presume (?) will be 18 inch?
Can anybody tell me the correct tyre size for this model?
Also speed rating?
Also Load index?
I would also be interested in other owners view on brands.
I believe, and I may be wrong, please advise, that this car came originally with Pirelli tyres? I normally avoid Pirelli like the plague as in the more than a million miles that I have driven over the years I have only ever had two tyre blowouts and both of them were Pirelli tyres.
Your advice would be much appreciated.
Keep safe friends.
Paul
I live and work over here in the sw of France.
Sadly my newly purchased Bentley Arnage which was bought sight unseen (yes, I know the pitfalls!) was bought the day before France was locked down by the pandemic. I am lusting after returning to pick it up.
I know that it needs tyres and I wonder please if any kind soul could give me advice. The seller is away.
It is a late 2000 registration and is a standard RHD Red Label 6.75 with the single big turbo (405bhp I believe). It has the standard Red Label 6 spoke alloy wheels which I presume (?) will be 18 inch?
Can anybody tell me the correct tyre size for this model?
Also speed rating?
Also Load index?
I would also be interested in other owners view on brands.
I believe, and I may be wrong, please advise, that this car came originally with Pirelli tyres? I normally avoid Pirelli like the plague as in the more than a million miles that I have driven over the years I have only ever had two tyre blowouts and both of them were Pirelli tyres.
Your advice would be much appreciated.
Keep safe friends.
Paul
Yes, thank you for that.
I was hoping for the original rating for speed and weight. If anybody has the original size for the 2000 Red label it would be much appreciated.
I don't believe that V rated tyre would be acceptable to insurance companies. It is not what speed the car is driven at but rather what the vehicle manufacturers specification was.
Insurance companies will look for ways to avoid paying and having the wrong speed rating or load is a classic problem. That is the reason for the question. It is not that other tyres cannot be fitted but rather in the event of a claim that it will be refused if the tyres are not correct.
If anybody has a handbook from 2000 red label the allowed variations and sizes should be listed.
Thanks to everybody.
I was hoping for the original rating for speed and weight. If anybody has the original size for the 2000 Red label it would be much appreciated.
I don't believe that V rated tyre would be acceptable to insurance companies. It is not what speed the car is driven at but rather what the vehicle manufacturers specification was.
Insurance companies will look for ways to avoid paying and having the wrong speed rating or load is a classic problem. That is the reason for the question. It is not that other tyres cannot be fitted but rather in the event of a claim that it will be refused if the tyres are not correct.
If anybody has a handbook from 2000 red label the allowed variations and sizes should be listed.
Thanks to everybody.
For a 2001, the tire size should be 255 /50 R18 Y rated which is good for 186MPH
https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/pirelli-p-z...
https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/pirelli-p-z...
I too have just bought an Arnage sight unseen. I must have lost my mind.
I have a 2001 with the 18" wheels.
They are 255/50 ZR 18 102Y.
Frankly, I wouldn't bother with the Asymmetricos. I had these on my Ferrari 348 and they are stupidly overpriced and frankly a bit rubbish.
I will go for continentals I think.
I have a 2001 with the 18" wheels.
They are 255/50 ZR 18 102Y.
Frankly, I wouldn't bother with the Asymmetricos. I had these on my Ferrari 348 and they are stupidly overpriced and frankly a bit rubbish.
I will go for continentals I think.
Exitleft said:
Funny how forums work. I say that the factory tyres have worked great over 16 years and several sets, and you come on having never driven the car on them and say they’re rubbish. Best of luck finding something suitable with the right speed and load rating that aren’t designed for SUVs.
That"s a really unpleasant and sarcastic response to a genuine opinion.If you read my original post that started this debate you will see that I have strong feelings about Pirelli tyres as well despite in your words "come on having never driven the car on them and say they’re rubbish". Indeed I do.
The reason for that as I explained is that I have had only two tyres blow out in many years of driving and both were Pirelli, one a P6 and one a P Zero. In both cases the whole side wall blew off.
Fairly obviously if nothing else is available I will have to use Pirellis but I for one very much appreciate the view and his comments.
Champagne Charlie said:
The reason for that as I explained is that I have had only two tyres blow out in many years of driving and both were Pirelli, one a P6 and one a P Zero. In both cases the whole side wall blew off.
How old were the tires? I've had tires blow out on me in the past (because I sometimes drive relics that had not been on the road for years until I got them running). Tires are usually very old. I expect this to be normal on a car like an Arnage or any other exotic(ish) car given how many that I see which are around 20 years old and have only 20,000 miles. They're probably still on the original tires.alabbasi said:
How old were the tires? I've had tires blow out on me in the past (because I sometimes drive relics that had not been on the road for years until I got them running). Tires are usually very old. I expect this to be normal on a car like an Arnage or any other exotic(ish) car given how many that I see which are around 20 years old and have only 20,000 miles. They're probably still on the original tires.
The P6's were on a fairly new Golf GTI in about 1986 (it was a C reg) and were very recent although I have always driven long distances. As far as I recall they were about a third worn. I was doing about 95mph and went across the two lanes of the A1 twice and was lucky not to be killed. The entire side of the tyre came out. When I checked the others all three were split in a single perfect line around between the side wall and the tread but you could only see it off the wheel and by standing on the side of the tyre. Pirelli offered me a half price tyre as a gesture of good will! The P Zero I can't actually remember the car as I used to run several at the same time but it was probably an Audi Quattro, the proper full blown baby in metallic green. It was a much slower speed on a country lane but it put me off the road although I was only I think doing about 30mph as I was behind another car. The noise was very loud indeed and I remember it now. The tyre was less than half worn.
Both these were many years ago but readers will understand that having two such experiences it would be stupid to have a third.
Are there seriously no other options for the Arnage than Pirelli?
By the way. To confirm for any other readers who followed my original question is that the car has as standard 255/50X18 Y Rated tyres at 102 load index.
If it's down to personal experience, it's down to personal experience. I bought a set of Michelin tires for a Mercedes Benz 450SLC 5.0 that started to dry rot within 6 months. It turned out that they don't make many in that size so they ended up selling me a set of tires that were sitting on the shelf for 3 years. The dealer I bought them from at the beginning refused to believe that they were the same tires they sold me until they checked the serial #'s and confirmed that they were. They called their Michelin rep who was pretty belligerent and suggested that just because they have dry rot, it does not make them bad tires.
I asked for a refund, the dealer happily gave me it and bought a set of Nexxen's that served me well on that car. I'd be foolish to suggest that Michelin are bad tires, but my experience with them has made me reluctant to buy their products because of how they handled my situation.
I own a few dozen cars now and even in rotation, i would rarely get 1000/year of them so I find myself buying Chinese tires more often than not. For the most part, they have been great. They don't last as long but given the miles I drive, it's not a huge concern.
I asked for a refund, the dealer happily gave me it and bought a set of Nexxen's that served me well on that car. I'd be foolish to suggest that Michelin are bad tires, but my experience with them has made me reluctant to buy their products because of how they handled my situation.
I own a few dozen cars now and even in rotation, i would rarely get 1000/year of them so I find myself buying Chinese tires more often than not. For the most part, they have been great. They don't last as long but given the miles I drive, it's not a huge concern.
I had a 2002 Arnage T a couple of years ago. I found that the Pirelli tyres were not lasting very long so I switched Michelin Pilot Sports.
I found that they lasted longer, were quieter and had equal grip to Pirelli.
Not just my opinion
See
https://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2016-Auto-Ex...
I found that they lasted longer, were quieter and had equal grip to Pirelli.
Not just my opinion
See
https://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2016-Auto-Ex...
Exitleft said:
Funny how forums work. I say that the factory tyres have worked great over 16 years and several sets, and you come on having never driven the car on them and say they’re rubbish. Best of luck finding something suitable with the right speed and load rating that aren’t designed for SUVs.
I have had them before, on another car, and they were rubbish. Poor performance all round, quite noisy, and £400 each. I don't need to have had them on a Bentley to have an opinion.Forums work by people expressing opinions. The speed and load ratings are what matter - who cares if they are designed for SUVs? It's the weight of the car that matters. In any event, I don't plan on doing track days in an arnage.
WelshBentleyBoy said:
I had a 2002 Arnage T a couple of years ago. I found that the Pirelli tyres were not lasting very long so I switched Michelin Pilot Sports.
I found that they lasted longer, were quieter and had equal grip to Pirelli.
If you can get them in the size and speed rating, plenty rate the Michelin Pilot Sport 4, and its what I run on the 330ciI found that they lasted longer, were quieter and had equal grip to Pirelli.
Daniel
Exitleft said:
*
Based on the responses to me trying to be helpful I don’t think I’ll bother giving any more advice even when it’s asked for.
The problem is your response was very sarcastic and unhelpful. Based on the responses to me trying to be helpful I don’t think I’ll bother giving any more advice even when it’s asked for.
By all means leave an opinion on if you like or dislike the tyres but I think if you re-read your comment you will see why you have had a negative response to it.
I have 203,000 miles on my 2000 Bentley Red Label, allof which have been driven on the Pirelli Zero Asymetrico OEM tyres. Included in that have been a few 150mph runs on the Autobahn.
They are good tyres for the first few thousand miles, but then I find tend to lose traction, especially in the wet, rapidly thereafter. They also have a very poor rolling resistance and are hugely expensive for what they are. The fact that I seem to go through them every 15,000 miles doesn’t help either. The same tyre in much smaller sizes is vastly cheaper because the 255/50 R18 size is relatively rare.
All of this is perhaps unsurprising; the tyre is now a 20 year old design, and tyre technology has of course moved on a fair bit.
The problem I have historically faced is that in that size, the alternative tyres have been from non-premium manufacturers. Michelin, Continental etc. do not make a 255/50 R18, at least not with a 102Y load and speed rating needed for the Arnage.
Bridgestone has recently released the Turanza T005 in the correct size and with an adequate load and speed rating of 106Y. At £144 a tyre and a new design, with decibel, wet and rolling twist ends ratings vastly better than the Zero I will try these and see how they go. I figure that even if they are no good in comparison to the Zero, at £600 it is worth a try to save the huge Zero tyre bill every 15,000 miles.
I use my Arnage heavily, so this may matter to me more than those who use the car much less.
They are good tyres for the first few thousand miles, but then I find tend to lose traction, especially in the wet, rapidly thereafter. They also have a very poor rolling resistance and are hugely expensive for what they are. The fact that I seem to go through them every 15,000 miles doesn’t help either. The same tyre in much smaller sizes is vastly cheaper because the 255/50 R18 size is relatively rare.
All of this is perhaps unsurprising; the tyre is now a 20 year old design, and tyre technology has of course moved on a fair bit.
The problem I have historically faced is that in that size, the alternative tyres have been from non-premium manufacturers. Michelin, Continental etc. do not make a 255/50 R18, at least not with a 102Y load and speed rating needed for the Arnage.
Bridgestone has recently released the Turanza T005 in the correct size and with an adequate load and speed rating of 106Y. At £144 a tyre and a new design, with decibel, wet and rolling twist ends ratings vastly better than the Zero I will try these and see how they go. I figure that even if they are no good in comparison to the Zero, at £600 it is worth a try to save the huge Zero tyre bill every 15,000 miles.
I use my Arnage heavily, so this may matter to me more than those who use the car much less.
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