'89 5.3l Tyres (uk)

I need to get some new tyres for my '89 5.3l v12 xjs, as it turns out I have odd sized tyres on the rear.

I’ve been looking at these as they seem to be the right size, and to be honest, they look cool and are a good price.

My question is; is a T speed rating safe for the XJS?

Cheers,
Ryan

Sure. Just stay below 118 mph.

Of course being merely safe doesn’t imply that xxx-tire is the best choice for xxx-car. Many factors weigh in. Your driving style and road/weather conditions, for example. If you’re do a lot of driving in the rain then a tire with exceptional wet traction and hydro-planing resistance might be the best (and safest) choice

If you like fast cornering then a tire with a high speed rating might be better…as they typically have stiffer casings…which give sharper response.

If you’re sensitive to tire noise, well, various types/brands are known to be particularly good (or bad) in that regard. Same with tread life. Some of the best ‘performance’ tire are known to have very low tread life.

If you’re a very gentle driver it likely doesn’t matter too much what tire you buy. Any number of mainstream tires will be satisfactory and safe.

So…what are your priorities?

Cheers
DD

2 Likes

Excellent, thanks, I thought that might’ve been the case but wasnt sure.

I mostly drive in the dry, motorway or just to the local pub, noise isnt much of an issue.

I run those same tires on my 89 5.3 and have no complaints. They are a good value for the money. I do not find them to be noisy. I don’t drive the car in the rain so I cannot speak to wet traction. I do not drive the car particularly aggressively, I have other cars for that. I will drive it 80mph+ for long stretches.
Regards
Bob

2 Likes

Those Coopers will probably be fine for you. They’re sold in the USA as well and are somewhat common on XJSs and other older cars…mostly because Cooper is one of the very few still offering the 235/60 size.

They’re a decent tire. Nothing especially notable about them either good or bad. I never hear complaints.

Cheers
DD

2 Likes

Brilliant, cheers gents

Not sure your insurance would be valid in the UK if you use a tyre rated for lower speed than original spec. What’s the original spec?

1 Like

Original spec was V-rating.

Cheers
DD