Hi,

I have 20" volans (255/35 front and 285/30 rear) which I keep kerbing to my frustration. I am trying to be careful but there are certain areas where you have to manoeuvre and your heart is in your throat as you are just waiting for the 'grunch'.
With that in mind and the fact that I need to replace the tyres, are there any tyres I can fit that will give slightly wider finish to stop the wheel being the first point of impact or will this just look rubbish.

I was thinking of getting winter tyres and the Jag website recommends Pirelli Sotto Zero, I would be keen to hear opinions especially first hand ones.

Does anyone know good places that can refurb the wheels back to the original Smoked Chrome finish, ideally in the Chelmsford Essex area but happy to travel.

Thanks in advance.

Jason

 

I have Sotto Zero's on my 2010 XF SC with 20inch wheels (I have the selena wheels). I got the winters in the same size as the original stock tyres, although I know a few people have opted to fit the front-wheel size all round (they can stretch to the width of the rear wheels) for the ability to rotate the tyres each season. Overall they have been excellent - great snow and cold performance, terrific grip etc.

For the kerbing, no easy solution. Issue on mine is that the side of the wheel hits the kerb before the tyre does - you'd have to have a tyre that stuck out a long way to counter this. Interested if anyone comes up with a good solution to this...

Good luck!

 

A little extra sidewall width isn't going to do much to stop a 4000lb car from hitting the wheels on the curb.

 

Hi. Yes I know what you mean. I am referring to parking or slow turning into car parks and the likes of

 

It's not that you need wider tires, you just need tires with rim protectors built in. Here's a quick read on them, http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...sp?techid=149&

 

I have just ordered 4 Sotto Zero's as my old tyres are very much in need of changing. I have heard nothing but good reports on these so far and hope I will equally like them.

Just out of curiosity, what summer tyres do you have and when do you tend to fit them.

Oponeo had a superb price coming out at £736 inc vat and delivery for the complete set, fitting and old disposal will cost me around 40-50 at my jaguar garage when I have the service so thats £194 a corner fitted (some places were quoting £450 per corner)

 

Wow - you got a great deal (or they are a lot cheaper in the UK). I live in the US now, and they run at close to $400 USD per tyre (250GBP). And each swap costs close to 150USD for the 4 tyres at the dealer....

To answer your question, I run Hankook Ventus Evo V12 summer tyres. They came on the car (I bought CPO pre-owned). I'd have never chosen a 'cheaper brand' myself, but have to say I've been truly impressed with them and would replace with the same. They are also literally under half the price of the Pirelli P Zero or Dunlop SP Sport Maxx.

When to swap on will depend on your weather conditions. I'm in the north-east USA now, so I typically run from November to about April. For me it's less about the snow (which usually comes later than that) and more that once the temp plunges down towards freezing day and night the winter tyres have softer compound and grip much better. For Chelmsford I'm not sure it's really necessary, but I'd say once you are well into frosty mornings - so prob later on in November and off again by mid to late March would be my guess.