Well, I bit the bullet and had four Pirelli P6000 Powergy tyres fitted this week. I had two of these on the front since mid-2011, and they lasted 37k miles. Rears were two Accelera Phi that went on in Jan 2012 and lasted 30k miles. In all my motoring since the 70s I have never fitted four tyres at once !

So, that lot should see me for the next three years, hopefully. They cost me £138 each which with our outrageous VAT @20% came to £662 in total fitting included. £110 to our government, let's hope they spend it wisely !

 

Fraser,
I just put on 4 Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus 235/50R18 and after a few days of driving I am so happy with them. I am not a race car driver and love my XJ8 for it's quiet and very comfortable fine ride. The Continental Pro Contacts that were on it were anything but quiet. I also thought I had some front end bushing wear, the tramlining was getting bad.


The shop said my bushings were good so they mounted and balanced the 4 Turanza's and did a 4 wheel alignment. Now I feel like I just got a new car, I am in love all over again. Tramlining gone and ah so quiet. Just what the doctor.

 

Hi Clamdigger
Glad your Bridgestones are good too. I just came home after a little run, and as we visited my mother went down the worst road near here, Hall Lane, which seems to be 95% patching. Car is noticeably better riding and I put this down the Pirellis on the rear. These are load rating 97, whereas the Acceleras were 101. The Pirellis were the factory fitment when the cars were in production. BTW, I was at my local indie last week and asked them about their very sophisticated wheel alignment rig that they used to set my suspension up. Well, it cost £62,000 ! I said that they would need an awful lot of customers using it to get that money back !!

 

Hey Fraser,
I am glad your Pirelli's are giving you a better ride, I know you are not a big fan of the stiffer shocks on the sport. You get to drive that TF much? I am sorry that model never got to the states.

 

Actually, I've been out in the Midget over the last three days. We did a charity run on Saturday, (some very nice cars took part), and then went out into Wales yesterday. Today I've swapped cars and will now be going shopping in the TF, die Oberkomanderin der Wehrmacht has ordered it !!

So it is "Zu befehl !!" for me

PS Its probably best you didn't get this car in the US, as it was developed on a shoestring budget and also used the K-series engine that probably kyboshed MG Rover on its own due to its propensity to blow headgaskets. My TF has the development of the K called the N. It was made in China and is basically a K-series with the headgasket problem, plu a few other things, sorted out

 

Fraser in September we have a car show called "Brits on the Beach". It's held down town in a beautiful old Jersey shore town a block in from the ocean. About 200 British cars of all makes and models are on display. Last year we even had a D type.


Search for Brits on the Beach in Ocean Grove, NJ or The Positive Earth Drivers Club, lots of great pictures, my car is in a few lined up next to the dark green 56 XK140 coupe.

 

Fraser - what size wheels are you on ?

My 2.7LWB is on 19" (Polaris) and seems to have had P-Zeros from new, but I picked up a set (yet to fit) of 18" (Tucanas) and they have P6000s

Dave

 

Hi Partick
I'm on 18" wheels which run 235/50 18 tyres. Tyres are Pirelli 6000 Powergy, load rating 97W