Posted by Tim Pillsbury on March 01, 1999 at 14:35:26:
In Reply to: Blowouts on SAAB 900 with Michelin Pilot MXM tires posted by Tom Billingham on August 14, 1998 at 15:12:23:
I own a 1996 SAAB 900 SE Turbo with 20k miles and equipped with the same model tires (size is 205/50ZR16) and experienced a sidewall blowout (my first) this past weekend. I ran over a pothole that was sandwiched between a curb and sidewalk while trying to pull into traffic on a (too) tight corner.
My tire guru (from a local tire outfit) says that the sidewalls on a Z rated tire are stiffer, not softer, than lesser rated tires in order to provide better cornering with less roll. The tread is softer, not the sidewall. I'm thinking that perhaps your blowouts could be either road hazards (NYC is rough) or improper tire pressure, but you've probably already investigated that issue thoroughly since this has happened numerous times to you (sorry).
Local tire dealers are asking about $280 per tire for the Z series, so I considered downgrading to a V, H or T series tire. A friend suggested that the difference in handling might be minimal since I don't usually drive at high speed (in excess of 90 mph), does anyone know if this is good advice? I would also benefit from longer treadwear.
But after shopping around I found *many* Z rated tires for *significantly* less money. I got these prices per tire (installed):
$209 Dunlop Sport(some model)
$190 Bridgestone RE92
$180 Perrelli P7000
$163 Yokohama AVS
I would welcome suggestions/opinions/advice on these replacement tires.