How does one learn the speed rating of the original tires. I'm trying to buy a set of H rated Potenza RE950's from Costco but they'll only sell me a V rated Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus. I've checked my owners' and Chilton manuals, the gas filler door, the original window sticker, and www.volvocars.us/_Tier2/Owners/Library.htm; no luck. Maybe the dealer? Thanks for any ideas.

'98 V70 GLT

Good answers to my tire question; thank-you. I’ve purchased from TireRack in the past and it looks like that’s where I’ll end up this time. I feel fortunate that a H rated tire is an option. Here’s an article about a proposal to change the Maine state vehicle inspection law that requires tires to have an OEM speed rating:

http://www.mtdealer.com/t_inside.cfm?action=news_det&storyID=4343

http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-asec1917.html
6. A vehicle may be equipped only with tires that meet or exceed the load and speed rating of the original equipment tires. 󞪃, c. 146, §1 (amd).]

As you noticed in this article, the State of Maine is planning on revising this law that was passed there back in late 2003. The initial reason they passed this law was to try to prohibit people from installing significantly larger diameter tires on vehicles that could affect the saftey and handling. (Like people do when they put lift kits and oversized tires on their pickup trucks) However, when they wrote the law the brilliant politicians did not consult anyone in the tire industry and they included the load range and speed rating in this law. Maine State Police have already issued a letter stating that it is okay to disregard this law for "winter" tire because there are very few dedicated snow tires with V or higher speed rating. This whole law is supposed to be corrected by the Maine legislature in 2005.

OE tires on '98 V70 GLT - 195/60R15 88V Michelin MXV4

This information can be found in a publication you can purchase from www.tireguides.com

Many tire retailers will not sell a tire with a lower load/speed rating than what came on the car as OE. This is especially true of big retailers like WalMart and Costco. While the liability risk is an issue, it is also good way to sell more expensive higher speed rated tires that get less treadwear. Many tire dealers will install a lower speed rated tire at your request. Unless you are a demanding, aggressive driver that frequently exceeds posted speed limits by a large amount on highways, an H speed rated tire is more than adequate as a safe, lower cost alternative. I have used "H" rated tires on my '95 850 for the past 8 years, despite having "V" rated tires on the vehicle from the factory. One benefit of the "H" tire is that they usually have less "stiff" sidewalls that will reduce the harsh ride of these cars caused by the stiff suspensions.

okay...tireguides.com Do I have to pay $15 for the info that I should be able to reference somewhere? Thinking....

The Tire Guides books are industry reference books. They have complete listings and cross references for the size, load/speed rating and brands of tires that come on all new cars. I don't know of a way to get this complete information without paying for the book. The info that I put in my note was taken from that book. There might be some isolated reference for particular vehicles that you can find on the internet, but I am not aware of them.
If you notice on tirerack.com they list tire options of H, V, W, Y, Z speed ratings for most all Volvos. You can actually use a lower S or T speed rated tire but the handling will probably be reduced compared to H or V rated tires.

Maybe this will shed a little light on the subject. There are three issues, speed rating, load rating and inflation pressure. Volvo had a bent toward smallish tires on many of their cars. As a result, to get sufficient load capacity they needed a v rated tire even if that model did not need above a 130mph tire. Most h rated tires of the same size were rated at too low a max pressure to achieve the required load rating. So, use h if you like but be careful not to excede the max pressure on the sidewall when fully loaded. You may not get max load due to that max pressure restriction on the tire. Many new h tires now have a higher max pressure.

Is this a liability question for Costco? With the speed limits in the USA, no one needs a V rated tire, unless you like the stickier tread compound. I don't expect you to cruise at 100+ unless you found the holy grail of roads. An H rated tire will suit us just fine and give a little more milage on the tread life.
Contact tirerack.com by phone and ask them. Honest answers, all of the time.

Klaus
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98 V70R awd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164 (176K mi), 88 245(165K mi)

I'm having the same problem. I have 2 T5 wagons, a 1999 and a 2001. Both came from Volvo with H rated Michelins. Sam's Club and BJ's wholesale club both use a Michelin manual which says the car specs are for a V tire. This really limits your tire choices and eliminates some of the best choices. I can't find any info from Volvo which confirms any specific rating. It's frustrating. If I needed rims I'd just order from tire rack, but since the tire deals at the warehouses rebalance regularly for the one tire deal fee, they are a good choice. I'm pretty sure I'm about to misrepresent my model to them when ordering the tires....that way I can buy H rated tires. Sam's club does not stock, but will order BF goodrich traction TA's. Read up on those in tirerack. Very different than Touring TAs. If you find an authortation reference quickly...please steer me toward it. (I'm a suspicious son of a gun...I suspect Michelin fudged this thing to force us back to their tires....and if i can prove it, I'm gonna bust their balls right back again.)