Tyre Noise Ratings

[E55BOF]

The new SLK 55 (the R172) needs rear tyres. It's on Pirellis, which I'm not keen on; I can remember when people said "if you want a tyre that will stay round, don't buy a Pirelli", and though I dare say the quality control is good these days, they are relatively noisy in my experience, and I like quiet tyres.

Looking at Dunlop Sportmaxx RT2s on TyresOnTheDrive (now owned by Halfords, but I've been using them for a few years now and their service has been excellent), they rate them at Fuel C, Wet Grip A , 69 db noise; Pirellis P Zeros at E/A/73. Sportmaxx it is, then. I also looked at Goodyear As 5s - E/A/72. Still Sportmaxx.

Then to Black Circles, where the Sportmaxx are rated at C/A/72, and the P Zeros at D/B/73.

Does anybody know how the ratings can differ so much for the same tyre?

 

[whitenemesis]

Are the tyres the same size/load/speed rating?

 

[E55BOF]

Yes, they are. 255/35/18 94Y.

 

[Smart320]

I was very happy with mine on Goodyear As, but they were not particularly quiet especially as they wore down

 

[ChrisHGTV]

Ive got a mix of RT2's and A3's on my E. Swapping them front to back the RT2's do seem quieter, though not massively so. They're all worn about the same. I went RT2 because the current (at the time) A5 had a higher noise rating than the A3.

On the Alfa ive now got A5's and A6's - the A6's again seem quite a bit quieter than the A5's. But, they do have a much more rounded sidewall. Ive not driven them much so far as the Alfa's getting its brake lines replaced but first impression i do like the A6's.

So in terms of noise i would say A6 would be the quietest, then RT2, then A5. The A6's seem to be getting good reviews. Im a bit annoyed i bought two A5's for the Alfa just before the A6 came out. Otherwise i would have gone A6 all round.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

The new SLK 55 (the R172) needs rear tyres. It's on Pirellis, which I'm not keen on; I can remember when people said "if you want a tyre that will stay round, don't buy a Pirelli", and though I dare say the quality control is good these days, they are relatively noisy in my experience, and I like quiet tyres.

Looking at Dunlop Sportmaxx RT2s on TyresOnTheDrive (now owned by Halfords, but I've been using them for a few years now and their service has been excellent), they rate them at Fuel C, Wet Grip A , 69 db noise; Pirellis P Zeros at E/A/73. Sportmaxx it is, then. I also looked at Goodyear As 5s - E/A/72. Still Sportmaxx.

Then to Black Circles, where the Sportmaxx are rated at C/A/72, and the P Zeros at D/B/73.

Does anybody know how the ratings can differ so much for the same tyre?

Typos buy an underpaid web page maintainer that doesn’t know or care?

Look on the manufacturers site.