UTQG Rating Question

[skilletrx]

I'm looking at all seasons for the MSP.

-Toyo Proxes 4

or

-Pirelli Nero Zero M&S

Now the main thing stopping me is that I'm a college student; tight budget. I want the longest lasting tire, and the Proxes 4 has a 300 UTQG rating, vs. Nero's 400UTQG rating...

Now... my main question: How big of a difference is there between 300UTQG rating vs 400?

 

[Professor MSP]

Here is what I found:

Uniform Tire Quality Grading - UTQG Ratings

Uniform Tire Quality Grading

The Department of Transportation requires each manufacturer to grade its tires under the Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG) labeling system and establish ratings for tread wear, traction, and temperature resistance. These tests are conducted independently by each manufacturer following government guidelines to assign values that represent a comparison between the tested tire and a control tire. While traction and temperature resistance ratings are specific performance levels, the tread wear ratings are assigned by the manufacturers following field testing and are most accurate when comparing tires of the same brand.

Tread Wear

Tread wear receives a comparative rating based on wear rate of the the tire in field testing following a government specified course. For example, a tire grade of 150 wears 1.5 times longer than a tire graded 100. Actual performance of the tire can vary significantly depending on conditions, driving habits, care, road characteristics, and climate.

Traction

Straight-a-head wet braking traction has been represented by a grade of A, B, or C with A being the highest. In 1997 a new top rating of "AA" has been introduced to indicate even greater wet braking traction. However, due to its newness, this grade will probably be applied initially to new tire lines as they are introduced and later to existing lines which excel in wet braking, but had been limited to the previous top grade of "A". Traction grades do not indicate wet cornering ability.

Temperature

Temperature resistance is graded A, B or C. It represents the tire's resistance to the heat generated by running at high speed. Grade C is the minimum level of performance for all passenger car tires as set under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. This grade is established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.

Note: UTQG ratings are not required on winter and light truck sized tires.


So under identical conditions the tire rated 400 would have a 33% longer treadlife than that rated 300.

I'm looking at all seasons for the MSP.

-Toyo Proxes 4

or

-Pirelli Nero Zero M&S

Now the main thing stopping me is that I'm a college student; tight budget. I want the longest lasting tire, and the Proxes 4 has a 300 UTQG rating, vs. Nero's 400UTQG rating...

Now... my main question: How big of a difference is there between 300UTQG rating vs 400?

 

[skilletrx]

thanks professor, my concern is====

arent UTQG ratings subjected to incongruencies due to the different companies testing them???

 

[FlyinMSP]

Yes, everything about tires depends on manufacurers (even sizes). The best way to go about is to search lots of forums to find feedback on the tires.
Speaking of feedback, I have run Proxes 4 for about 8000 Km (5000 Mi.) and they may not be that long lasting from what I can see... but you rotate them anyway so I would expect prolly 20 000 miles out of them (sporty driving all the time) or maybe more. BTW they are oustanding tires all around, and just unreal in the rain!

Edit: I didn't rotate them and the front are now 5/32 (new, they have a 10/32 tread), but the rear are stlill new (10/32) !!

 

[skilletrx]

only 20,000 for PROXES 4?! Dude, I'm on 25,000K on my RE040's!! =X !!

 

[FlyinMSP]

... driving pretty hard though! It depends on lots of factors... Anyway, from my experience I think the Proxes 4 are a bit over-rated in terms of UTQG Ratings

 

[yashooa]

Uniroyal Tiger Paw, oh yeah that's what you need...