TYRES - 205 70 14 H or above rated

[sc52]

Last time I needed to buy some tyres this size there were loads of different options. Now, some 20 years later, there are hardly any.

It seems I have choice between the hyper expensive Michelin XWXs at about £1300 a set, Vredestein Sprints at about £900, Comacs £400 or budget tyres - Maxxis MA-P1, Falken FK 07U and a couple that I've never heard of that are even cheaper.

There is no way that I'll be buying the Michelins, but would appreciate people's views on the others listed (or any that aren't). I'd like to go the maxxis/falken route but there's some comment on the internet about their lack of wet grip.

They'll be going on a rear wheel drive car with no driver aids (ABS etc), so will need to have some ability when it rains!

Thanks

[v8250]

Tyres...learn the lesson once. If you can't afford a proper set you can't afford the car. Pay ditch finder money, you'll find a ditch. Don't short cut your passengers safety nor the safety of other road users.

[Roy C]

+1 What he said. Choose life.

[VetteG]

v8250 said:

Tyres...learn the lesson once. If you can't afford a proper set you can't afford the car. Pay ditch finder money, you'll find a ditch. Don't short cut your passengers safety nor the safety of other road users.

Couldn't have put it better.

G

[sc52]

v8250 said:

Tyres...learn the lesson once. If you can't afford a proper set you can't afford the car. Pay ditch finder money, you'll find a ditch. Don't short cut your passengers safety nor the safety of other road users.

thanks - very helpful.....

perhaps you could list the ditch finders from my list so that I know to avoid them.

FWIW even the Michelins get some poor reviews.

Was really looking for peoples experiences of the tyres I've listed.

Edited by sc52 on Wednesday 9th October 08:49

Edited by sc52 on Wednesday 9th October 08:51

[sc52]

To those above, given your comments, I take it that you have experience of the tyres listed - perhaps you'd be good enough to give your recommendation?

Edited by sc52 on Wednesday 9th October 08:57

[DocArbathnot]

Try and buy tyres to suit you, your car and driving style.
Top of the range isn't always best!! A lot of classics do a relatively low mileage, no point in paying extra for a hard wearing tyre. No point in buying a tyre more suitable to track days if comfort, compliancy and noise levels are more important.

Try to find a decent indy tyre fitter/supplier (mines Silverline in Warwick) ask for they're advice and then make your decision.

A lot of smaller brands are not necessarily rubbish. A few yrs ago I was sceptical when recommended Sava Intensa's never heard of them, they were bigger in the USA than Europe. They suited me/my car perfectly without breaking the bank.

Even a budget tyre will be better than a knackered or old premium jobbie.

What's the car and what's your annual mileage?

Edited by DocArbathnot on Wednesday 9th October 09:09

[kali]

I used to have Falkens on my Scimitar and they were fine but it was a while ago so can't remember which type. You have to make sure that they don't try and slip you van tyres though.......

Since then I've switched to a 15 inch wheel partly because of the way it looks but also because there's a much better choice of tyre.

[sc52]

Thanks DocArbathnot and kali,

My car is a Fiat Dino Coupe that was mothballed 20 years ago and whilst the tyres still look fine and would probably pass an MOT there is no way that I would drive on them.

As you say kali, there is a much better range of tyres for bigger rims - superformance now offer a 16 inch copy of the original Cromodora rims.

It would be cheaper to buy these together with very good modern tyres than a set of michelins. My car isn't a show car so it's not 100% necessary to be original, but it still has to look right. I'll probably have to go and have a look at some.

Thanks

[72twink]

DocArbathnot said:

Try and buy tyres to suit you, your car and driving style.
Top of the range isn't always best!!

Exactly this, see what other Dino drivers are using and for what, a good friend of mine has an Elan Sprint, he uses all of the performance and does plenty of track days - his tyres are Runway Enduros, cheap as chips and grip perfectly up to a gentle, progressive breakaway matching the tyre technology of the era and the chassis characteristics perfectly.

[decampos]

I recently posted on the topic of 205/70/14 tyres. I bought Vredestein V rated Sprint Classics from Event Tyres. Installed they were £768 all in which is considerably cheaper than both Vintage Tyre and Longstone. These tyres would really suit your Dino perfectly (in my opinion), they look very period, grip wonderfully (have never squealed) but they all have funny little dents in the sidewalls which are hard to notice but sure do annoy the tits off of me.

After having bought them I read a tyre article in a BMW E9 club mag that highly rated Nankang's H rated tyre. I forget what they're called. They come in at about £50 each. I have used Nankang 205/70/14s on an old sporty beemer and had no troubles at all.

Edited by decampos on Wednesday 9th October 11:11

[DocArbathnot]

sc52 said:

Thanks DocArbathnot and kali,

My car is a Fiat Dino Coupe that was mothballed 20 years ago and whilst the tyres still look fine and would probably pass an MOT there is no way that I would drive on them.

As you say kali, there is a much better range of tyres for bigger rims - superformance now offer a 16 inch copy of the original Cromodora rims.

It would be cheaper to buy these together with very good modern tyres than a set of michelins. My car isn't a show car so it's not 100% necessary to be original, but it still has to look right. I'll probably have to go and have a look at some.

Thanks

You could maybe go a bit narrower (I don't know what the car originaly came with) on that car 195's may give you more choice.

I like the look of the Dino, you've got me browsing the classifieds now

[nta16]

DocArbathnot said:

Try and buy tyres to suit you, your car and driving style.
Top of the range isn't always best!! A lot of classics do a relatively low mileage, no point in paying extra for a hard wearing tyre. No point in buying a tyre more suitable to track days if comfort, compliancy and noise levels are more important.

Try to find a decent indy tyre fitter/supplier (mines Silverline in Warwick) ask for they're advice and then make your decision.

A lot of smaller brands are not necessarily rubbish. A few yrs ago I was sceptical when recommended Sava Intensa's never heard of them, they were bigger in the USA than Europe. They suited me/my car perfectly without breaking the bank.

Even a budget tyre will be better than a knackered or old premium jobbie.

What's the car and what's your annual mileage?

I agree with above and add that any tyres (and the car) wont be helped by low annual mileage use

bear in mind the good advice to buy tyres to suit your car - a good tyre suited to one car might not be so well suited to another - and then (to a lesser extent) to suit you and your driving style

you're very wise not to use the tyres on the car, see the four pages here for size alternatives (if you want) and about not using old (and in my opinion lack of use) tyres - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

- http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg4.html

Edited by nta16 on Wednesday 9th October 18:57

[Lowtimer]

The Dino coupe is a lovely car, lucky you!
By modern standards it is not much of a tyre-torturer, being fairly light at around 1400kg and not ludicrously powered with around 180 hp.

I'm convinced you'd find the H-rated Falkens perfectly satisfactory, though would definitely agree that it's worth asking owners of similar cars. Falken is not a shabby ditchfinder brand, it is a decent quality Japanese outfit with a lot of motorsport experience. Camskill have them at about £63 a corner so not expensive.

They will definitely be vastly superior to any 20 year old rubber. I personally don't trust any tyre more than five years old and a new mid-priced tyre is usually better than six or seven year old premium brand - not only because design and manufacturing technology advance continuously, but also because tyres do suffer from calendar age hardening, regardless of miles driven.

[HustleRussell]

+1 on Lowtimer.

[plasticpig]

You need to know your rim dimensions to look at alternative sizes. Below is a list of possible sizes.

]yre Size   Diameter        Circumference    Difference  Speedo  Fits Wheel Rim
----------  --------------  ---------------  ----------  ------  --------------
195/65 R14  610mm / 24.02"  1916mm / 75.43"  -5.01 %     66.49   5.5x14 to 7x14
185/70 R14  614mm / 24.17"  1929mm / 75.94"  -4.36 %     66.95   5x14 to 6.5x14
195/70 R14  628mm / 24.72"  1973mm / 77.68"  -2.18 %     68.47   5.5x14 to 7x14
205/70 R14  642mm / 25.28"  2017mm / 79.41"   0.00 %     70.00   5.5x14 to 7x14
215/70 R14  656mm / 25.83"  2061mm / 81.14"   2.18 %     71.53   6x14 to 7.5x14
175/75 R14  618mm / 24.33"  1942mm / 76.46"  -3.72 %     67.40   5x14 to 6.5x14
185/75 R14  634mm / 24.96"  1992mm / 78.43"  -1.24 %     69.13   5x14 to 6.5x14
205/75 R14  664mm / 26.14"  2086mm / 82.13"   3.42 %     72.39   5.5x14 to 7x14
165/80 R14  620mm / 24.41"  1948mm / 76.69"  -3.42 %     67.61   4.5x14 to 6x14
175/80 R14  636mm / 25.04"  1998mm / 78.66"  -0.94 %     69.34   5x14 to 6.5x14
185/80 R14  652mm / 25.67"  2048mm / 80.63"   1.54 %     71.08   5x14 to 6.5x14
195/80 R14  668mm / 26.30"  2099mm / 82.64"   4.07 %     72.85   5.5x14 to 7x14

195 70 R14's is what I have on my Scimitar fitted with Vredestein Hi-trac 2's. It sticks to the road like glue in the wet. I really have to try very hard to get the rear end out . Previously it had Dunlop Sports on it which where going sideways on wet roundabouts was very easy. Hi Trac's are about £60 a corner.

[v8250]

sc52 said:

v8250 said:

Tyres...learn the lesson once. If you can't afford a proper set you can't afford the car. Pay ditch finder money, you'll find a ditch. Don't short cut your passengers safety nor the safety of other road users.

thanks - very helpful.....perhaps you could list the ditch finders from my list so that I know to avoid them. FWIW even the Michelins get some poor reviews. Was really looking for peoples experiences of the tyres I've listed. [/footnote]

OP, this morning's note is not meant to provoke. Now we know what car the tyres are for, my recommendation would be to talk with fellow Dino owners within the Club. They'll have vast experience of tyres that work and tyres the don't. Safety aside, with our 'old girls' the difference a tyre can make to the ride, comfort, grip, handling and the overall pleasure of ownership can be remarkable; from complete dogs, to tyres that are seemed 'made' for the car. I'm sure you know what I mean by this.

Interestingly, many period cars handle appallingly with oversized rubber; simply they are over-gripped.

BTW - Fiat Dino...you have a carnoisseurs choice of classic. Very underrated with that wonderful Lancia-Ferrari derived V6; just lovely. Good luck

PS get some photos up of the old girl...we don't see too many Dinos these days!

[nta16]

some manufacturers will give their recommendations for the range of wheel rim size for their model of tyre at any given tyre size

note: some stated sizes with tyres are nominal, such as the width, i.e. 205 in 205/70/14 see example in hyperlink

link is as an example of sizes only - click on 'Sizes & Specification' tab to see what rim sizes Toyo recommend for this model of tyre and note the actual tyre widths and how the actual figures can vary slightly for the same width tyre within the model range)

http://www.toyo.co.uk/tire/pattern/toyo-teo%2B

tyres are very complex components and their importance can often be forgotten, they are not only the only for small contact areas with the road they effect the braking, steering, handling and ride comfort and noise

ETA: from V8250 post above
it's not just classics that can be over sized with tyres many more more modern light weight, not so over electronically aided sports cars leave the factory or dealership with over sized tyres whereas as smaller/narrower tyres would improve the handling but because of 'pub wisdom' and customer expectations they can't put on the best sizes

Edited by nta16 on Wednesday 9th October 21:14

[sc52]

wow - many thanks for all the replies - too many unfortunately to reply to individually, but together they have given me many avenues to consider. Thank you

Whilst not original these 16 inch (http://www.dinoparts.eu/EN/fiat-coupe-spider-2400/wheels/wheels-399/fiat-dino-2400-wheel-set-7-x-16.html) look pretty good (in my opinion that is) even if they might provide too much grip for the suspension to handle.

I'll post some photo's when I've finished bringing it back to it's former glory..... don't wait up though - it could be spring 2014!

[TaimarTurbo]

You could go to 195/70-14

Much more choice in that size.
eg the Fulda Carat Assuro which is a good tyre is 82 Euro and has the bonus of a V rating.