Tire Opinions and Experience Requested

[AustinOski]

@Dick Steinkamp - regarding your original reply, I think it's right OT!

I have had the same understanding regarding 82 aspect ratio, but looking closely at specs, it's not the case in practice. When I did the calls on the XAS, it had an aspect ratio closer to 78.Low profile and rowdy!

Tire diameters, widths and sidewall heights vary by manufacturer. Your calculation of the 175/hr14 and the 205 should be correct. However, if you look at Michelin's site a 175/hr14 XAS has a height of 634mm and the 205/70r14 has a height of 644mm, a difference of 10mm or about .4 inches.

So, 205 is a bit tall and, based on the two tires above, 1.22 inches wider. That's quite a bit. If you go to tire size, it will show a bit less of a difference in width.

@HB Chris - Yes, exactly. Early ones had the older sizes only and later the 195/70r14 was along side the 175hr14. I learned that by reading a thread not this site about original stickers!

 

[Dick Steinkamp]

@AustinOski. Agree. Different manufactures and different years = different specs. The "industry standards" seem to have a lot of "flexibility".

I did choose 205 70 14s for my (under construction) Bavaria.

This was based on the tire size calculator using an 82 aspect ratio for the 175 14...plus...my spare was a 175 14 Michelin (I believe an original tire). It was exactly the same diameter as the 205 70 14s I purchased. They are not the choice for someone looking for an original tire, but they fill the wheel well like an original, will keep the speedo accurate, and put a little more rubber on the road.

 

[HB Chris]

Wasn't the DR70 size and other letter sizes only found on US brand tires back then? That is why I think e3 and e9 had euro tires by 1971 in 195/70-14. Coupes in 1971 had Michelin XAS Tires on their window stickers. Prior to that it may have been the Michelin X or Continentals I thought?

 

[rsporsche]

i would buy the michelin defender in 195/70 for $112 each from tire rack rather than the michelin xas in 175-14 for $193 / tire ... but that's me. they are good tires

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Defender+T%2BH&partnum=97HR4DTH&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

Wasn't the DR70 size and other letter sizes only found on US brand tires back then? That is why I think e3 and e9 had euro tires by 1971 in 195/70-14. Coupes in 1971 had Michelin XAS Tires on their window stickers. Prior to that it may have been the Michelin X or Continentals I thought?

weren't those XAS in 195/70? back in the day there were 2 similar michelin tires - the XAS and the XVS. i had the xvs on one of my cars at that time, don't remember what the difference was - perhaps the xvs came in 70 series.

 

[rsporsche]

i just saw that tire rack has the cn-36 in 205/70-14 for 248 bucks free delivery. if i was to pick them up at their distribution center in the town next door, there would be a 40 buck credit. down side is that they are on back order.

what i am excited about is that they have the 215/60-15 listed (back ordered too) ... which will fit my OZ wheels i got from @Stevehose. i see a set of these in my future.

 

[HB Chris]

i would buy the michelin defender in 195/70 for $112 each from tire rack rather than the michelin xas in 175-14 for $193 / tire ... but that's me. they are good tires

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Defender+T%2BH&partnum=97HR4DTH&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

weren't those XAS in 195/70? back in the day there were 2 similar michelin tires - the XAS and the XVS. i had the xvs on one of my cars at that time, don't remember what the difference was - perhaps the xvs came in 70 series.

The window stickers says XAS. The /70 was defintely XVS in a 13" tire.

 

[rsporsche]

my brother had xas on his healey 3000 and then went to xvs - those were 15" i think - don't remember the size
i had xvs on my mgb-gt which would have been 185/70-14

 

[AustinOski]

While I digest all this, purchase tip - Coker gives a 10% discount for Haggerty Club members. When I called today, they also agreed to waive the $24/tire shipping for all 5 tires.

 

[rsporsche]

here's a question for @Stevehose or anybody with this size tire - does the 205/70-14 tire fit in the spare tire well?

 

[Stevehose]

I am not certain, I bought an inexpensive 195/70 for the spare, but I suspect that it would.

here's a question for @Stevehose or anybody with this size tire - does the 205/70-14 tire fit in the spare tire well?

 

[Dick Steinkamp]

A 205 70 14 mounted on a stock 5 1/2" steel wheel fits fine in an E3 spare tire well and the trunk floor fits flush. I would assume the spare well on an E9 is a similar size and shape, but I don't have one to test that assumption.

 

[AustinOski]

@Stevehose - Did you go from a narrower tire (e.g., 175HR14) when you went to the 205s? If so, did you feel differences in wheel weight/steering, corner grip, traction, etc?

 

[rsporsche]

i can partially answer that for Steve, he went from 215/60-15 tires to 205/70-14 tires ... i have his old 15" wheels + tires. he will have to describe the difference in feeling. i don't know many people who have driven an e3 or e9 on 175's in quite a while. when i had an e3 back in the 80's + 90's, i drove it for 160k miles on 195/70-14's.

I am not certain, I bought an inexpensive 195/70 for the spare, but I suspect that it would.

Steve, if you have one of your wheels off sometime, please see if it fits into the wheel well. when i go to the cn36 for the 15" wheels, i want to get a 14" cn36 for my spare 14" spare

i just saw that tire rack has the cn-36 in 205/70-14 .... down side is that they are on back order.

i checked with tire rack, and they do NOT know when the back order will be filled. the best guess is early next year. aargh

 

[rsporsche]

A 205 70 14 mounted on a stock 5 1/2" steel wheel fits fine in an E3 spare tire well and the trunk floor fits flush. I would assume the spare well on an E3 is a similar size and shape, but I don't have one to test that assumption.

thanks Dick, hopefully the e9 has similar configuration ... that's one of the questions that will be good to find out sometime. when i had coupeking 16" alpinas, i remember Peter saying that they wouldn't fit in the tire well ... i don't know if that is because of the squarer tire profile of the low profile tire, the width of a 7" rim or if he was referring to the rear 16" ... my memory of OCcoupe's car was that he had a special (narrower) BBS RS 16" wheel made would fit.

 

[HB Chris]

Mike took an Alpina and cut it apart to narrow the wheel.

 

[AustinOski]

@rsporsche - Thanks.

I actually just ordered the Vred 195/70VR14, decided to go crazy and not do the old school 175hr14's. 205's were a bridge too far, though. I already have 3 other cars that run plus sizes! I'll report back after I have a few miles on the tires. If I decide to drive the car back from CT (a long shot), that will be soon.

@Luis A. - You get all the credit for changing my tune on the Vreds with the picture posts. No pressure!

I know that there are a lot of Longstone/Lucas fans in the BMW community, but it's worth pointing out that Coker has a deal this week - free shipping (which saves about $24/tire). With the shipping discount and the Haggerty discount, I went from $1157 to $917 for 5.

Michelin also has a rebate through this weekend that can save you another $120-$150 on 4 if you're looking at their tires.Was looking at XAS's for the 2002 I'll likely purchase tomorrow evening.

My decision was not based on $$, but some cash saving helps, especially at the pace at which I'm buying BMW's right now.

 

[Stevehose]

As @rsporsche says I went from the 15" OZ Alpina style to the 14" Alpina with the CN36's. When I bought my car it had the stock 14" rims and either 195's or 205's on them, don't remember exactly but I couldn't really tell any difference in serious handling among the 3. But living in the Deep South I tend to drive fast on the highway and don't throw the car into curves much. I can say the CN36's have been great tires, quiet, good grip, and fantastic in the event of hours of torrential rain (amhik). Plus the look is pure sex, and shallow as I am that is my top priority

@Stevehose - Did you go from a narrower tire (e.g., 175HR14) when you went to the 205s? If so, did you feel differences in wheel weight/steering, corner grip, traction, etc?

 

[Luis A.]

175-HR14 was the original tire in 1970 for the e3 and e9, even the 3.0CS tire sticker lists this tire plus the 195/70-14 tire which was ordered on US 3.0 coupes.View attachment 96541

Chris the 3.0 tire stickers I’ve seen only list the 175 size for a snow tire with the 195 being the standard. You’ve seen otherwise?

 

[AustinOski]

Mine only has 175hr14. This thread shows a bunch of stickers with various tire sizes, but all for coupes. Maybe those heavy two doors needed bigger tires!

 

[HB Chris]

Chris the 3.0 tire stickers I’ve seen only list the 175 size for a snow tire with the 195 being the standard. You’ve seen otherwise?

Luis, See my thread here:

Coupe Stickers

2800CS Original Stickers for US/NA Market PAINT/VIN/TIRE FEB 1970 APR 1970 OIL SERVICE APR 1970 TIRE FEB 1970 APR 1970 BATTERY APR 1970 EPA/DOT SEP 1969 FEB 1970 APR 1970 BRAKE BOOSTER 1972 3.0CS A/C FEB 1970 APR 1970 COOLANT APR 1970

e9coupe.com

Tire stickers on the US 3.0CS showed both sizes until 1974 MY when only 195/70 was displayed.