so my originals need replaced. they are pirrelli 215/70/15 and no one here can get them. Can I get them shipped from Great Britain? Not sure what I should concider other than original since it is 100% original as it is, down to the laquer cracks in the paint that I highlighted when I did a cut and buff job on it. They only seen from right up close otherwise its just to shiny.
But I need tire opinions.

 

Pirelli discontinued the 215/70x15 P4000 model a few years ago and I'm not aware that they offer any comparable replacement.

If you drive moderately and are not too concerned with high-performance characteristics you'll find lots of choices in the 215/70x15 *size*. But if you want the original "V" speed rating the only choice, that I'm aware of, is the Michelin XWX at about $400/each.

Looking for 205/70 or 215/65 will open up more choices.

Cheers
DD

 

Thank you. I thought the tires were something like that. our government is teaming up with corporations and trying all sorts of ways to get older cars off the road. getting rid of 15" tires is one of the goals. but yes there is choices if I getaway from the same size and make.
thanks again.

 

Much more likely is the law of supply and demand. There were very few cars that used that size *with* the high speed rating. The natural rate of attrition took many off the road. And many owners were never concerned about the higher speed rating to begin with and selected less expensive tires. Eventually the demand petered out and there was no good business case to keep them in production.

There are several specialty tire companies reproducing tires for all sorts of older cars. There was enough demand...from the Ferrari crowd, I reckon.... for them to put the Michelin back into production. If enough Jag owners spoke up we might be able to get the Pirellis and Dunlops back as well.

Cheers
DD

 

I agree it must be a conspiracy. As if cars with 15" wheels had dissapeared. They want our cars to look like pimp cars now with 22" wheels. Not me thank you.

However, Pirelli tires are dangerous especially in wet conditions, better to use Michelin.

 

Yeah, I doubt the validity of any conspiracy theory. Just make what sells. 13", 14"s, 15.16"s, what ever.


In about 1949, I needed 600 x 19 tires for my 31 Studebaker. Naah, demmand almost non existant. I did find 5.50 x19's via Sears. Yup, that fit 29-31 Model A Fords. Many more of those still on the road. I put a pair on the front. Fun, witht he locking ring wire wheels. But, worked out just dandy. it's new owner was impressed. Clean old car, new rubber up front....


I got a good deal on "T" rated 215 70 x 15's for my Jaguar. They suit my needs just fine.


And, a time ago, I reshod my Jeep with touring tires. Honestly, did I need gnarly off road tires, Nope. Not at all.


Did I save a bunch of bucks ? No question.


Well go back to the late 30s for a transportation conspiracy. GM., Standard Oil and Firestone bought up a lot of street car lines. Junked the electric cars and tracks ,and voila. GM buses on Firestone rubber burning Standard Oil diesel....


Carl
stn
Carl

 

Been there, done that, with Michelin XWX tires. They wore out faster than the Pirellis and did not grip the road and have a comfortable ride, like the Pirellis do.
The tire shop, that sold them to me, gave a full refund.
I'm going to buy a set of 16" center lock wheels and select a better tire.

 

It's fairly common for performance-oriented tires to have short tread life. They simply were not designed with that attribute in mind....and that's one reason many people avoid them.

Cheers
DD

 

Nothing beats a Pirelli, for grip and softer ride. Lot less road noise, too.
I'm going to source out a 16" Pirelli tire, with close to the same rating as the 205VR70-15

 

I recently put a set of Pirellis on my BMW. I have been happy with them overall but the difference in road noise has been significant. Either they have been doing a lot of work in that area or what I had before were just crap (or a bit of both maybe).

I was mulling over using light truck tyres on the Jag. I have a small truck and after going through a few brands when it was doing high mileage, I discovered Continental Vanco2's. These are quite amazing tyres for the application, very grippy , good in the wet and performance stays as they wear. Not sure what the heavier construction would do to ride and road noise though.

 

Funny you should mention that Steve, I recently fitted light truck tyres on my rears. Ones that would suit small SUV's or tray backs or delivery vans(ie Rav4, Hilux tray back).
When I needed new rears I decided to go back to the original size as I had 225/55R 15's, going to the 205/70R 15 would give be an extra 16mm of sidewall height which I need to clear the top of my driveway.

So I visited a few shops and had two options,Michelin or Pirelli at about $300+ each. One tyre shop said to me why don't you try light commercial's so I humoured him and had a look at what he was selling, When he bought one out for me to look at it didn't look unlike a passenger car tyre so I gave them a go. $245.45 for the pair fitted!! (Sailin CVR)

He said if I wasn't happy with them after 1000km he would refund the full amount towards a pair of Michy's. He said he had fitted them to an XJ6, 6 months earlier and the guy hadn't been back.

I drove 2000km over Easter mainly in the wet on highways and have have driven to work for 3 months on them. I even did laps of a race track pushing the old girl fairly well, never let go once.

They don't generate any more road noise than the old Michelin's I took off, so far happy with them as far as everyday tyres go. I have done 3224km (2015 Miles) on them so far.

 

Thanks for the feedback on the light truck tyres Clarke. Might give them a whirl next time.

 

I am going to check them out as well. thanks

 

I currently have Michelin 205/65 X 15 on the front, When they need replacing I will be putting the same on the front. I think they will fill the wheel arch better with the higher sidewall.
The rears have done everything I expect them to so I have no reason not to use then again.

 

IO wonder what the real difference, if any, is between a "touring" class tire and a light truck tire?


Stiffer sidewall, mebbe?


Roughly spoken, the difference between a tire designed for miles and one for performance is the "hardness' of the tread compound. In racing, the real softies are slick "gummies". As those soft rubber compounds age they harden and the performance detiorates.


Carl

 

[QUOTE=o1xjr;1220382]I currently have Michelin 205/65 X 15 on the front, When they need replacing I will be putting the same on the front. I think they will fill the wheel arch better with the higher sidewall.


Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but going to the 65 series tire would actually make the sidewall shorter, not the taller of the two. The 70 series tire (in same 205 width) would be the taller tire. Right?

 

Right, a 205/65 would have a shorter sidewall than a 205/70

Cheers
DD

 

Dale, you are correct. As I said , my current fronts are Michelin 205/65 with a sidewall height of 133.25mm, I will replace them eventually with the same light commercial tyres I have on the rear. 205/70, which will give me a sidewall height of 143.5.
Therefore filling the wheel arches better and giving me 10 more mm of ground clearance. The rears I replaced were wider and lower profile so I gained 16+ mm when I replaced the rear tyres.

For anyone not sure how the sidewall height is calculated, profile is a percentage of the tyre width. So a 205/65 would be 205mm X 65% to give a sidewall height of 133.25mm. The hieght is measured to the low tread depth indicator. That is my understanding from how it was explained to me many years ago when I had weekend job running a tyre bay in the local service station.

 

Thats basically it, designed for distance and much uprated load rating to cater (as was my case) occassionally dropping a 1000kg on the tray and heading out on the highway. I found that most of these tyres turned ugly in the wet once they went past half worn. The exception was the Continentals which had great grip and long wear. More expensive than others but price per km driven was equal and far safer. The worst I had were the original Bridgestones, which are great mileage tyres but awful in the rain after a bit of wear.

 

74 E Type series 111
I am having trouble finding tubed tires for my car. Previous owner was running Michelin 215 70R15 tubeless with tubes. I don't think this is the way to go. Lucas and Longstone may be options but are very expensive. Any other choices? I have polled most other manufacturers.