Obsolete tire sizes and my dilemma

[JHZR2]

Hi,

My 82 mb 300cd has 165k and is due for tires. Meanwhile the chrome wheels are starting to show some peeling - not good.

So my issue is that my 30 yo diesel is good for another 150-200k miles, it's like having new car to most. I need tires, and perhaps some wheels. The OE tire size is 195/70r14, on 6.0 or 6.5" wheels. These tires are getting harder to find in quality brands/types. The Michelin Hydroedge is always backordered. I can get Cooper cs4 and some other decent tires, but just compared to a few years ago, the options are dwindling.

Now, if I'm going to change wheels, it wont be real cheap, but I'll stick with OE forged wheels ONLY. One option is to change to 15x7 ET23 or 25 wheels that will exactly fit. This would let me use 195/65r15 tires which have a LOT more good options (though 7" wide is the limit for 195 tires), or perhaps go to a 205 width tire instead which likely gives more options.

So what is the outlook on 195/70r14, or 14" tires overall?

Will it be no big deal to get these tires 10-20 years out. (I have another diesel that has the same size - actually as a replacement for 175R14 (obsolete) which I plan to keep indefinitely).

If I swap wheels, 14" will be cheaper wheel-wise, and if I stay with 14", there is no rush or push to do anything but get new tires. If it is smarter to go to 15", the availability is low, but I can actually get NOS forged wheels in 15" from MB... Might as well go with the long term solution now if I'm changing tires.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

Thanks!!!

 

[Gene K]

Whats wrong with the Yokohama Avid Touring?

That said I think long term availability of 14's is going to be slim.

 

[TomYoung]

Tirerack.com has 14 tire choices in the size you mentioned. Most are well-known name brands. My suspicion is that you have "Michelin-head" and are having trouble moving over to other excellent brands like Yoko's or Bridgestone's.

 

[mpvue]

since 14" tires ARE still available I don't see any reason to fuss over it now. tire rack shows 14 options, and discount tire shows 14 options; that seems like plenty of choice to me.

 

[A_Harman]

I'm always an advocate for plus-sizing wheels and going to lower profile tires. This is because I'm a nut for responsive handling. Since the industry trend has been to go to larger wheel diameters for many years, I think that 14" tires are going to get harder to find, and that 15's will be your best alternative for availability and low cost.

Your current tire diameter (195/70-14) is 24.75".
If you go to a 195/65-15, the diameter would be 24.98". Speedometer would read ~1% slow.
If you go to a 205/65-15, the diameter would be 25.49". Speedo would read ~3% slow.
If you go to a 205/60-15, the diameter would be 24.69". Speedo would read ~.2% fast.
If you go to a 215/60-15, the diameter would be 25.16". Speedo would read ~1.7% slow.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: TomYoung
Tirerack.com has 14 tire choices in the size you mentioned. Most are well-known name brands. My suspicion is that you have "Michelin-head" and are having trouble moving over to other excellent brands like Yoko's or Bridgestone's.


Think again, I've only bought one set of Michelin aftermarket tires... And don't think I've ever had a set of Michelin OE tires.

But I want quality US made tires. My last set, Dunlop sport A2 are AA traction/A temp and H rated. There used to be 60 options, now there are 14. Next time, 5-6 years from now, will there be 10? 8? 4? Will they all be Chinese made? No thanks.

 

[ahoier]

I'm in the similar dilemma with my 88 Aries

You guessed it, 185/70R14

Those sizes were "big" in those days lol.

But yea, I'm contemplating plus sizing to a 15" myself.....just not sure when....probably take these 14s out til they die (need replacement...) and then get all 5 (may as well get a full sized spare while I'm at it.....) ordered, wheels and tires at tirerack or discount tire direct - and they at least have a local installer over in Orlando (about 45 minutes away....so not that bad of a drive....

The biggest decision is what kind of rims.....to match the "future" paint job lol....the car really needs it

But unsure what color to do....anything but red/maroon/purple

May just stick to the original blue, only add a shine to it.

 

[mewisemagic]

when you find a tire you like,buy an extra set to have on hand

 

[Gene K]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: TomYoung
Tirerack.com has 14 tire choices in the size you mentioned. Most are well-known name brands. My suspicion is that you have "Michelin-head" and are having trouble moving over to other excellent brands like Yoko's or Bridgestone's.


Think again, I've only bought one set of Michelin aftermarket tires... And don't think I've ever had a set of Michelin OE tires.

But I want quality US made tires. My last set, Dunlop sport A2 are AA traction/A temp and H rated. There used to be 60 options, now there are 14. Next time, 5-6 years from now, will there be 10? 8? 4? Will they all be Chinese made? No thanks.



Yokohama Avid Touring-S and TRZ are US made.

Unfortunately the H-Rated TRZ isnt available in that small of a size. Only T.

PS The Yokos on my Tractor currently have 240,000 miles and still have 14/32" Tread Depth.

 

[JHZR2]

Agree, yoko, Michelin and Cooper are us made.

But like my 175r-14 tires, who knows when these 195/70r14 will be discontinued by mfrs like Michelin, yoko, Cooper... As mentioned, the michelins are consistently backordered, so it's not like production is consistent...

It's not this round that I'm concerned with, if is the next time and the time after... Since I can get OE forged NOS wheels currently, I would prefer to take care of it while I can... If it is not anticipated to be that big of a deal, then I may not be very concerned...

 

[sciphi]

Get the bigger wheels so the tire choices are larger. Do it right now, or spend more money doing it right later.

 

[TomYoung]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: TomYoung
Tirerack.com has 14 tire choices in the size you mentioned. Most are well-known name brands. My suspicion is that you have "Michelin-head" and are having trouble moving over to other excellent brands like Yoko's or Bridgestone's.


Think again, I've only bought one set of Michelin aftermarket tires... And don't think I've ever had a set of Michelin OE tires.

But I want quality US made tires. My last set, Dunlop sport A2 are AA traction/A temp and H rated. There used to be 60 options, now there are 14. Next time, 5-6 years from now, will there be 10? 8? 4? Will they all be Chinese made? No thanks.



Well, there are still some U.S. made tires in this size. I can relate and will go out of my way to avoid parts from China, although I would not be so concerned about a name brand tire that is assembled in China. Five to six years from now, we can have the discussion then. Your car may not make it, or may be legislated out of existence, or you may lose your infatuation with it. The number of tires available reflects the current market. When the time comes, you can go but Coker tires. For now, call Tirerack, and order one of the American made tires. Chill.

 

[hattaresguy]

Put a set of 16in AMG Penta's on it, not only will it look cool, just about everything is available in 16in.

BBS would also be period correct for that car, and Ronal had a few that are as well.

 

[daves87rs]

Yep, pretty much having the same issue as you. Also run that same famous size 195/70/14 too. The biggest problem I see is that size is pretty much regulated to beater cars at this point (think base Cavaliers and 90s dodge products), so the fact that these cars even have new tires is amazing, much less good tires...


I'm pretty much finishing up the Goodyears up on it now, but like you, not in a huge rush, and thinking about the same ideas as you too! At this point I think I'm going to stick with with Coopers or some Yokos, with an outside chance of some uniroyals.
Then after that, do a 15-16 inch rim/tire upgrade..

 

[weebl]

Originally Posted By: mewisemagic
when you find a tire you like,buy an extra set to have on hand


Wouldn't do that unless you burn through rubber pretty fast. Tires deteriorate over time, even if in storage.

If you can find a decent 14" now, stick with that size. If you invest in the 15" now, what's to say several years later those won't be obsolete as well? Ride out the 14" size as long as you can, then when they're no longer available, choose a replacement wheel based on what is a commonly available tire size at that time.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: weebl
Originally Posted By: mewisemagic
when you find a tire you like,buy an extra set to have on hand


Wouldn't do that unless you burn through rubber pretty fast. Tires deteriorate over time, even if in storage.

If you can find a decent 14" now, stick with that size. If you invest in the 15" now, what's to say several years later those won't be obsolete as well? Ride out the 14" size as long as you can, then when they're no longer available, choose a replacement wheel based on what is a commonly available tire size at that time.


That is a fine approach except that I can get new old stock MB forged wheels now - no idea of what will be available later. You're right about the 15" sizes... But I assume they will have 10-20 years availability over the 14".

 

[weebl]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
That is a fine approach except that I can get new old stock MB forged wheels now - no idea of what will be available later. You're right about the 15" sizes... But I assume they will have 10-20 years availability over the 14".


Ahh, gotcha! Then yes, I think going that route might be wise. Certainly today there are a lot in the 195/65R15 size. Don't know if that is a reasonably close size as I didn't check. And I don't think that size is particularly expensive.

 

[benjamming]

Originally Posted By: weebl
If you can find a decent 14" now, stick with that size. If you invest in the 15" now, what's to say several years later those won't be obsolete as well? Ride out the 14" size as long as you can, then when they're no longer available, choose a replacement wheel based on what is a commonly available tire size at that time.


Agree.

 

[JHZR2]

Well the other side of my situation is that I'm only using MB forged wheels of the right style... That limits me to 14x 6 or 6.5 or 15x7".

 

[AstroTurf]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Well the other side of my situation is that I'm only using MB forged wheels of the right style... That limits me to 14x 6 or 6.5 or 15x7".


Good Move.

If your pockets are right pick up 6 of the 15 inch rims and call it done.

Let us know what your final choice is.

Jim