classic tire secret, or is it not?

[73Inka]

I contacted Michelin and here is what they came back with.

Please contact Coker Tire at 1-866-591-3418 or visit their website at cokertire.com for possible availability and/or pricing.

http://www.cokertire.com/catalogsearch/result/?year=1972&make=BMW&model=2002&q=165R13

this is just info. I am sharing. I have no interest in promoting the company. not for price wieners

[c.d.iesel]

well ~ if cost is no object? and you want the best,

original equip rubber for your classic - yes - it's

a good source

MICHELIN 165 x 13" XAS

[williamggruff]

Good gracious! At $292 each, one would expect them to be run-flats.

Not that anyone in their right mind would want run-flats on their car.

[Dave_PA]

At $292 a piece I'd run them til there...well...flat!

That's nutty pricing...

[Guest gliding_serpent]

I got my set of 5 from them a 2 years ago at a far more reasonable price ( maybe 150 a piece). Sidewall gave out on one tire and i got a replacement last fall. Price was in low 200's. during my restoration one developed a slow leak. thank god i got a spare also... stock must be getting low.

Will likley go modern next time given the current prices.

[Gordon]

If you want your 02 to be ultimate viewing machine (museum piece), then go buy Coker Tires for your 02. If your 02 is the ultimate old school driving machine, upgrade to 14" or 15" tires for your 02. Decent performance tires in 13" have gone the way of the dinosaur. I sold my 14X7 5 lug Alpina's for my E3 because H rated tires (225/60-14) for that rim have disappeared from the US market. Only one tire left in that size on the tire rack webpage and that tire is marketed toward the muscle car crowd. I have an old school set of 15X7 BBS RA wheels that will go on the car soon. The tire selection in 15" is night and day difference. Just my .02 cents worth.

BTW, my tii has 15" Rota RB rims with 195/50-15 Yoko S-Drives. I drive CA HWY 1 every day to work on the central coast and the tii with this tire/rim combo puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.

G-Man

['76mintgrün'02]

If you want "original equip rubber" there is a set on Craigslist in the Seattle area. Thirty-nine year old rubber on original rims for $70 each.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/pts/3668652818.html

The ad reads,

"This set of four factory installed wheels and tires were removed from my 1974 2002 BMW shortly after I bought it in 1976, and stored in my garage where they sit today. To have the original installed factory wheels, as well as the tires, would be a great addition to someone who is involved in showing their car. At $70 a piece, this is a geat deal. Sold only as a set of 4. I also have the original lug nuts. If interested call 206-226-****.

[NickVyse]

If you want "original equip rubber" there is a set on Craigslist in the Seattle area. Thirty-nine year old rubber on original rims for $70 each.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/pts/3668652818.html

The ad reads,

"This set of four factory installed wheels and tires were removed from my 1974 2002 BMW shortly after I bought it in 1976, and stored in my garage where they sit today. To have the original installed factory wheels, as well as the tires, would be a great addition to someone who is involved in showing their car. At $70 a piece, this is a geat deal. Sold only as a set of 4. I also have the original lug nuts. If interested call 206-226-****.

great if you want to trailer your car around, useless if you want to actually drive it.

[markmac]

Not a secret. Longstone Tyres in the UK can supply those as well as well as a number of other Michelin 13" tires and other.....super expensive. One thing to note on the 165/70 13 XAS that the Coker site doesn't seem to list is that the tire is a "FF" tire (or Formula France) which is a classic racing compound. Super sticky for a street tire BUT super soft. I have heard that with regular driving maybe 10k and they are goners. So, unless you do have a lot of cash to part with regularly not for your daily driver....

www.alpinabmw2002.com

[eastsidebimmer]

For $84 each you can have a true 165R13 with the Vredestein Sprint+ --- "H" Speed Rating (130 MPH)

[Rocan]

Not much of a secret, I place orders with them nearly every other week for cars at work since many of them are concourse examples.

If you drive your car PLEASE run something other than old rubber. If it is a show car and doesn't get driven much at all, and you MUST have that classic look, then go for old patterns. A lot of people do not realize how far tires have come in 30 years... to put it into perspective, with fresh grippy rubber on my honda CB350 motorcycle, I can corner so hard that the stock swingarm and frame would flex badly, a problem you would otherwise never have on old rubber. Same applies with our cars... I can sure as hell bet that two similar cars on the same stiff suspension except one with a proper roll cage and one without will feel massively different; the grip levels attainable today put the chassis under a lot more stress than before, and for good reasons.