Getting hard to find 13 inch tires nowadays.....

[larry_in_socal]

Working on my 75- Bmw2002 - Manual trans

 

As you all know, or maybe not, I'm attempting to resurrect my car that has been sitting for over 25 years, as previous posts state, I have a used motor that is almost ready to fire up, I'm currently waiting for my gas tank to comeback from the radiator shop, and i will continue with the engine, which I plan to start in a few weeks.. I still got lots to do, brake and clutch hydraulics, electrical, etc.. 

 

While I'm working on those items, I have been searching and searching for tires. As the pictures below show, I need tires... all 4 tires are completely shredded.

 

Specifically I'm trying to find 185-60R-13 tires.

I can't find them anywhere. I can find 70's but no 60s.. well I take that back, I can find 60's but at $175 each... I'm trying to find a tire at around $50-$60 bucks each.

 

I'm not closed to only using the 60s, but that is what the previous owner (my good friend) had on the car when I bought it from him way back when. I'm open to other suggestions, however I'm just attempting to put tires back on the car as to what I see on it now... I think the reason why these tires were chosen was to give the car a lowered stance, but again I'm open to suggestions.

 

The rims that I have are:

 

EXIM 6Jx13H2

13601 ET13

KBA 40334

 

 

Any suggestions, what are you guys running on your cars?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

Larry_in_SoCal

 

[visionaut]

Happy reading!

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/search/?q=13” tires&quick=1

 

Yep very limited selection. But srsly there’s hundreds of threads (and opinions - lol) 

[Conserv]

185/60 is a wrong size for an ‘02: it’s smaller in diameter than the original 165/80. If you’re upsizing from 165/80, 185/70 is the next correct size, followed by 205/60.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[Conserv]

I see: 6 x 13, ET13, could pose issues for any correct size tire. In a 6 x 13, a much better offset would be ET25 to ET30.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[johnny02]

I’m biting the bullet and getting 15” wheels. This tire situation likely isn’t getting any better.  There are the Pirelli CN36 and the vredesteins, but they are out of stock everywhere right now. I have been going back and forth on this for years.  Also I don’t think you want $50 tires, do you? Nothing but garbage at that price. 

[layers]

Here is the late Curt Ingraham's spreadsheet showing tires that fit 2002's and discussions about how well. A few tires, like the OEM 165/80-13 XAS and the popular 185/70-13 CN36 are still available from specialty vendors (NOT old stock but special manufacturing runs apparently using old molds).  This is a good time to choose tires you like instead of a size someone else adapted to a 2002.

2002 wheel-tire fit from Curt 080424.xls

[Mike Self]

+ 1 on Steve's two comments, both on tire sizes and offest.  With 6" rims, you're better off with a 205/60 tire than a 185/70, as most fitment charts show a 6 inch rim as the outer width for a 185 tire.   You'd be better off with a 5.5" rim for 185 tires.  

 

A viable option would be either 14" wheels--steel or alloy--from an E30.  Correct offset, wide enough for a 195 or 205 tire, and a (slighly) better selection of tires.  The steel wheels, painted silver with the factory small (Euro) center caps, look very Alpina-ish and thus period to an '02.

 

mike

[Charles in PA]

Just had a new set of Pirellis put on this morning, 185/70, and then drove around about 100 miles. Much nicer ride. Get what you pay for with a cheap tire. 

[albatcha]

I have federal 595 tires in 185/60r13, they still have the size listed on their website but I am not able to find anyone actually selling them. They seem pretty good to me, and I find them to fit well on e21 specification 6jx13 et13 wheels with a lowered car, so it doesn't rub even with hard cornering, I had 185/70r13 previously and it rubbed braking and turning.

 

When I got them I think they were somewhere around $60 per tire, I think they're pretty good for the price if you can find them.

[Conserv]

Many threads on this.

 

Sorry to hear that the good stuff is out of stock. Have you tried Longstone Tyres — many of us use them regularly. They ship to the U.S. for free, generally making them cheaper than the U.S. sources, which charge for shipping.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

[johnny02]

1 minute ago, Conserv said:

Many threads on this.

 

Sorry to hear that everything good is out of stock. Have you tried Longstone Tyres — many of us use them regularly. They ship to the U.S. for free, generally making them cheaper than the U.S. sources, which charge for shipping.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

They don’t have them right now but they were nice enough to write back to me and tell me so. 

[tjones02]

10 hours ago, Conserv said:

185/60 is a wrong size for an ‘02: it’s smaller in diameter than the original 165/80. If you’re upsizing from 165/80, 185/70 is the next correct size, followed by 205/60.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

In ideal world someone would make a 205/65-13 as that’s the correct diameter. I don’t remember ever seeing any available, ever.

[dirving]

I did get a CN36 from Lucas Classic tire about a month ago. I didn’t see out of stock now and yes, stay away from cheap. Having said that I’ve read the Federals aren’t bad at all but no personal experience 

[uai]

I don't know if it's available in the US  but this would be the next general purpose 185/70 13 tire I'd try out.
 

Yokohama: Klassiker

WWW.YOKOHAMA.EU

I've driven some Kilometers in the last 2 years and used a set of Pirelli CN36 and a set of Avon CR6ZZ. The ADVAN HF Type-D A008 would be the next candidate in my personal Test of 13" tires.

[esty]

185-60R-13 tires