Looking for the right 13" tire (tyres for Less)

[Harv]

I'll just leave this here. 

 

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/185-70vr13-pirelli-cinturato-cn36.html

 

john

[echappe]

while on the subject of tires what size will keep the trunk board sitting flush......the P175 R13 I'm using doesn't fit

 

 

US source

 

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/Pirelli-Cinturato_c54.htm

[JohnS]

On my '73 a 185/70 13 fits in the spare tire area with the trunk boards flush.  On my '74 I need a to use a 165/80 for the spare.   It might be different for each car, I dunno?

 

Those Pirelli Cinturato tires look pretty cool.  I like the 185/70 size.  Anyone in the 2002 community try them yet?  

 

John

 

[Loue02]

I have a '73 tii - can't imagine tire wells are too different.  The OEM 185/70/13 is too large; the trunk floor will not fit flush.  I used a 165/70R/13.  Local tire people could not find one, but Tire Rack sourced a  Vredestein for next day delivery.  While it will likely never see the pavement, it fits well and is a functional spare tire. Get the donut and make life easier.

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, Loue02 said:

I have a '73 tii - can't imagine tire wells are too different.  The OEM 185/70/13 is too large; the trunk floor will not fit flush.  I used a 165/70R/13.  Local tire people could not find one, but Tire Rack sourced a  Vredestein for next day delivery.  While it will likely never see the pavement, it fits well and is a functional spare tire. Get the donut and make life easier.

 

There is a reason a 185/70/13 will not generally fit in the spare tire well: 185/70/13 was not an OEM size — except for the factory 2002 turbo, which had a raised trunk floor to accommodate the 185/70/13 spare. The stock tire on all ‘02’s, other than the turbo, was a 165/80/13, which fits perfectly in the spare tire well.

 

Reports suggest that the round taillight spare tire wells might have been — for unknown reasons — ever-so-slightly larger than square taillight spare tire wells. But there are car-to-car variations. Some owners have reported, for instance, that a 175/70 tire will fit under the trunk boards; others report that it will not. 165/80? Fits every time! ?

 

Below:

 

1. Specs page from the 1974 U.S. model brochure.

 

2. Window sticker from a 1973 tii (VIN 2764073, manufactured May 30, 1973), showing the XAS as a $34 “mandatory option”. Although 165/80SR13 was the standard tire on base 2002’s through 1974, perhaps 95% of U.S. ‘02’s arrived here with 165/80HR13 Michelin XAS’s, an additional-cost option Hoffman Motors ordered on most of their U.S. imports.

 

3. Window sticker from my ‘76 (VIN 2742541, manufactured April 23, 1976), showing the 165/80HR as standard equipment.. Under BMW NA’s importing (succeeding Hoffman Motors and beginning end of 1974/ beginning of 1975), the 165/80HR13 became standard equipment.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2019 by Conserv

[Jimmy]

3 hours ago, Conserv said:

Some owners have reported, for instance, that a 175/70 tire will fit under the trunk boards; others report that it will not. 165/80? Fits every time! ?

 

As a data point, I bought a cheapo modern 165/(80)13 from a local shop to use as a spare and it fits, almost/barely. The bulge of the sidewall still keeps the trunk board from easily fitting completely flat. Placing almost anything on it will keep it in place, but I was a bit disappointed. In six years when this POS is aged out, I will use a 155.

[M3M3]

not all 165 tires are the same size.  shocker!  different manufacturers interpret the sizing differently.  there are "fat" and "skinny" tires of the same marked size.  for instance, yoko S.Drives are FAT.  significantly wider at the sidewall than other tires in same size.

[Conserv]

37 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

 

As a data point, I bought a cheapo modern 165/(80)13 from a local shop to use as a spare and it fits, almost/barely. The bulge of the sidewall still keeps the trunk board from easily fitting completely flat. Placing almost anything on it will keep it in place, but I was a bit disappointed. In six years when this POS is aged out, I will use a 155.

 

Ahhhh! You’re killin’ me, Jimmy!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[Jimmy]

58 minutes ago, Conserv said:

 

Ahhhh! You’re killin’ me, Jimmy!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

I suggest you don't read Marshall's follow-up! ?

 

It's not the end of the world, it's more like when there's one-too-many things in the refrigerator, you can close the door, but when you turn your back it pops open.

[Longstone Tyres]

Would you guys be interested in a 165R13 Cinturato?

 

If so CA67  https://www.longstonegomme.it/pirelli-collezione/cinturato-ca67.html

 

Or CN36 https://www.longstonegomme.it/pirelli-collezione/cinturato-cn36.html

 

There are other Cinturato tread patterns on here https://www.longstonegomme.it/pirelli-collezione.html

 

what do you think?

[Conserv]

2 hours ago, Longstone Tyres said:

Would you guys be interested in a 165R13 Cinturato?

 

If so CA67  https://www.longstonegomme.it/pirelli-collezione/cinturato-ca67.html

 

Or CN36 https://www.longstonegomme.it/pirelli-collezione/cinturato-cn36.html

 

There are other Cinturato tread patterns on here https://www.longstonegomme.it/pirelli-collezione.html

 

what do you think?

 

Since I don’t see any 165/80R13 Pirelli’s in these links, I presume you are asking: “If Pirelli were to manufacture a 165/80R13, would you buy it?”

 

Assuming that is what you are asking, here’s my response.

 

The vast majority of U.S.-bound ‘02’s were equipped with 165HR13 Michelin XAS’s by the factory. Since the XAS remains available, it’s, thus, a “Go To” answer for those looking to maintain a very stock appearance — despite pricing in the $200 to $230 range.  If a 165/80R13 Pirelli were to be in the same price range, I’d guess there would be little demand for it — despite it being a period-appropriate solution. If, on the other hand, it was a period-appropriate tire — assuming, all along, that it was also of very good quality — I’d guess there might be a good number of potential buyers.  Currently, the 165/80R13 market is heavily weighted at the extremes: Chinese-made tires for $42 and the French-made XAS’s for $200+.

 

How about a 165HR13 Pirelli Cinturauto for $90 each? ?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

[PaulTWinterton]

6 hours ago, Longstone Tyres said:

Would you guys be interested in a 165R13 Cinturato?

 

Personally, no.  Just too skinny. The 185s are perfect and complement the sporty look of the 02.

 

I keep a set of cheap 165s on stock tii rims and caps in the archives just because I can.

 

Thanks for the offer though. ☺️

 

[Nathan]

Universal Vintage Tire

Hersey, PA. 

[Mike A]

"How about a 165HR13 Pirelli Cinturauto for $90 each? ?"

 

I'm in

Edited October 4, 2019 by Mike A

[Conserv]

3 hours ago, PaulTWinterton said:

 

Personally, no.  Just too skinny. The 185s are perfect and complement the sporty look of the 02.

 

I keep a set of cheap 165s on stock tii rims and caps in the archives just because I can.

 

Thanks for the offer though. ☺️

 

 

But, Paul, let’s be frank. The 165/80 tires you have on your steel “tii rims” look nothing like any tire produced in 1973. For heaven’s sake, they look like cheap Chinese all-seasons, which had not even been invented in 1973. So, let’s pretend you want your tii to look very original — for a car show, for instance — would you feel proud of those gorgeous original steelies and chrome wheel covers, if they were shod in 2014 Chinese all-seasons?

 

You don’t need to answer that question! ?

 

Let’s see the judges’ report from that show: Original rims? Check. Original wheel covers? Check. Original-ish tires? Wee-waa! Fail. ?

 

For $360 (4 x $90), you’d could have been “Best in Show”! But you spent $216 (4 x $54) and finished in third place! ?

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited October 4, 2019 by Conserv