What brand tires would you recommend for a 1985 300D turbo? The OEM tire size is P195/70R14. Are Sumitomo tires any good? They are the only ones I could find that come with the "H" speed rating in that size. Michelin Harmony? (they are only S rated). The speed rating is of no cosequence as far as speed capability goes as the car will only do about 100 MPH, however some tire places insist that this car originally came with H rated tires and that is all they are willing to mount on it.
best tires for 300D
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I recommend this web site for a good education about vehicle tires. There is more to buying tires than I knew before I stumbled upon this page.
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I have Michelin X Radials from Sam's Club on my 300cd. The tires have the same specs as the Michelin Destiny & Harmony. Overall, I believe they are a good choice for a W123 that does not see hard driving. The ride is quieter & smoother (with the correct wheel balancing) than the BF Goodrich Traction T/A's I had on my 300cd before. The Michelins cost me $255 on sale, I took them to my favorite garage to be mounted & balanced. They didn't need much weight added to be balanced.
Some drivers recommend buying H-rated tires, since the W123 is a heavy car running relatively small & skinny tires; the H rating would result in a stiffer sidewall for stability in cornering, among other things. The tires of 2011 are much better than those of the early '70s from when the W123 was first designed, I wouldn't bother finding the rare H-rated 14's unless your commute is a rallycross.
Some drivers recommend buying H-rated tires, since the W123 is a heavy car running relatively small & skinny tires; the H rating would result in a stiffer sidewall for stability in cornering, among other things. The tires of 2011 are much better than those of the early '70s from when the W123 was first designed, I wouldn't bother finding the rare H-rated 14's unless your commute is a rallycross.
I totally agree with derberger. The Harmony/Destiny is very much the equivalent to what used to be termed "Passenger Car Tires." They will last longer and roll better than most anything out there. The perfect tire for the 123 that is not driven for performance.
I went through a number of sets of Michelin Passenger radials on about 850,000 miles of 123 driving. With proper dynamic balance they will give very smooth rolling which as an added benefit, make for a longer lasting suspension system.
Michelin makes a very uniformly constructed tire.
I went through a number of sets of Michelin Passenger radials on about 850,000 miles of 123 driving. With proper dynamic balance they will give very smooth rolling which as an added benefit, make for a longer lasting suspension system.
Michelin makes a very uniformly constructed tire.
We have Michelin Destinys on our 1985 300D. I am pretty happy with them, but wet traction is only so-so. Mileage / wear is really good, however, and they seem to keep their balance for a long time. We have about 40,000 miles on ours and I estimate that there is probably 20,000 - 30,00 miles left on them before replacement.
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I've been looking at some General Altimax RTs. They seem well reviewed online.
I use these. Firestone Winterforce. I have a couple of rough roads I occasionally am required to travel on less than fortunate roads...they work well.
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Just bought a set of Michelin Harmony's for my '84 300D. I'm very impressed so far... My steering wheel play went from more than two inches down to a very acceptable 1 inch or so.
I really don't recommend Goodyear Weather-handlers. For some reason every time I buy a car they come with it. They have terrible traction in everything but dry conditions. I am a relaxed driver, I avoid potholes, I've never had a flat tire yet even so they tend to wear quicker than everything else I've had on my cars. They also seem to be very expensive for the class they are in.
Dunlop SP-60s are also good tires if you need snow traction. They are indeed loud but road noise doesn't really bother me, I just prefer something that wears good, and can pull me through pretty much anything deemed reasonable for the car.
Dunlop SP-60s are also good tires if you need snow traction. They are indeed loud but road noise doesn't really bother me, I just prefer something that wears good, and can pull me through pretty much anything deemed reasonable for the car.
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Although I've had very bad luck with Goodyear products over the last 48 years of driving, this is still anecdotal evidence. Suffice it to say, I'm just not a fan of Goodyear products.
Everyone,
If you only take away ONE piece of information from this thread, REGARDLESS of the brand tire you prefer or buy, learn to understand what the UTQG number means and pay attention to it.
slcturbo was kind enough to post some links to information that will teach you all you need to know about tires. This is very worthwhile reading.
I agree with ScrazySean ... I just removed a set of Goodyear Weatherhandlers and replaced with Michelin Destiny (supposedly the Discount Tire version of the Michelin Harmony). Steering play is reduced, handling feels better overall, and the tires seem a little quieter.
The bonus is that my speedo now reads more accurately. The Weatherhandlers were 195/75 versus the correct size of 195/70.
I sold the Weatherhandlers (still with a lot of tread left) to a guy for $100. He was driving an '89 Chrysler with bald tires.
Regarding Larry's comment: UTQG on the Michelin Destiny is 740, which is very good. 80K treadwear warranty as well.
The bonus is that my speedo now reads more accurately. The Weatherhandlers were 195/75 versus the correct size of 195/70.
I sold the Weatherhandlers (still with a lot of tread left) to a guy for $100. He was driving an '89 Chrysler with bald tires.
Regarding Larry's comment: UTQG on the Michelin Destiny is 740, which is very good. 80K treadwear warranty as well.
Hey fellows,I am new to this forum.I have been running a saet of Kumho's KR 21's they have a fairly good tread wear and a 85000 mile warranty,with two years of roadside assistance. Not bad for a least expensive tire.These tire are quiet and really good on a rain soaked road
from DiscoutTireDirect.com I recommend the Yokohama AVID tires. I'm running the step one up (215/60R-15's) from factory size but very good tread life and smooth ride.
Looks like Discount tire direct has this in a tourning version now [Tire Products - Discount Tire Direct ] but looks to be a good version also.
Looks like Discount tire direct has this in a tourning version now [Tire Products - Discount Tire Direct ] but looks to be a good version also.
1984 300CD (usually running B99) | 2010 Colnago Super Single Speed
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I was running four Hankook Mileage Plus tires on my '84 300CD...I found them very noisy and, perhaps due to my driving style, prone to quick wear.
Based on some recommendations here, I recently replaced them with four Michelin Harmony tires from Burbank Discount Tire Center...$480 out the door (tires, balancing, alignment). I couldn't be happier. Much quieter ride.
Based on some recommendations here, I recently replaced them with four Michelin Harmony tires from Burbank Discount Tire Center...$480 out the door (tires, balancing, alignment). I couldn't be happier. Much quieter ride.
Best Tires
I have been in the tire biz for about 25 years. I have 18" staggered on AMG wheels on my w211 with Pirelli Pzeros. Pricey, quiet but not the greatest handling tires our there for this fitment. For the 123 I would recommend Michelins for the greatest comfort and longevity but the cost is usually kinda high. Continental, Bridgestone and Pirelli still all make tires for our cars in these smaller 14" diameters. The Koreans-Kumho, Hankook and Nexen brands are all pretty good tires with very attractive pricing. The Hankooks even took one of the Consumer Reports awards so its a great tire at a good price.
I have been in the tire biz for about 25 years. I have 18" staggered on AMG wheels on my w211 with Pirelli Pzeros. Pricey, quiet but not the greatest handling tires our there for this fitment. For the 123 I would recommend Michelins for the greatest comfort and longevity but the cost is usually kinda high. Continental, Bridgestone and Pirelli still all make tires for our cars in these smaller 14" diameters. The Koreans-Kumho, Hankook and Nexen brands are all pretty good tires with very attractive pricing. The Hankooks even took one of the Consumer Reports awards so its a great tire at a good price.
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Michelin Harmony Review
I've got a little over 3K on a set of Michelin Harmony's, 195/70r14's, on the 240D. Very pleased with the tires overall. They do have very deep treads and tend to "squirm" a little bit at hwy speeds. This has improved slightly as the tires have worn though. Still, not really a rant, just an observation. Might just be the style of tire and its intended "audience" and application.
I sprung a little more money for the Harmony's in order to get a good handling tire that would hold up on faster bends, curves, on ramps, off ramps, etc. This I feel is especially important for those driving a 240D, since keeping momentum is paramount at times. They also look the part more than other tires out there, as if they could be OE spec tires.
I've got a little over 3K on a set of Michelin Harmony's, 195/70r14's, on the 240D. Very pleased with the tires overall. They do have very deep treads and tend to "squirm" a little bit at hwy speeds. This has improved slightly as the tires have worn though. Still, not really a rant, just an observation. Might just be the style of tire and its intended "audience" and application.
I sprung a little more money for the Harmony's in order to get a good handling tire that would hold up on faster bends, curves, on ramps, off ramps, etc. This I feel is especially important for those driving a 240D, since keeping momentum is paramount at times. They also look the part more than other tires out there, as if they could be OE spec tires.
Replaced all four 195/70-14 fourteen month old Michelin Harmony 90S rated tires (made in Canada) with Pirelli P4 all season 91T rated (made in China) on original alloy rims two days ago. Alignment yesterday. Snow storm in Milwaukee today. Bottom line: Pirellis preformed better in snow then the Harmonies ever did, and cost about $25 less per tire. Can anyone locate the MB service bulletin recommending H rated tires on 1985 300D-T over the original 90S rating cited in the 1985 owners manual? Continentals came as original equipment, but similar Continental tires are not made in the 14" rim size.
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