Tires for 15" stock beetles.

eraser Fahrvergnugen

970 posts · joined Mar 2005 · 23 Dec 2008, 8:37 pm

#685759

Yesterday i took my other car in to get its tires rotated and i just asked about stock 15" tires, I asked what the cheapest and crappy tires i could get for it (just to drive around the block while i do her up {fed up of flats}).

He said that they are getting very rare and quoted me somewhere in the vicinity of $90 per tire as it looked like only one place is still producing them, now this place has never steered me wrong before but i thought that was crazy so i went to another dealership and same answer.

(before now i have just been buying new rims with 50% tires on them for about $50 for 4 :P but the mismatches get to the O.C.D side of me)

Anyone know any different?

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 24 Dec 2008, 7:11 am

#685802

All major tyre (not 'tire') retailers should be able to sell you 165 15 radial tyres; Kumho makes the '758' tyre in 165/80 R15 size, for example, but they retail for $156.20. Unfortunately this size in not a mainstream size any more, as 15" wheels are expected to be wider nowadays. 185 R15 is still very common but too wide for a stock VW wheel. $90 each sounds pretty good to me!

Try ringing around the major tyre retailers - Bob Jane, Goodyear, Beaurepaires etc and see what they say. They can do a check on a given size over the phone, but their websites don't seem to have this facility (you have to browse the tyre models one by one).

If all alse fails, you have to turn to specialist classic and vintage suppliers like http://www.antiquetyres.com.au/

eraser Fahrvergnugen

970 posts · joined Mar 2005 · 24 Dec 2008, 8:05 am

#685808

Yeah i was typing tyre but it kept coming up as being spelled incorrectly and changing it to tire (I also asked my partner and shes like its tire damn i knew she was wrong), so i gave up. :P

Thanks for that :P Heh i was hoping to the good old $40 a tyre :P.

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 24 Dec 2008, 9:46 am

#685817

Is the Hankook Centum 702 still available? We got our set of four about 6 years ago and they were $80 each new.

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helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 24 Dec 2008, 10:10 am

#685821

Did a bit of a web search, and globally there seems to be quite a number of 165/80/15 size tyres
This however does not mean they are available here in Australia, but arming yourself with a list may help get more info from a tyre supplier.

Firestone F560
Vredestein Sprint
Diamond Back SE
Nexen SB-802
Bridgestone S248
Hankook HPW401 165/80/15
RoadChamp 745P 165/80/15
Toyo 330
Federal SS657

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VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 24 Dec 2008, 4:32 pm

#685857

Jeez $90 ea sounds pretty good to me... Only old Renaults and 1-series Volvos take a skinny 15-incher so be happy you can buy anything at all!

Pay your debts, CxxT

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 24 Dec 2008, 5:08 pm

#685861

Pretty much every old English car we do at work uses them too. Austin Healey, MG, Triumph, plus more. Most have Michelin XZX and once restored end up with Kumho 758 Power Star, unless they are modified, and wider tyres are then whatever. We have probably a hundred Michelin XZX tyres with plenty of tread, but they are all old and hard and not much good now.

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baja burley Officially Full-On Dubber

325 posts · joined Sep 2008 · 24 Dec 2008, 6:47 pm

#685870

$90 a tyre sounds pretty good to me.... took mums mazda3 in for new tyres and she had no idea what she was doing so she just asked the fella for what was on there (factory tyre) and he quoted her $400.... A TYRE!!!!

There are three types of people in this world - people who can count and people who can't....

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 24 Dec 2008, 7:04 pm

#685871

back when i still had stockers i used to run federal formoza 185/60s and they rode and cornered so much better than 165/80 semi trailer tyres and held on in the wet like shit to a blanket but that was on later 4.5" rims

i wouldnt run them on earlier 4" rims tho
a freinds 63 bug has these on the stock 15x4 wide 5s and it looks like a 200kg woman wearing stilletos

greasykitchen Officially Full-On Dubber

375 posts · joined Dec 2007 · 24 Dec 2008, 7:35 pm

#685875

I paid about $90 each for some Kuhmos (15x165/something) on my beetle about 8 years ago. I didn't realise they were getting so scarce.

'76 Golf