Looking to replace my 10 year old Eagle GTs. They are 195/60/15 but seems like only 195/65/15s are available now when looking briefly. They will go on 4 lug Mahles under stock fenders. Pretty sure I couldn't get 205s under the fenders without rolling them (not interested in doing so) because it's already pretty tight on one side.

What does the 914 brain trust recommend these days?

I think these might be worth a try:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...romCompare1=yes

Make sure they are Sprint (+) or Sprint plus - there are other variations of the Vredestein Sprint name and they are not the same...

PS these are a new tire intended for the "classics" market

195/65/15 is the correct diameter. Choices are very limited though.

here we go again. tyres!


but.......
go skinny and sh#t yourself. its so much fun. and the steering is so light.

How cold does it get in WA? Those are summer tires and they will crack if run in cold weather.

I've been running Michelin Exalto A/S 205/65/15's on stock steel 5.5"rims for several years with no clearance problems on original body. Diameter is very close to stock with very little speedo error, but don't know if they are still available since originally purchased from Tire Rack.

My man!

michelin now makes a very reasonably priced 195/65x15 that we are putting on the cars. It is the exact size for keeping the speedometer reading correctly with an extra bit of width over the standard 165x15

I've got 7K miles on my 195/65/15 Firehawk AS tires now and love them. Quiet, nimble, and plenty of grip for me. Get good reviews in the performance all weather tire category. I like to hit the twisties pretty hard and the tires have more grip than my nerve. I like them so much I'll probably put them on the DD when it is time for new tires.

Ditto what @Geezer914 said. I looked at summer performance tires when I was shopping but our evening temps in summer are often below the minimum those tires were designed to run at. Just make sure to check the fine print.

I am running Firestone Fire Hawks AS also in 195/60-15. Looks like they no longer offer that size. That was the only performance tire offered in that size.

I really like Michelin tires and am probably going to order a set of the 195x65x15 Primacy A/S for my car. I currently have 195x55x15 and really want to get a bit taller sidewall. Also, though stupid, it is a good looking tire without huge graphics on it. A full set delivered from Tire Rack is $630.60.

What tire specifically?

So, many people on this forum say 195/65-15 is correct for the speedo, but my GPS testing says not. All brands in this size are right at 25” diameter which yields a 5mph fast indication error.

A 165HR15 by comparison is a 25.4” diameter, which is still shy of what you would need to make indicated = GPS actual.

A 26.5” diameter is what you need to get your speedo to read true… which is a 185VR15

That size is still showing on the Firestone site, but Firehawk AS no longer comes up on Tire Rack.

which is what you can get as a pirelli cinturato remake.
its what all the early 911 guys now run down here.
its not quite a sh#t yourself tyre as the 165 XAS i run but i hear the steering is still beautifully light.
expensive as hell though.

although mayber vredestein make that size?

Only vred or the coker tire remakes by my searching. That’s why I’m opting for the vred tires. I trust them to be more consistent in quality and they are a better price point and availability.

@Van B

this is the one the 911 guys use down here.
they will have a knife fight outside the tyre shop to take a set and then the tyre guy takes the winner's wallet, empties it and sets it on fire with a blow torch.
pandemic aftermath means they trickle in.

25.67 inch diameter fitted if you convert the table.

Click to view attachment

according to tiresize.com 165/80/15 is 25.4 185/70 15 is 25.2 and 195/65.15 is 25.0 with a speedometer reading of minus 1.5 mph with the 195 at 90 mph or 88.6

None of that is relevant until you asses your current speedometer error via GPS.

Ex: OE tire size for my 996 C2 is 265/35R18. But a 275/40R18 gives me an exact match to GPS on my speedometer.
Click to view attachment

Your speedo gear is also clocking your odometer so, I’m not looking to give away ghost miles. Modern cars using can bus systems can be internally calibrated, but on our analog rides we have to do it physically.

don't understand your reasoning, in your example what you say is exact shows 1.5 inch difference in height and 5 mph more at 90mph.

That’s how much taller of a tire I needed in order to make my speedometer read a true to life speed. My 996 speedo is now indicating 0.25mph slower than GPS as near as I can tell with the milspec GPS devices I have access to.

I haven’t had a local popo confirm for me, and I hope not to lol

Maybe you’re caught off by the thought that your speedometer is actually telling the truth with the OE tire size? If so, you should know that is rarely the case.

would agree with that summary @Van B .

i did test mine at cruise going up to euroa in lovely country victoria australia a couple of years ago. had my passenger gps it on the i phone.
running michelin XAS 165 which are supposed to be right on OEM.
was about 1.5/2mph over on the speedo compared to the GPS.
casper the ghost is laying it down on my odo meter. he is doing it gently but he is overcounting for sure. and thats OEM!!!!

my concern was not so much ghost miles as the overexcited highway patrol cops here.
old dickhead dan the dicktator has ordered a new regime. gone is the days of 10% tolerance on radar readings. cops are under instruction to apply 2km/hr tolerance.
and.......rake in the $ for dan for his covid lockdown screwdown screwup.
so its pretty important down here now to make sure you are looking at the speedo knowing yep, its kosher, i am definitely under.

I will not have to deal with speedo error; I have a GPS-based electronic speedo kit in my car and it is dead accurate and is not tied to tire size.

Click to view attachment

Thats good data wonki. As you may recall, I have the original XAS as the spare in my car and I noticed that it is considerably taller than the 195/65R18 that the PO fitted to my car.

I did consider one of those, but where I’m stationed in MD, there are so many trees that I can’t even keep sirius XM running on a backroad drive. Plus, more than just the speedo/odo accuracy, some tall boy tires will give me the OE ride quality I’m looking to recover.

Don’t care about the speedo being off. Mine is already off by 5mph
Thanks for the recommendations, will look into what’s been suggested. Keep ‘em coming if there’s more.

great minds think alike. spot on comment about ride quality.
not only is the steering magically light with the XAS the ride quality is very good.
given i fitted billys to replace the tired old boges this is significant.
the billys are appreciably firmer (i won't use the word harsh but you know what i mean).

185s vreds would deliver same ride quality as the skinnier XAS.
but with some added grip.
i'm getting used to the 165 XAS. they are pretty sticky to assist with the diet the tyres are on.

Tire Rack lists 78 different tires in 195/65-15. I went with these.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...romCompare1=yes

Not many miles to report on, but happy so far.

I really liked my 205/55 Yokohama Advan Fleva tires.on the street car. No rubbing, no rolling of fenders, and good grip for sure. I didnt ever look at the speedo.

I just bought the Pirelli cn36. Lucas Classic Tires in Long Beach CA. In stock. Shippout next day -reasonable freight.
Old school tread pattern made with modern compounds and techniques.
Will report after after I get some driving time.

I prefer 175 or 185 maximum, gives a more factory like ride

+1 on the Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 195/65R15. I put these on the 74.

Pleased with the ride and performance. Made the speedo error less compared to the 205/55 that I got with the car.

Don't know how I missed the Sumitomo; that seems like a nice option for a reasonable price.

How would you describe a 'factory like ride'?

I think that Pirelli’s CN36, are the way to go for a 914! Well done, I simpli love the pattern just can’t get them in Mexico and it’s almost impossible to import them unless you roll them in…

I read somewhere, the shape of the CN36 tyres are rounded in the corners “old style like” designed for old style suspensions, and the new rubber compound, they will not damage or stress the suspension like newer tyres.

Please share some pictures if you can, just for my personal torture…

@rjames I had a set of Firestone Firehawk All Seasons in 195/60R15 installed on our '75 this last spring. Great tires for cruising around the Cascades with the PCA. Was trying to find something with a slightly softer compound without going for a dedicated track tire while also being able to handle the wet roads we frequently see in the Puget Sound area. They definitely fit the bill without making too many compromises.

Firehawk AS

interesting question.

so the original suspension, spring rates, shocks etc are designed to go with tall boy tyres.
eg exactly like michelin 165 XAS i now have on the car. its softer because the tyres themselves do some of the shock absorbing.

i previously had a set of goodrich T/As on my car dating from the period when it was very difficult to pick up original size tyres. or at least original size tyres that were not "truck" tyres. 195s and i think from memory about a 50 or was it 60 profile. think it was 50.
quite a bit lower profile. ride was way harsher through pot holes or bad imperfections in road. and steering notably heavier. quite noticeable at town speeds.

the 165 XAS are much softer and absorb potholes etc. no more jarring ride with transmission of harsh impacts into the cabin, particularly the cowl area of the car.

of course this only makes sense with original spring rates, shocks etc.
kind of does not matter given what i see a lot of guys do on this website with cars stiffened up in the suspension department. once you go there you go all the way with tyres etc.

but an original 914 running original size rubber with original spring rates etc rides surprisingly softly. i also have the factory sway bars on mine so that compensates for all the suspension softness. its how they actually were back when they came out of factory.

of course tyres and suspension is an incredibly personal thing.
so no way really is the right way.

i do like mine now all back at original specs.
i've got another car to drive hard and to be honest it does a much better job of it.
as it should given its a car a good 25 years further down the track.

where i have found the XAS 165s really good is when i get the 914 out on country back roads. which in australia can be pretty choppy roads. poor shoulders. occasional bad potholes. wavy ashphalt. bad camber. you name it. the skinnier original tyres do a much better job of soaking it all up than even slightly wider lower profile tyres. these days thats where i have my fun with the 914. not exactly cruising. but not really going at it super hard anymore.

a 205/60x15 will fit on a factory mahle under stock fender well but would not recommend it as it bulges too much off of the 5.5 rim and you may feel the jello effect when going around the curves. Would suggest a 195/65x15 michelin if you want something a bit wider and reasonably priced

We’ll put wonkipop.

I’ll agree with the ride quality of a tall skinny tire on these older Porsches. I’m using Vredesteins on my 912 and cn36’s on the 924. Both 185 and the cars just feel right.

Have you considered these (for that authentic feel w/ just a bit of grip…)?

https://www.cokertire.com/tires/185-70vr15-michelin-xwx.html

oh! you have got the horn tyres.
the ones that get folks into knife fights outside the tyre shop down here.
very fricken nice.
i am deeply envious.
and after you win the knife fight the tyre guy shoots you with a magnum 44.

good stuff!

ps love the 924.
my girlfriend back in the 90s had one same colour.
in western australia.
i loved driving it, covering big distances. effortless high speed cruiser.
got a soft spot for them.
that big glass tail gate is the ant's pants.

Light as opposed to heavy with wide(larger) tires. The car was designed with a 165 and using anything larger effects the ride.

These are probably a good choice, but $$$

No go for me, currently I am running a Nexum 185 on one of my 914's, rides nice and less than one of these for a set of 4 installed

I can’t believe no one is running sticky tires
These cars are about handling. Summer grip. RA1’s are street legal

@brant - I am looking for a good high performance tire for my car in 195x65x15. I see the Pirelli P6000 ($$$$) but have never really liked Pirelli tires on any of my past cars. I wanted Michelin but they seemingly only offer all season Touring tires that really do not get good reviews. I do not drive my car hard, it is a street car only; but do drive it moderately. The Sumitomo tire seems to be the best option so far. Open to suggestions.

No sticky for me, I prefer the "wiping" technique

the roads would be much cleaner if we all scrubbed a little more!

The issue with sticky tires is that I could only run them about 7 months of the year. As long as there is no salt on the road, I'm driving my 914. This year the season started in March and "ended" in December. This year alone my car has seen rain, snow, hail (and that was all in just ONE drive).

As much as I'd love sticky summer tires in the late spring, summer and early fall, I don't want to ruin tires driving when road temps drop below 40.

Zach

I prefer round ones

It's the last thing between you and the road. Put on a good pair of shoes and have fun! +1 for CN36s.