White Wall Tire Recommendations and Size

[Nate]

Hi All,

I'm looking to buy a new set of white wall tires.  I've seen on previous posts that most members prefer deviating from the original 185 tire size and moving up to 195s as they have a little more rubber on the road.

White wall tires are difficult to come by these days, but many members seem to have had good experience with Hankook.  Have any members purchased the Hankook Optimo H724 195/75R14 white wall tires?  Thanks in advance for your feedback!  Nate

https://www.prioritytire.com/hankook-optimo-h724-195-75r14-92s-as-a-s-all-season-tire/

[calhippie]

I put on these exact tires back in January.  If memory serves, they were $55 per tire.  They do seem to run a bit quieter than the Kumho tires I had on previously, which I replaced due to age, not mileage.  I have only run them a few hundred miles, so it's still a bit early to tell whether they are an 'improvement' in any way.  They do give the car a slightly more 'muscular' stance, but the casual observer would probably not notice. 





   

[Nate]

Thanks for the thumbs up on the Hankook tires!  Do you recall where you bought them?

[calhippie]

Thanks for the thumbs up on the Hankook tires!  Do you recall where you bought them?

Discount Tire Direct, and had them shipped to my local Discount Tire installer, whom I've used before on other cars.  At the time, tirerack.com did not have them in stock. 

[Nate]

Thank you!

[Jonny B]

I will also add the thumbs up. I like the look of white walls and went with the Hankook. I got them through Discount Tire. Those folks have done a great job for me on this installation, and some tire work on other cars.

[Harry]

Glad to see this timely thread.  My 230 has blackwall tires and I have been considering changing those to whitewall.  Interesting through because this car has P205/70R14 Michelins on it.  That provides a little wider tire but also a little less height.  What tire size came on the cars originally?

[paults1]

Original size 185/80/14. the 185/75/14 will work.

[neelyrc]

Harry,

The closest diameter/circumfernce to the original tires is 195/75/14.  See measurements here:

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=15847.msg184433#msg184433

I took the measurements on Maxxis tires and there might be a few mm difference with Hankook but they will be very close.  I have been very satisfied with these.

[specracer]

Question, as there are not many white wall options, has anyone tried these? In my case, I got a set of Verdesteins, as I really liked the vintage tire "look". These might add the white wall look that is missing.

https://www.tirestickers.com/shop/white-wall-tires/

[FGN59]

There’s also this option, which is kind of fool proof (no alignment necessary):
https://www.hansen-styling-parts.de/4x-black/white-sidwall-ring-for-Mercedes-14-inch-made-of-plastic

[John Betsch - "SADIE"]

the Coker Tire Company 185R14 Phoenix whitewall is a close reproduction of the original Phoenix tires on the 230Sl  Why haven't I seen them mentioned here?

[calhippie]

the Coker Tire Company 185R14 Phoenix whitewall is a close reproduction of the original Phoenix tires on the 230Sl  Why haven't I seen them mentioned here?

Dozens of comments on other, earlier threads about the Coker tires, with mostly positive reviews.  They can be cost-prohibitive if, like me, you will replace them due to age, not mileage.  Last I saw, for the price of a single Coker you can buy almost an entire set of the Hankooks.   

[Nate]

$296 for a (1) Phoenix tire at Coker, ouch!  A set of Coker tires cost nearly as much as a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S for my 2013 911 Carrera 4S...

[StevenF]

Please read
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=26646.msg191149#msg191149