1983 W123 240D - preferred tyre choice.

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rayfenwick

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Jun 22, 2011
Messages
31
Location
Moscow
Car
2003 W203 C220 CDI Estate
Hello all, me again.

My recently acquired 240D needs new tyres all round. What's the preferred choice between originality, performance (not that I'll going to be going very fast in a diesel W123 :) ) and cost?

Currently my tyres are so old, worn and mismatched that I haven't got a clue. I can make out a 195 on a crumbly sidewall of one tyre, but that's about it...

Thanks
 
If I remember correctly, the original W123 tyres were such an old design that they didnt display the profile, having only 195 x 14 or whatever written on the tyre.

The nearest I could find were van tyres which were 195 x 90 x 14 if I recall.
 
When I had mine, i took it to a good old fashioned tyre shop (as opposed to your kwik fit types) and they found some very good tyres for £80 all in fitted etc. They were a name you dont hear of, but the owner of the garage who i trust implicitly said they were more than good enough.

So my advice, find a trustworthy old fashioned tyre shop and take their advice.
 
EDIT: Just to add, if you change all 4 at the same time and all four new ones are matching, your ride will be TRANSFORMED. it will ride so well you wont believe it.
 
Thanks guys. I'll bear that in mind. Does anyone know the original brand fitted? Would it have been Continental? In the Citroen world it's easy - everything was factory fitted with Michelin up until last year, when Bridgestone started to creep in.
 
If you can move to a 15 inch diameter wheel with a 65 aspect ratio tyre - this will give you a much greater choice of a higher performance tyres than the original 195/70 HR 14 90H

KUMHO are a good current mid market make who still make a lot of higher aspect ratio tyres and are OEM to some Mercedes models
 
I am almost certain early lower spec w123 were fitted with 175 x 14 SR tyres on steel wheels. These were regular 'high profile' or 80 series tyres. Continentals still make a decent H-rated tyre in the size. My father has them on his 1977 W123 240D - Conti Eco Contact 3. Higher spec cars or those with alloys had wider 195/70 HR14 ones.

The narrower tyres suit a car without power steering as he found that it made the steering lighter when parking. The wider one fills the arches and looks better in my opinion.

If you decide on the 175's, make sure they aren't commercial tyres or have been sitting on the shelves for too long. Not much demand for that size these days. My father found that out when a 'new' tyre developed a sidewall bulge within a month of fitting and we descovered that it had been manufactured almost 8 years before!
 
You're right jaymanek. I'm thinking about the early curved headrest model. I get mixed up at times - my dad has an early 1977 240D, 1980 250 & 1985 230TE
 
Thanks for all the info. I think I should seriously consider buying shares in Michelin at this rate - currently I have 5 cars that should be wearing them..... :S
 

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