Tires for an '87 TD - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rickjordan · #1 08-07-2003, 01:24 AM

In the near future I will be replacing the Michelin MXV4's on my '87 TD. I went to Tir Rack, plugged in the car and they say that the best selling tire for this model is a V rated tire. Now just exactly who is putting "Ultra high performance" V rated tires on a wagon? Anyways, what would be a good tire for a TD. Are Bridgestones good. The star ratings on Tire Rack's website are for rating the warranty on the tires, not the tires themselves. I want to stick with H rated tires that are quite running.

jcyuhn · #2 08-07-2003, 11:16 AM

Not me, that's for sure. Smooth and quiet were the priorities when I purchased new tires for my 87 wagon a few months ago. I spent some time reading the user comments available at the TireRack website. Interesting dichotomy going on there. For most tires the responses were split about 50/50 between people who absolutely love them and people who absolutely hate them. The only exception I found was the Michelin X-1, which all the owners raved about.

I find the MXV4 is about as smooth and quiet as you'll find in an H rated tire. Can't recommend anything better. Unfortunately it is somewhat expensive and delivers modest treadwear.

I put the aforementioned Michelins on my wagon. It's only an S rated tire. I am amazed how much smoother and quieter a 'normal' S-rated tire is than any H rated tire. My other 124 has some Michelin Pilots which are H speed rated and it rides like a skateboard compared to the wagon.

My recommendation - if you're more interested in quiet than performance, go with an S rated passenger car tire. The Mich. X-1, or its replacement, the 'Agility Touring." LarryB recently wrote a thread recommending a particular Kuhmo tire for the 124, saying it was very smooth and quiet. And at ~$39 each, it's tough to go wrong.

My .02

- JimY

rickjordan · #3 08-07-2003, 01:12 PM

The Michelin MXV4s run about $130 a piece. My Passat came from the factory with the same tires. After 40,000 miles the sidewalls are cracking bad. It looks like a dried riverbed. I have always avoided using any chemical wheel/tire cleaners. Occasionally I would use diluted Simple Green on the wheels, but that was it. I was very surprised to see Michelins do this. So I was wondering about Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continental etc. Obviously being a wagon, I am not going to be taking turns like I am in a sports car, but I would like to retain the ride that Mercedes design the car for. So H rated tires are what I am looking at.

jcyuhn · #4 08-07-2003, 01:56 PM

OK, I'll post my experience with H rated tires.

Wagon was shod with Dunlop D60A2s when purchased. I've also had these on other (non-MB) cars. Competent all around tire, but very loud. Had out of round problems - exchanged 2-3 per car when purchasing to get a set which was acceptably smooth. Can't recommend them.

Replaced Dunlops with Yokohama S-305s. All I can do is quote Monty Python - "Run away, run away!" Never smooth from the get-go. Went horribly out of round in 15K miles - I think the belts shifted. Suffered through with them 'til 25K miles, when they were beyond the treadwear indicators. Tire store manager indicated they had a lot of these come back. My first experience with Yokohama. Bad enough that I will never consider purchasing a Yokohama product again.

124 Sedan is shod with Michelin Pilot XGTH4s. Competent tires - round, don't vibrate, quiet. Transmit an incredible amount of impact harshness into the car. Feel all out of character with the suspension tuning. (Later 124s are softer than earlier cars.) Don't really like them that much. Might be what you want, since the firm ride of a speed rated tire seems to be what you are after.

That's it for my tire sample size on 124s. So far my favorite is the Michelin X-1, but it ain't H rated. Can be had in a T rating, next one down.

jcyuhn · #5 08-07-2003, 01:59 PM

[hit the dang post button twice.]

rickjordan · #6 08-08-2003, 03:17 AM

Thank you for the heads up on the Dunlaps and Yokahomas. This is one of the thnigs I hate about buying tires, you can't try them out and then return them if you don't like them. I definetly don't want to buy some generic brand alcheapo tires, but to buy another set of Michelin MXV4s, even from Tire Rack would be $520, and that's before having them mounted and balanced. I don't know, I may just resolve to the old "you get what you pay for" and pony up the dough for the Michelins. I am just exploring my options right now.

md21722 · #7 08-08-2003, 09:53 AM

I have had mixed success with MXV4 tires. I bought 4 from tirerack, all NEED to be replaced in my opinion but the tire shop can't find anything wrong with them. I asked them to mount up my OLD MXV4 tires and they are smooth as silk. Still waiting for a resolution.... Tirerack sent me one replacement on my word and that one repalcement works, but I need three more like it! Or maybe I'm just crazy!

I have had good luck with Bridgestone tires on other cars & some people like Yoko 550H tires available at Sears. I see a MB mechanic use them all the time and nobody seems to complain. I have heard great things about the X-One tires, I may try them next time. They are supposed to handle snow much better than the MXV4.

md21722 · #8 08-08-2003, 11:09 AM

The Tirerack is sending me 3 more tires in addition to the one replacment they already sent. There is more than one kind of MXV4 tires in the 195/65R15 91H series and they sent ones that take 51 psi instead of ones that take 44 psi. They will pay the shipping and the remounting. Hopefully this will take care of my problem.