I have been preparing my mk10 for a little road trip down south next weekend,although I havn't told the car as every time it knows its going something goes wrong with it and I end up taking my volvo!
Anyway I have a spare wheel but without a tyre,so I gave Longstone tyres a call.He told me I had the wrong size tyres on.They are P205/70R14 whitewalls,1st he said get the whitewalls off as they look daft but I like them,im not sure if they would have been fitted with these originally but I did see a picture on the internet of a mk10 (1960's picture) with whitewalls.
The correct tyre should be a Michellin 205/14 they have a taller side wall altering the ride height and handling.The cost is a whopping £299+vat each.My Jag is sitting about 20mm or so lower than it should.Do you think its worth shelling out this money or just stick with whats on it? Is there anywhere else I could get the correct ones but cheaper.Many Thanks Adam
Tyred!!
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stuarthardy
- Posts:488
- Joined:Thu May 14, 2009 8:56 pm
- Location:North Shropshire
Hello again Adam
The tyre price you've been quoted is ridiculous. Longstone offer good tyres, which are suitably period but they're not the only tyre out there. You can shop around the usual tyre depots and you'll get much better prices than the £299 you've been quoted.
I'm quite surprised that Michelin is the standard fit tyre, being French in origin. I'd have expected Dunlop tyres to be the standard fit.
I know its a bit of a chore but you could move to 15 inch wheels, which will give you a better choice of tyres. My 420 runs 185 x 15 as per factory standard fit and it looks well balanced. I always think that Mk10's look "under wheeled" on 14 inch.
If you want whitewalls then that's up to you. They were popular in the USA but not so common in the UK. It's your car and you can do what you want with it. My E-Type came back from USA with Whitewall (white band, actually) Pirelli Cinturato's and they looked fine although I won't be using whitewalls myself.
Unfortunately, our hobby is an expensive one and most of the specialists have their own agenda when it comes to giving out advice. As usual, get as many opinions as possible and make your decisions based on what you want. Personally, I'd buy a new spare tyre the same size as the rest of the tyres and worry about it again when you need to replace some. This gives you time to do a little research. 205/70R14's should be easy to come by and if its only a spare then you don't need a top brand tyre.
Good luck
Stuart
The tyre price you've been quoted is ridiculous. Longstone offer good tyres, which are suitably period but they're not the only tyre out there. You can shop around the usual tyre depots and you'll get much better prices than the £299 you've been quoted.
I'm quite surprised that Michelin is the standard fit tyre, being French in origin. I'd have expected Dunlop tyres to be the standard fit.
I know its a bit of a chore but you could move to 15 inch wheels, which will give you a better choice of tyres. My 420 runs 185 x 15 as per factory standard fit and it looks well balanced. I always think that Mk10's look "under wheeled" on 14 inch.
If you want whitewalls then that's up to you. They were popular in the USA but not so common in the UK. It's your car and you can do what you want with it. My E-Type came back from USA with Whitewall (white band, actually) Pirelli Cinturato's and they looked fine although I won't be using whitewalls myself.
Unfortunately, our hobby is an expensive one and most of the specialists have their own agenda when it comes to giving out advice. As usual, get as many opinions as possible and make your decisions based on what you want. Personally, I'd buy a new spare tyre the same size as the rest of the tyres and worry about it again when you need to replace some. This gives you time to do a little research. 205/70R14's should be easy to come by and if its only a spare then you don't need a top brand tyre.
Good luck
Stuart
Hi Stuart,many thanks for your reply.Im going to stick with the tyres ive got for the moment as the previous owner of the car had put new wheels and tyres on and they havn't really covered many miles.
I just got a cheap one as the spare although its a whitewall its not the same as the others and i left it with the young lad at the garage who put the whitewall to the inside of the wheel!! I agree with your comment about been "under wheeled" possibly when they are ready for new ones i will go with the 15's.
What i would like to do would be to strip the car right down and start fresh with it but without the right place to do it i would struggle.
Have you got both an e type and a 420 or have you just the one?
Cheers Adam,sorry for the late reply,im working nights at the moment so im either at work or in bed.Roll on the weekend!!
I just got a cheap one as the spare although its a whitewall its not the same as the others and i left it with the young lad at the garage who put the whitewall to the inside of the wheel!! I agree with your comment about been "under wheeled" possibly when they are ready for new ones i will go with the 15's.
What i would like to do would be to strip the car right down and start fresh with it but without the right place to do it i would struggle.
Have you got both an e type and a 420 or have you just the one?
Cheers Adam,sorry for the late reply,im working nights at the moment so im either at work or in bed.Roll on the weekend!!
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stuarthardy
- Posts:488
- Joined:Thu May 14, 2009 8:56 pm
- Location:North Shropshire
Yes, I've got both cars.
I bought the Daimler Sovereign 420 in 1999 when I had a few quid to spare. Took my wife to see it and its the only car, up until that point, that she's looked at and said "its gorgeous", so I had to have it. Now I'm not allowed to part with it.
The E-Type was bought as an unfinished project in late 2001 and is still unfinished. It was started in around 1990! I have just started working on it seriously again after 4 years or so lay up. Hope to have it finished next year some time.
The 420 was our high days and holidays car but it has failed its MOT and, whilst I can get it back on the road fairly easily, it wouldn't do the car justice not to give it a thorough makeover, with new sills and valances etc. etc. I can't do it all so the Daimler will have to wait until the E-type's finished. I will start collecting parts for it as they crop up though.
I think you did the right thing with your tyres.
Is your car in good condition?
Regards
Stuart
I bought the Daimler Sovereign 420 in 1999 when I had a few quid to spare. Took my wife to see it and its the only car, up until that point, that she's looked at and said "its gorgeous", so I had to have it. Now I'm not allowed to part with it.
The E-Type was bought as an unfinished project in late 2001 and is still unfinished. It was started in around 1990! I have just started working on it seriously again after 4 years or so lay up. Hope to have it finished next year some time.
The 420 was our high days and holidays car but it has failed its MOT and, whilst I can get it back on the road fairly easily, it wouldn't do the car justice not to give it a thorough makeover, with new sills and valances etc. etc. I can't do it all so the Daimler will have to wait until the E-type's finished. I will start collecting parts for it as they crop up though.
I think you did the right thing with your tyres.
Is your car in good condition?
Regards
Stuart
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