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Tue May 16, 2023 12:24 pm

If you haven't tried this stuff yet, I think it's worth a try. Sounds like your issue is worse than usual, but I've used this stuff in the past on whitewalls of any age and condition and it makes them BRIGHT WHITE in a huge hurry.
Totally safe as far as I know, but for whitewalls it rips through age and dirt/ stains with ease.

https://a.co/d/fD6pmDW

Tue May 30, 2023 6:05 pm

Update on the Autobahn blue/whitewall tire issue.

A sales manager from Performance Plus Tire, who was CC'ed on the original reply from the company and after a few group e-mail exchanges, replied simply "I will take care of this." Days later, he did call me and told me that he had been in touch with the owner of GARAGE VINTAGE in Japan. They arranged to have a new set of 4 tires delivered to me, and agreed to reimburse me for the cost of dismount and remounting the new ones. They also said that they would pay to have the original ones sent back to them.

I got the tires a couple days ago and, following their original advice of just using warm soapy water and a brush, was able to completely clean one in about 15 mins. The spot in the pic below took about 3 mins.

So clearly something was off with the coating on the original set. It had become truly embedded in the rubber. Maybe a heat/UV thing, who knows.

Kudos to Performance Plus Tire and GARAGE VINTAGE for standing behind their product and quickly, and completely resolving it. Looking forward to getting these new whites on my Oval for the summer driving season.

Tue May 30, 2023 8:03 pm

That's wonderful news that they did this/ that for you ...makes me want to buy more sets ..not many company's stand behind their products now days ...show those puppy's when mounted to your vw ...

Tue May 30, 2023 8:08 pm

yeah, that's awesome. thanks for the follow up

Tue May 30, 2023 8:15 pm

[email protected] wrote: Show those puppy's when mounted to your vw ...

Will do!!

Sat Jun 03, 2023 11:11 am

yet to put those on my 55 beetle. but did get a set of 640r 15's
in metric they are 165/95 series . physically look just like the b.f. Goodrich
silver towns I took off . same hight and width . improved ride for sure! :D

Sat Jun 03, 2023 9:24 pm

sgmalt46 wrote: yet to put those on my 55 beetle. but did get a set of 640r 15's
in metric they are 165/95 series . physically look just like the b.f. Goodrich
silver towns I took off . same hight and width . improved ride for sure! :D

Cool, they look good.

You think they drive nicer than BF Goodrichs from Coker (or elsewhere)?

I'm curious because it looks like they are a very similar load rating and I think still a 4-ply tire, not 6-ply like original Bus tires?

Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:21 am

yes I think they drive nicer than the BF Goodrich I took off .
it may be due in part because they where OLD and wore out?
like 30 years old. fresh tires alway's (feel) better. the real test
will be with all 9 people on board at 52mph. and some cross winds!
they are still a 4-ply tire . they should of made them a 6-ply .
the price was about the same so I gave em a shot. so far I like em.
Steve.

Wed Jul 19, 2023 6:56 pm

anyone have Autobahns mounted on their Ghia yet? I bought a set but the Ghia is 2 hours away at the body shop getting worked on.

Thu Jul 20, 2023 6:58 am

Autobahn Whites on my '57:

Thu Jul 20, 2023 1:00 pm

johnshenry wrote: Autobahn Whites on my '57:

Looking really nice ...love the gold color paint job it stands out 👌

Fri Jul 21, 2023 3:37 am

How does it drive - the bias ply Firestones I have - can be interesting.
I also have a set of radial Vredestein - which are so much more fun to chuck about with the Koni shocks.

Fri Jul 21, 2023 6:03 am

Tall Bloke wrote: How does it drive - the bias ply Firestones I have - can be interesting.
I also have a set of radial Vredestein - which are so much more fun to chuck about with the Koni shocks.

Definitely feels more stable laterally. I did 20k miles in 22 years on the Firestones, and the feel of these new Autobahns is much better. Not as "bouncy" side to side. Like them a lot.

Wed Jul 26, 2023 5:08 am

Looks like a new series of autobahn tires are coming out ....👇👇

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2631187

Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:42 pm

purchased 5 of the 5.60 Blackwell tires but they arrived all scuffed & marked up, the US supplier was awesome with customer service and getting them returned and refunded but unfortunately only had more scuffed ones so I was unable to get new a set. Anyone else had them arrive really scuffed?

Tue Oct 17, 2023 6:01 pm

ORbeetle wrote:

purchased 5 of the 5.60 Blackwell tires but they arrived all scuffed & marked up, the US supplier was awesome with customer service and getting them returned and refunded but unfortunately only had more scuffed ones so I was unable to get new a set. Anyone else had them arrive really scuffed?

I think we'll im thinking from the pictures that the tires may have some type of solution on them like It's soap just like the white wall versions the reason I say this is because on the tires you could still see those little rubber things sticking out well still there if they were scuffed up those tabs or whatever they are called on the side wall .they would all so be cut off ..since you can just pull them off with 2 fingers as is..I wish I knew what those little thing that stick out the tire are called ...I just think they need a good scrubbing/ wash

Tue Oct 17, 2023 6:15 pm

They are called "vent spews" should of searched for it name before my post but was in a hurry to reply like always lol .... if they were scuffed up those vent spews wouldn't be on the tires since they come off so Easily ..like I said you can pull them of with 2 fingers ..im not say to pull them off im just giving a example of how easy they come off if they were scuffed up bad they wouldn't be on the tires ....

Tue Oct 17, 2023 7:19 pm

I tried scrubbing the worst one real well but did not want to put any chemical on them, took a before and after pic and nothing changed. Then used a super mild car wash solution and still nothing.

Thu Jan 25, 2024 8:18 pm

I'm still waiting to see if they are willing to make some in the size 450x15 of these tires ...for lowered vws ....they said they would if the public demanded them...soooo who would buy them in that size lol I want some in that size .....I notice they have a new 560x15 thin white wall tire so if they are making those new they can make the 450x15 tires right ????? I like to have my tires band matching / design....

Thu Jan 25, 2024 11:56 pm

That would be awesome to see for the lowered cars, I love those tires.