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Tue Dec 14, 2021 10:06 am

Hi

Michelin have started producing the 165R15 XZX as a white wall.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/michelin-classic-tyres/xzx/165sr15-michelin-xzx-whitewall.html

Tue Dec 14, 2021 11:04 am

Nice, I gathered some insight on European sports car tires. They are expensive but if they are like the other Michelin products they’ll last a long time. Actually the cost is well aligned with what tires cost. I spent as much putting Michelin’s on my truck for about same price.

Tue Dec 14, 2021 3:36 pm

reports are that these tires are disappointing

Tue Dec 14, 2021 4:24 pm

Erik G wrote: reports are that these tires are disappointing
Perhaps you thinking of the Coker reproductions that allegedly use a different rubber compound ?

Tue Dec 14, 2021 4:50 pm

This is something I've not been able to find a clear cut answer to, where are the Michelin XZX tires actually made? Some sources say they're made in France, others say they're made in Serbia, while others state they're actually made in original (and supposedly worn) moulds by Coker. What's the real story or are there multiple sources making these things?

Wed Dec 15, 2021 2:42 am

Eric G - Who says these are disappointing? Show me a post of a person saying they are disappointing. I have not seen one.

We have only had feed back saying quite the opposite.

Maybe you are talking about the fakes that are out there.

These are genuine Michelin tyres. Made in a Michelin factory in Serbia, to Michelins exacting quality control standards. Structurally, you cannot beat a Michelin tyre. Asythetically you cannot beat the Michelin Collection range (they also make a 155R15 X). Heritage wise, you can't beat a Michelin.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic/vw-beetle-tyres.html

If price is not the determining factor, but it is the quality of classic tyre that determines your choice, then it is going to be Michelin or Pirelli Cinturato you buy.

White wall tyres are bassically a pain in the bum to distribute, that white wall is easily damaged in transport. All the white wall tyres we are selling from Michelin are individually inspected and packaged so they dont get damaged in transport. and we post them free of charge to most of the world.

We do not get complaints about these tyres. We have sold loads of XZX to people with Beetles and they love them.

And the prices of these tyres i think are incredibly cheap for what they are.

Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:27 am

Dougal Cawley wrote: Eric G - Who says these are disappointing? Show me a post of a person saying they are disappointing. I have not seen one.

We have only had feed back saying quite the opposite.

Maybe you are talking about the fakes that are out there.

These are genuine Michelin tyres. Made in a Michelin factory in Serbia, to Michelins exacting quality control standards. Structurally, you cannot beat a Michelin tyre. Asythetically you cannot beat the Michelin Collection range (they also make a 155R15 X). Heritage wise, you can't beat a Michelin.

https://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/classic/vw-beetle-tyres.html

If price is not the determining factor, but it is the quality of classic tyre that

determines your choice, then it is going to be Michelin or Pirelli Cinturato you buy.

White wall tyres are bassically a pain in the bum to distribute, that white wall is easily damaged in transport. All the white wall tyres we are selling from Michelin are individually inspected and packaged so they dont get damaged in transport. and we post them free of charge to most of the world.

We do not get complaints about these tyres. We have sold loads of XZX to people with Beetles and they love them.

And the prices of these tyres i think are incredibly cheap for what they are.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Why would you expect anything else from this AD for Michelin from Dougal Cawley Longstone Tyres. A business has posted this up.

Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:35 am

Well i could try to sell you any tyre i liked.

However i am suggesting the Michelin XZX and Michelin X for the Beetle, because they are actually perfect tyres for the car.

the fact they are a bargain is also pretty good.

do you question the quality of Michelin Collection tyres?

do you deny that they are great value for a top brand tyre in an obsolete tyre size and carcass structure?

Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:42 am

You should have an ad in the tires section. The point of this forum is not to sell anything to anybody. You are on here totally to sell your tires. Since you have been on the Samba you have 7 postings and all are to SELL YOUR TIRES.....

Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:44 am

@Dougal Cawley
I have zero interest in the new white wall XZX, so we can drop the sales pitch. Regarding the black wall variety, are they also made in Serbia or are any made in France as is claimed by several web sites that sell them? Is there any truth to Coker making these tires, possibly in old and questionable condition moulds, and if yes, are these latter tires the ones you refer to as "fakes"?

Wed Dec 15, 2021 11:39 am

Back in the day, whitewall XZX tires were popular, blackwalls, not so much. We would have the shop install them with the whitewalls on the INSIDE because they looked goofy on VWs. Even then, I used to take tire black and cover the white, it bugged me so much.

Wed Dec 15, 2021 1:51 pm

mukluk asked where they were made & they replied Serbia, so now mukluk who 'doesn't care about whitewalls' is questioning him again!
He was just giving us the facts/sales pitch as he sees it. 8)

Wed Dec 15, 2021 2:58 pm

The posts thus far from Dougal Cawley seem to be focused solely on the new white wall version whereas I was asking about the XZX tires in general and not just the white walls, sorry I didn't make that more clear earlier. My questions still stand in regards to the black wall version.

Wed Dec 15, 2021 8:32 pm

Available in the U. S?

Wed Dec 15, 2021 10:12 pm

I have been wondering about the "NEW" Michelin XZX.

I could care less about the whitewall. Back in the 80's...The Michelin XZX was a superb tire. I have pages of saved links for the new versions of old tires I have been reading about.

The gist is this.....back in the day on the cars we drive these tires did very well...even with the tread designs and compounds they had. On a modern car with multi-link suspension and traction control backed up by anti-lock brakes and software?.....doubtful......but thats not what I would put them on.

But....the question is....are these new versions of the old tires at least AS GOOD...or are they better with new tread compounds?

Off topic....who cares about white walls? :lol: Back in the day.....I never even knew they made whitewalls in these tires!

These were on 260 and 280 zx, A whole range of mid level Mercedes, Volvo 240 and others, my 411's and 412's.....lots of VW's....Porsche 914....more than a few 911's.....and a whole slew of other cars.

There were a whole family of "X" tires....some are still viable now for what they were made for.

My question in this thread....is has anyone used any of the "new build" X series tires...and how are they?

Ray

Wed Dec 15, 2021 11:17 pm

Ray, I remember the Michelin tires of the 1960s and they were the BEST tire for VW for the money. Fast forward, and to answer some of your and Mukluks question about MODERN Michelins.........They are crap. If you cant be guaranteed and cant buy them without the HIGH shipping costs associated with an overseas purchase, why bother. I bought the MODERN XZX that Corkey Coker sells and it was total crap. Four of the five tires I bought were out of round. I even bought the additional insurance. Guess what , they didnt do ANYTHING for me. Again, you will get a clerk, probably sitting at home in his or her pajamas, that has a form to fill out and you, and you will never get to talk with the same person again. It is the same everywhere....just think what it will be like buying and getting the warranty performed overseas. I personally think the whitewall is another "gimmick" to sell more tires. I would think if Coker has them....he would advertise his CRAPPY tires for sale. I put on Faulken ZE912 tires and it is like the Michelins of old. Very satisfied, dont like the tread, but love the ride.

Thu Dec 16, 2021 7:58 am

wheel607 wrote: Ray, I remember the Michelin tires of the 1960s and they were the BEST tire for VW for the money. Fast forward, and to answer some of your and Mukluks question about MODERN Michelins.........They are crap. If you cant be guaranteed and cant buy them without the HIGH shipping costs associated with an overseas purchase, why bother. I bought the MODERN XZX that Corkey Coker sells and it was total crap. Four of the five tires I bought were out of round. I even bought the additional insurance. Guess what , they didnt do ANYTHING for me. Again, you will get a clerk, probably sitting at home in his or her pajamas, that has a form to fill out and you, and you will never get to talk with the same person again. It is the same everywhere....just think what it will be like buying and getting the warranty performed overseas. I personally think the whitewall is another "gimmick" to sell more tires. I would think if Coker has them....he would advertise his CRAPPY tires for sale. I put on Faulken ZE912 tires and it is like the Michelins of old. Very satisfied, dont like the tread, but love the ride.

Thank you for your answer!

The reason I look at these with a hairy eye....is because I work in manufacturing across a wide range of industries. I know how things ard made and what materials, tooling and engineering and design time cost.

There is no way tbe original tooling survived because tire tooling (and all injection andcpressure molding tooling) wears fast, is reworked and replaced at very higj cost on a regular basis when manufacturing. You can only afford to do this when you are selling MILLIONS of them.

These have been out of production for decades. I cannot see how the tooling and the tires would not be made in China or India.

There is a range of classic tires including the XZX, ZX MXV and some of the Vredestein and Semperit designs of the day back in "limited" production.

Lots of happy people on other car sites ....Mercedes, BMW etc......but it,struck me that those posting were mostly not really driving their cars. Restoration rides that are mainly garaged.

Back in the day I ran 185/Sr-15's on my 411 and 412 and put a few hundred k miles across numerous sets of these tires.
While the tread designs and compounds were nothing ljke what we have now.....they did well back in those days. Good enough that if they just had up to date tread compounds that are temperature variable.....they could be good for limited daily driving.

All of that said.....once my 412 gets back on the road it will never be a daily driver again but when its rolling it will go on long trips and will not be driven with fear of the weather.

The last tires I ran on it were relatively modern for 1990s and early 2000's (Continental CH90 sport contact). They were so much better night and day than my old Michelins of the previos era. I put about 170k miles across 4 sets. I also had bumped up to 5.5 rims with 205/55-15 tires. A couple sets were 195/65-15.

There are enough really modern tires that I have driven on in that size in my Golf that are worlds away better than the Conti CH90.....that I would slap right on my 412.

But the look and shape of the XZX are so iconic.....that if I could get a set that are at least equal to exactly what they were.....I might try a set. Ray

Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:23 am

Will these new Michelins fit into a Ghia wheel well and allow the hood to close when they're fully inflated?

Last time I looked the only brand that would fit were Vredesteins.

Thu Dec 16, 2021 9:24 am

Coad, I had a new 1972 Karmann Ghia that the ORIGINAL 165 Michelins fit right in the fenderwells. Cant at all begin to know if the NEW ones will fit. LW

Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:20 am

Now that you mention fitment, the original Michelins I had on my Notchback hit the inner fenderwell near full lock.

This may be most 165s though since radials are often wider than bias plies.