Are Michelin XWX's worth it?

[snwalker]

Need to buy a set of tires for the 70s. Tempted by the XWX. Is it worth the $360 a tire? Is the Pirelli P6000 a better tire? Which tire looks most period and is the safest? Trawled through the forum, spoken to a few people and googled but info is conflicting. The car has the original 15x6 deep Fuchs. Advice most welcome and appreciated.

[LongRanger]

. . . Need to buy a set of tires for the 70s. Tempted by the XWX. Is it worth the $360 a tire? Is the Pirelli P6000 a better tire? Which tire looks most period and is the safest? . . .

Can't speak to their handling --- or anything about their performance . . . but --- IMO . . . XWXs are the 'best-looking' vintage tire for any Early 911. High-speed rated, as well. Another post w/pix . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...l=1#post560451

As for the Pirelli P6000s? . . .

. . . my car was fitted with these, when I bought it ten years ago, now. Bulged-out two sidewalls in two months, so ended-up dumping 'em for a set o' Vredesteins . . . which 've been there ever since --- = yikes! . . .

'Sides --- I think the P6000s are just plain fugly . . . = have this weird 'rilling' on the side-walls to make 'em look shiny(?) --- like, here . . .
https://roadscholars.com/current-off...-porsche-911s/

. . . PitA to clean, too


There is another 'period' Pirelli --- the CN36 . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...highlight=cn36

. . . and/again --- can't speak to their handling, durability, or performance, but . . .


. . . Pirellis are on my Kardex, so . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...l=1#post648589





..........

[Richy]

The XWX's are period correct , but they are a reproduction made in Serbia and the handling is not so great , but the are cosmetically correct .The P 6000's were not available in the 70's so are not period correct . The CN36's were available later in the 70's and are a good handling tire still made by Pirelli . I think the best bang for the buck are Vredisteins . I have XWX's on my car and my friends have Pirellis and Vredisteins , so I have driven with all of them .

[NZVW]

Which tire looks most period and is the safest?

Looks = XWX
Safest= depends on how you drive,, (none of them as far as I am concerned.)

I have near new XWX on 6x15 Harvey refurbed Fuch but run on these. Yokohama AO48. 205 60 15 medium compound on Minilites.




The XWX just don"t compare handling wise but they look the part at a meet.

Purchase what suits you and always remember that if you make the wrong choice,,,, just wear them the hell out.

[Arne]

If you buy the XWX, get them from Summit Racing, $312 each and free shipping. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cok-57970/overview/

I sold tires back in the '70s, and I agree the XWX are the most 'correct' in appearance. They were considered top tier back in the day. But times have changed.

Pirelli CN36 are very close in period looks, the sidewall has been slightly modernized by Pirelli, but not much. A German magazine apparently compared the XWX, CN36, Vredsteins and Blockley on a 911 a couple years ago. Pirelli CN36 was #1, then Michelin XWX, Vredstein and Blockley last. The XWX had good handling feel, but lacked wet grip compared to the CN36.

A friend has Vredsteins on his '76 911S, he doesn't care for them. He plans to get CN36 next time.

[gulf908]

If you have a show car which you won't be driving much,then XWXs
if you will be driving the car more frequently,then CN 36s
the XWX tyre was made for very heavy cars such as the 450SE,Daytona,Maserati Bora and similar
the CN 36s have more give in the sidewall giving a better ride and are better suited to the lighter early 911s
both should be the same speed rating
speaking from experience . . .

HTH
Dennis

[lopena]

You can’t go wrong with a set of CN 36’s:

[Arne]

You can’t go wrong with a set of CN 36’s:

Alan, are those the current N4 marked CN36s? Or the older "For Vintage Car Use" marked version?

[Saskia]

XWX is aesthetically apropriate for an early 911. I have them on my 1970 911S. They are mounted on deep sixes and have now done almost 9000 miles. They are superior in all respects compared to the previous Pirelli I had on the car. Dry grip is excellent and they are progressive giving plenty of feedback. Compliant and have good ride characteristics even on the poor road surfaces often encountered in the UK. It rains a good deal in the UK and wet grip is fine. As for the construction of the tire it is manufactured with modern compounds and construction so in that respect it is a modern tire.

[72t4tom]

my 72 came from the factory with XWX