Re: [T3] bye-bye XZX (really)

["Keith Park" <topnotch@nycap.rr.com>]

<x-charset iso-8859-1>This was the story I got several years ago... XZX was excellent in its day
but is old technology now and they had a very low treadware rating.
Ive had better luck with carburators than tires... but I think Ive finally
found a set in our size (165R15) that Im happy with.  KELLEY SPRINGFEILD...
I think they were the 600T, TW was 320 if I recall right and after 15K or so
they have stayed in balance and ROUND.  And they were around $42 per tire.

Tires Ive had trouble with:
BF Goodrich... left black marks in the snow.. wore out REAL fast!
Cooper... Good longevity but they went Square on me (pun intended)
Dunlop SP4N... The WORST!  Wore out REAL fast, and were WAY out of round
(Greg, remember that rear tire of mine when I visited you?)
Firestone... we've all heard the news, and I havent used them on the VW's,
but the 13" ones on my opel not only wore out at an alarming rate but they
wouldnt hold a balance and the sidewalls were so limp that they were
literally unsafe on the highway.




Keith

Keith Park

Top Notch Restorations
topnotch@nycap.rr.com
71 Squareback (with no empty nipples!)
65 Notchback (still suckin its gas!)
65 Squareback
75 Opel
87 Golf
88 Rx7 10th Anniversary

----- Original Message -----
From: Greg Merritt <gregm@vwtype3.org>
To: <type3@vwtype3.org>
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2002 6:09 PM
Subject: [T3] bye-bye XZX (really)


>
> Well, I'm on the phone right now with Michelin Customer Service.
> Here's the story on the XZX.
>
> Discontinued 6 years ago.  Remainders were kept on the shelf for 3
> years, then pitched.
>
> The agent suggested the Agilis as a replacement, then put me on
> hold to check availability.  ("What year is your Vanagon or Eurovan?"
> heh.)
>
> O.k.; I'm off the phone.  Here's what happened...
>
> When she came back, she said that it may not fit in my wheel
> well.  "Are they 165s?" "No, they're 205s."  Whew, I'll say.  BUT!!!!
> "Coker, a maker of discontinued and antique tires, bought our XZX molds.
> You can phone then at 1-800-251-6336."  Wow!  Whou'd have guessed?
>
> O.k., I just phoned Coker.  They've got 'em -- XZX 165-15's.
> $124/ea., plus about $25ea. shipping to my California address.  Sigh.  I
> was just looking for one, but... Hrm... a set of 5, shipped, plus about
> $20ea. to balance at the local tire joint... about $850 to do a whole car!
> Yikes!
>
> So... I proclaim the era of the XZX as officially over.  What do
> folks recommend as a "second" to the XZX?
>
> -Greg
>
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