Tire recommendation for 96 coupe
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Oct 2019
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Tire recommendation for 96 coupe
I’ve got a 96 Coupe with a set of stock Michelin tires. I want to purchase an new set but having difficulty finding replacement Michelin tires for a 17” rim. Does anyone have a recommendation on a tire manufacture or where I should shop? I’m only able to find Continental and Nitto tires and really didn’t want to settle for anything else than a Michelin but willing to buy something comparable. Any suggestions/input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chris
Racer
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 271
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If u want to stick with the 285 those are the only two I have been able to find. If you switch the rear to a 275 you might find a couple more. These size just aren't popular anymore, today when they go that wide they tend to go 19,20 inch wheel.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 1,925
Likes: 610
From: Orange, CA
What Afton said. Unfortunately as of 2020, your options are much greater if you, for instance, swap to C5 wheels and go with 275 max width tires. Quite a few of those available.
But 285 and 315? Nitto, Toyo, Mickey Thompson, that’s it.
But 285 and 315? Nitto, Toyo, Mickey Thompson, that’s it.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Continental makes an awful good quality tire....I wouldnt put 19s on. They are heavier and with rubber band tires will ride like a chuckwagon....one pothole youre done too. lol
Mickey Thompson makes a neat sport comp tire fwiw (not their drag radial).
Mickey Thompson makes a neat sport comp tire fwiw (not their drag radial).
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 185
Likes: 50
From: New Jersey
I’ve got a 96 Coupe with a set of stock Michelin tires. I want to purchase an new set but having difficulty finding replacement Michelin tires for a 17” rim. Does anyone have a recommendation on a tire manufacture or where I should shop? I’m only able to find Continental and Nitto tires and really didn’t want to settle for anything else than a Michelin but willing to buy something comparable. Any suggestions/input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chris
I will be due for tires on my ‘95 in about a year and have already done some research on tires. It seems to me, like everyone has said, that there is a slim selection on tires. Thus, the only stock set up tires that could fit the 255 front and 285 back have been Continentals as far as I could see. Here is a link to them: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...e&autoModClar=
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 185
Likes: 50
From: New Jersey
I’ve got a 96 Coupe with a set of stock Michelin tires. I want to purchase an new set but having difficulty finding replacement Michelin tires for a 17” rim. Does anyone have a recommendation on a tire manufacture or where I should shop? I’m only able to find Continental and Nitto tires and really didn’t want to settle for anything else than a Michelin but willing to buy something comparable. Any suggestions/input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chris
After re-reading your original question I found that my first answer was not much help to you considering you already found continentals that fit. Let me know if you find any other brands that can fit stock late C4 set up.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: St. Charles MO
You get a lot more choices if you switch to 245/45/17 front and 275/40/17 rear, but unfortunately you don't get a choice of Michelins (they don't seem to make a single model of tire that comes in both those sizes). The Continental ExtremeContact Sports are on par with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 for "max performance summer" tires, both in terms of quality and performance. If you don't need to run them in below-freezing temps, they are a great option.
If you wanted to run all 275/40/17, you could buy another two 17x9.5 sawblade wheels (your stock fronts are 17x8.5, I presume) and run Michelin PS2s or PS4 All Seasons. Those wheels should be cheap and plentiful.
Aside from looks (the C4 is a small car and looks a little odd with big wheel diameters), there aren't good tire size choices in a 19" tire for a C4. You could certainly get a set of 18x9. or 18x10 tires with around 50-56mm offset and then go with 275/35/18 tires. That would give you two really good "max performance summer" and two really good "ultra high performance all season" Michelins to choose from.
If you wanted to run all 275/40/17, you could buy another two 17x9.5 sawblade wheels (your stock fronts are 17x8.5, I presume) and run Michelin PS2s or PS4 All Seasons. Those wheels should be cheap and plentiful.
Aside from looks (the C4 is a small car and looks a little odd with big wheel diameters), there aren't good tire size choices in a 19" tire for a C4. You could certainly get a set of 18x9. or 18x10 tires with around 50-56mm offset and then go with 275/35/18 tires. That would give you two really good "max performance summer" and two really good "ultra high performance all season" Michelins to choose from.
Last edited by MatthewMiller; Nov 27, 2020 at 11:25 AM.