328 tyres

They already make them in a P Zero. I have a set on my car.

 

If you guys could just get Goodyear to remake their OEM 328 tyre... now that would really be something!!

 

Goodyear. NCTs or Eagle VRs, depending on market.

The VRs were very good tires, at that time.
(The P6s on my '80s Alfa GTV-6 tended to hydroplane on springtime flooded MA roads. The VRs worked much better.)

Tires have improved, since the '80s.

On the 328, I replaced my Bridgestone S03s with RE-11s, a while back.

There isn't just "one ring to rule them all".
It'll depend on what kind of driving you do.
I put the RE-11 auto-X tires on my 328 for driving around town, since they don't need to warm up much.
Now that I live around faster roads, I'll have to do the research when it comes time to replace the RE-11s.
But I've had good experience with Bridgestone.

 

RE11's are good but supply has become very unreliable.

 

With the tires available today I can think of no reason to go back to OE. The Eagle was a good but just a good tire by the standards of the day. Today we have far better for far less.

 

Agreed, but it would be nice to have the choice to fit a brand new set of fresh Goodyear Eagles or NCT's to feel what the cars were like when they were new in the day (and for Concorso events - even though I know points aren't deducted for not having the original brand of tyre fitted).

 

I remember vividly what they were like and I have no desire to go back. The NCT was terrible and the Eagle was pretty good until it had some miles on it and they turned into tractor tires. The tread lugs were so poorly supported they wore at angles and sounded and felt like a cross ribbed tractor tire. No thanks.

 

It would be great to have longer production cycles. It's now the annoying second time I have to replace all four tyres, while the front ones are still 2/3 of tread, but the rear ones are no more available (Pirelli P Zero Nero). Happened to me already with my Michelin Pilot Sport 1st generation.
I'm tired of repeatedly watching, that the more common 225/50-16 are the first which disappear from supply.

BTW Brian. I agree with the Eagles and 'tractor feel'. These were my first two sets and back then I thought it's normal with the 308's suspension

Best Regards
Martin

 

I replaced a set of Re11's because of age. I liked the tires but couldn't get them for some time. Went with what I could get, the Pirellis and like them a lot so far. They have the advantage of softer rubber and a lower tread wear rating so maybe next time I won't be throwing away tires with a lot of rubber on them.

 

Don't throw away. The last pair of front Michelin Pilot Sport with 2/3 of tread I sold to Sweden via ebay for € 150.00

Best from Germany
Martin

 

I bought the RE-11s for city driving.
Now that I live where the roads are 70 mph (45 in town), I'm not as worried about the tires going cold at traffic lights.
Bridgestone seems to consider the RE-71 a replacement for the RE-11, but they're not as well rated.

The VRs worked well on my Alfa GTV-6 from '86 until I had to replace it in '89, because there was nobody left who knew how to service the car.

Although they were pretty hopeless in winter.
The GTV-6, like the earlier Alfetta GT, had a 50/50 weight distribution, so I didn't even have snow tires for it, in MA. (Couldn't afford spare rims.)
The VRs worked as rudders in deep snow, but if you stopped on hard-pack, you'd never get going again.

But winter isn't an issue on the 328.
Again, the weight distro isn't bad, and the steel is galvanized.
But the ground clearance isn't the best for snow, and windows on SUVs are higher than the top of the 328 -- other vehicles can't see me, even without snow on their windows. (Not that we get much snow around here.)

 

Except, as already said, the last french-delivered 328s, from march 1988 to the end (september 1989), which were fitted OEM with the Michelin MXX (not TRX, but MXX). Granted, that's about 200 cars at the most. My April 1989 GTB still had hers at the rear when I bought the car in September 2008. The original MXX had a very different thread pattern than the later variants of the tyre such as the MXX3.
Rgds

 

Confused.

As far as I can see they are still making 225x50x16 & 205x55x16 W rated P7 Cincuratos. I've had them on my car for the last 4 years & they are more than good enough....

 

FWIW, I too have Bridgestone RE-11's on my 328 GTB and I really like them. Not sure about how fast they wear, I only have a few thousand miles on them. But as far as feel and performance, they feel really good. Smooth, progressive, no surprises.

-F

 

In Europe the standard tyre on the 328 was the Goodyear Eagle VR, but the Pirelli P7 was an option. It is mentioned in my owners manual... They had the thread patern of the tyres from Longstone. The new P7's are different tyres, not sporty, just for normal use. Pirelli have the PZero for the sportscar market. However I also think that the modern 'moderate' P7 outperforms the old 'sporty' P7's and Goodyear Eagles...
I have the PZero System on my car (front direzionale, rear assimetrico). They were specifically designed for the Porsche Boxster (N coding), so they should also work well on a 328, and they do.
And.... they were the standard tyre on the F40, yeah...

http://tirereviewsandmore.com/pirelli-p-zero-system-reviews/

 

Hello,

I had the RE11s on a 911 they where great, they changed the car in a good way.

I need tires for my 1988 328S, a well respected independent Ferrari Tech (IFS) recommended Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2. Has anyone had experience with these...

Thanks,
Jay

 

Yes, I have a set of Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2s on my 328 GTS since 2012. Although rated as a "summer" tyre, I'm happy with them, and the thread pattern don't look out of place on a "classic" car.
Rgds

 

Unless there is a personal wish to have a specific brand because that brand was on the car when new, any current tire in correct speed range/size will be superior to what was originally on the car. And the tire's ability will be beyond the car's ability to use them.

When the time comes (actually based on age, a change is overdue - I installed new Goodyear VRs in 2008) I'll go to Tire Rack and pick a Z-rated tire from some company I've heard of. There are companies listed that I haven't so I'd stick with one of the usual suspects - Bridgestone, BFG, Goodyear, Pirelli, etc. I suppose I'd pick Pirelli's if I wanted an Italian name on my tires though that would be the only thing "Italian" about them.

I don't have any tire brand loyalty at all, having had good luck with just about anything over the years BUT I do admit to not liking Continental. I had two different Contis develop a bulge in the sidewall which has soured me on the brand.

 

here in Italy a P7 is always a plus to have: I have the new today P7 (V speed rating, a touring tyre that outperforms the old P7 supersport) on the 208 and 308. On the 328 maybe is better to have the W or Z or Y speed code, even if here you can have the V speed rating tyres on the 328 too.

Which speed rating the new P7 will have? Will they do the 225/55-16 too?

Thank you very much

ciao

 

Truth.

I've heard good things about Dunlop winter tires, but I haven't tried them.

I've had two different sets of Contis, over the years, without serious problems.
One set, on the Alfa Spider, ran okay, but after 10 years in storage, aged out and had to be replaced. Finding 185/70-14s for the Alfa limited my options.

When a DC pothole destroyed one of my Nokian WRs on the EVO 8, I found I could get four Conti all seasons for what two Nokians would cost.
But I was a bit disappointed with their snow traction.

I've had my best luck with Bridgestones, over the years.
I currently have Bridgestones on all three of my cars.

Although it seems Bridgestone's new web site is pretty useless.

 

the rule is always just one: a brand new tire is much better than any 20 (or 30, or 40...) years old tire, even the cheapest Chinese one.

ciao

 

As far as speed rating, because "V" rating is up to 149MPH, a "Z" would be correct for the car since it is capable of speeds in excess of 149MPH. It's important to be aware that the speed the car is capable of is the determining factor for the tire, NOT the maximum speed YOU expect to drive the car.

I have several friends who have never gone faster than 70MPH by there own admission but putting an "L" rated tire on a 3x8 would send a really bad message to a potential buyer.

 

Yes, I know, of course: I have a Z speed index on the cars that can exceed the V speed limit. In any case, the V speed limit is still what reported in the Italian DOT papers, so, if you want, here it's legal to drive with the V speed rating. Could you drive in the USA with a V raded tire? Just to know, of course.


ciao