Michelin Defenders for 15" w126 wheels or anything else?

[1783pictures]

Michelin are always said to be the best, but as we all know, tire choices at 15" continue to decline.

For a stock 15 inch w126 SEC wheel I see Michelin currently offers the Defender. 205/65R15.

Would you suggest that is the best choice? Prices are not all that different for other tires, but i want a damn good tire on my car for good handling.

No snow for me. 95% dry roads in North Carolina. On long trips I expect to hit rain. Sh*t happen.

 

[gsxr]

It appears Defender is the only tire Michelin offers in that size. The Defender has top ratings on Tire Rack (link below).

Note that although the AVID is currently ranked/rated higher, it only has 0.3M reported miles, while the Michelin has 2.2M. That means the Defender is likely a better tire overall, as the AVID rating/rank will drop as more reviews/miles are reported. Tire ratings/rankings are always higher when newer and decline over time as people drive them to the wearbars, and report more realistic real-world results. (Edit - this doesn't mean the AVID is not a good tire, just that the ratings will be more accurate as reported miles increase.)

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=ST&width=205%2F&ratio=65&diameter=15&tireSearch=true&filter=y

 

[ace10]

Coker has some pretty sweet BFG wide whites in that size

BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial | 2 Inch Whitewall | 205/65R15

BF Goodrich Silvertown Radial 2 Inch Whitewall 205/65R15Coker Tire Company offers classic style and modern performance with BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial whitewall tires. These tires are perfect for classic car restorations, thanks to a tall sidewall and a stylish, all season tread design...

www.cokertire.com

 

[luckymike]

Coker has some pretty sweet BFG wide whites in that size

BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial | 2 Inch Whitewall | 205/65R15

BF Goodrich Silvertown Radial 2 Inch Whitewall 205/65R15Coker Tire Company offers classic style and modern performance with BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial whitewall tires. These tires are perfect for classic car restorations, thanks to a tall sidewall and a stylish, all season tread design...

www.cokertire.com

View attachment 135018

Hahaha! Yeah, let's throw those in the mix.

 

[liviu165]

I have Avid Ascend on some of my daily drivers in my family. I found it to be an excellent tire, comparable with Defender but at a lower price. However, for W126 I chose Avid Ascend GT for both cars because of the weight of the car.

At any rate, if the price is right, the Defender would be an excellent choice.

 

[744Brillantsilber]

Iirc the 560 got wider tires in 225/60r15, at least in Europe. The wheel was the same as on the other Gen2 cars. Maybe an option for you, to make it at least a bit less "boring".
Those Defenders are expensive, at least here in Germany. If you don't drive in winter, you don't need all season tires in my opinion and may safe a few dollars there while gaining a little bit safety and performance.
I just hope it works out this time and wish you best luck!!

 

[captruff]

I use the Michelin Defender tire for my 1984 190E 185/65/14 It is a very nice tire and the grip is better than I expected.


Jeff

 

[1783pictures]

Coker has some pretty sweet BFG wide whites in that size

BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial | 2 Inch Whitewall | 205/65R15

BF Goodrich Silvertown Radial 2 Inch Whitewall 205/65R15Coker Tire Company offers classic style and modern performance with BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial whitewall tires. These tires are perfect for classic car restorations, thanks to a tall sidewall and a stylish, all season tread design...

www.cokertire.com

View attachment 135018

That's... interesting.

The local place has offered me the Michelin's at $119 a tire so I am going with it. That's damn good.

 

[Sam SL]

That's... interesting.

The local place has offered me the Michelin's at $119 a tire so I am going with it. That's damn good.

That is a good price for the Michelins. Different car and load rating but I have Defenders on my 300D since 2018 and I'm happy with them. At the time the 195/70 x 14 (91T) tires were $60 each, pretty much a no brainer.

 

[1783pictures]

$60!!! My goodness.

 

[56Ford]

FWIW I have used Michelin's whenever possible and installed as set of Defenders on my '91 SEC about four months ago. Compared to the Michelin's that were replaced (which were a 2010/11 or so vintage with low mileage but do not recall the name) the Defenders seemed to be a bit louder and harsh in comparison and must be a harder brew of rubber. The other tire that I briefly considered from recommendations was the Bridgestone Turanza Quiettrack but stayed with the brand of habit. Not disappointed, but the Defender is likely not the quietest and smoothest of the choices available if that is important to you and subjectively based on my hands, butt and ear sensors. YMMV

 

[skikrazey]

I highly recommend the Vredestein Sportrac 5, it is a V rated tire. Have used Vredestein tires for years with great success.

 

[PV560SEC]

I am using the Yoko Ascend GT and so far am very happy with them. Pretty grippy and very quiet.

 

[1783pictures]

I have the Michelin tires mounted. So far they are fine, but I have a lot more driving to do to judge.

 

[ace10]

I recently purchased a car that has new Michelin Defenders in 205/65-15.

They're basically white bread. Nothing remarkable. No obvious flaws. A bit squirmy and imprecise, but that's to be expected in a narrow, tall tire on a large sedan.

If found myself shopping for tires in that size today, I'd probably give consideration to the offerings from Nokian.