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First, let’s not forget, price is not a sure sign of excellence in ANY product. Some expensive tyres are actually fantastic; however, there are less expensive tyres that are exceptional as well. One thing to think about is if tyres that are more expensive are superior, what is the reason for it? Nonetheless, there are […]
First, let’s not forget, price is not a sure sign of excellence in ANY product. Some expensive tyres are actually fantastic; however, there are less expensive tyres that are exceptional as well. One thing to think about is if tyres that are more expensive are superior, what is the reason for it? Nonetheless, there are numerous types of tyres for various applications.
Tyres are the single most crucial safety feature on your vehicle. They are the only object that links your car to the pavement, and life-enhancing technologies like antilock-brakes and electronic-stability control are not able to do their job if the tyres do not have a firm hold on the pavement. Still, tyres are ranked as one of the most misunderstood components of a vehicle, mostly due to the fact that there are so many varieties but people have so little knowledge about them. Many believe that “no one tyre is the best” and that’s fine. But why are they so expensive?
TYRES ARE IN DEMAND WITH SHORT SUPPLY
One obvious development concerning tyres is the short-supply in the marketplace. Tyre manufactures made sure to cut back during the heat of the recession. And now that sales have experienced a boost, inventory is in short-supply and many tyres are on back order. “It’s not a bad situation for tyre manufacturers,” stated one manufacturer. However, it would help if they could meet the demand! Researchers believe that this winter will be a challenging one as far as tyre sales go because there simply aren’t enough of them to go around. Thereby, making them more expensive to purchase.
The dismal supplies have caught manufacturers sleeping as the economy began to pick-up again. But what caused all of this to happen?
WHY TYRES ARE SO EXPENSIVE
Tyre manufacturers responded to the recession by holding off production. This included shutting down production-lines or whole factories. Then the rewriting of contracts on raw-materials took place in order to adapt to the reduced amount of tyres being built.
In 2009, the Chinese enacted a tariff that left some manufacturers an option of selling tyres at prices customer’s would avoid or delay production and move to a cheaper country. European manufacturers had to make an about-face concerning production of many tyres in order to comply with Registration-Evaluation-Authorization and Restriction-of-Chemical substances, or REACH, by producing tyres more in tune with eco-friendly regulations.
The demand for replacement tyres is gradually increasing as consumers keep their cars longer. And lastly, considering the choice of sizes and model variants, it is almost impossible for dealers to store the right tyre model in expectancy of consumer demands.
Many tyre companies have been announcing price increases together with limited-supplies on the most required models, the price increases may be here to stay, a scarcity in the tyre industry. Therefore, if you are thinking about replacement tyres, do not procrastinate until your tyres are all worn-out. If the tires have under 4/32-tread depth left, it’s time for replacements.
BUYING NEW TYRES
Buying new tyres is not one of those things that is at the top of anyone’s “to do” list. It’s time consuming, cost more than you probably want to pay, and it is worse than replacing a malfunctioning water-heater! Though you might spend too much on your water-heater, at least you will find some comfort in the warm water to relax and ease the stresses of the day. With tyres, it’s another story.
The wrong choice of replacement rubber could “drive you crazy” every day for the next few years. The wrong tyres will hammer your neck, attack you with consistent whining, cause your treasured sports car to handle like a pickup truck, or have you at your wits end when it rains. In addition, purchasing new tyres is daunting if you are not prepared. To most people all tyres seem the same.
Every manufacturer boasts about the superiority of their tyres. The price is much more than you expected to pay, and if you have a more up-to-date vehicle, it will need replacement components for its tyre pressure monitoring-system or TPMS. However, don’t fear, the process is actually not painful at all. Here are a few tips that will get you through your tyre buying experience a little less scathed.
MAKE YOUR TYRE BUYING TRIP EASIER
-If you are fine with your car’s performance, the answer is not difficult. Buy the same model of tyres you have been using. There is a logical reason for this. Tyre and car companies shell-out roughly $1-million to develop a tyre with the very characteristics that makes you favour your vehicle. The original tyres were selected to enhance your vehicle’s qualities and smooth out weak spots. If you are fine with your car, stay with the tyres that match identically to the tyres that came with it. Tell the sales person you want the “identical tyres” not something similar.
-If your problem is because your car has poor traction when it’s pouring outside, particularly in deep-water, think back to the time when your car was new. Was it fine to handle then? If so, the problem is more than likely low-thread depth, which means you only need new tyres not different ones.
-If you are not sure whether it is time to replace your tyres, there is no agreement amongst car and tyre manufacturers on a suitable lifespan for tyres. Nevertheless, be cautious with tyres that have been on a car, second-hand tyres, or tyres that have been stored in the scorching sun for more than six-years. To check a tyre’s production date, take a look at the sidewall for an alphanumeric-series that starts with “DOT.” The last-four numbers are the week and year the tyre was manufactured. For example, “1109” means that the tyre was produced in the 11th week of 2009.
-When replacing your tyres with the identical model that was on the car when you purchased it, you might be in for a bit of a shock. Original equipment-tyres can be pricey! However, car manufacturers offer each vehicle with a minimum of two-brands of tyres. A bit of Internet surfing will disclose the other brand. Remember that tyres developed for another trim level of your vehicle will probably be quite different from the ones on your model.
If your original-equipment tyres are not accessible, try some online tyre sites. The tyre manufacturer will propose some reasonable replacements. It may not be the exact same experience; however, by having new tyres you will easily overcome the disparities.
Kevin Richardson is a petrol head from Sydney, Australia.
