Harold1898

Had a puncture repaired today and the tyre dealer was saying I should not buy imported tyres although they are far cheaper. Says in Oz we have harder side walls due to the composition of the material used to make our roads versus Europe. Anyone think there is any veracity in the comment or simply a ploy to buy locally?

pcho

I have never heard that before. I didn't think we made our own tyres and don't think there is enough side wall in the c63 tyres to worry about the strength of it.

Perry

Harold1898

Perry I did not explain that part very well. He was alluding to direct imports versus wherever they get there's from. (Bob Jane)

pcho

Harold, I would doubt they would specially make tyres for Aust but who knows. Someone else might know more about it. I always go to reputable tyre store but then they could be supplying me with cheap imports at high regular prices :-)

Perry

WagsC63

Bit of a furphy. I think your dealer is feeling the pinch.
Oz spec tyres need certain codes/(DOT approval), but they all come from the same manufacturer's factory...no way a tyre company will produce a certain compound just for Australia's tiny market.

Pickles

ABSOLUTE RUBBISH.
However, of course you do have to buy a "quality" tyre.....wherever it comes from.
Cheers, Pickles.

sbce90

MANY people have bought from tirerack yet none of them have had any problems. Local places simply can't compete with overseas sellers.

Ausmbtech

Get yourself some tyres from tempe tyres or st george tyres (related). They parrallel import continentals and pirelli's. Exactly the same tyres, they are usually fresher stock then normal distributors and they are much cheaper. Only issue is they wont be warranted by local retailers......I can assure you nothing is harder than trying to get a tyre manufacture to pay a warranty claim!!!!

get you're self Pirelli Pzeros (not nero, rosso on any other pzero) or continental contact 3 or 5's. I woundn't put anything else on in the same price bracket (For all you USA members about to put in your 2cents, I'm talking Sydney prices)

Harold1898

Thanks for the advice. All the best

MB280S

Does the dealer put on new tyres when they prep the car or they use the tyres that have been fitted in the factory? Mine came with Conti Sport Contact 3 which looked exactly the same as the Conti SC 3 that I bought for my other car in Sydney.

Ausmbtech

Benz fit tyres at the factory.

There is a "Merc Spec" tyre, they are identifiable as having "MO" on the sidewall, they are commonly available. No exact details on the difference but I think they are little softer than normal.

Davo81

100% bull****, my friend.

Tirerack FTW

otakki

Definitely major BS.

sjhugh

Harold, I’d agree with the others, it’s BS.

What he should be discussing with you is the difference between good quality tyres versus cheapies.

Never skimp on tyres, its insurance for you and your family and with this much power they are a necessity not an option.

Punctures and damage is a fact of life.
If you’re worried about tyre wall strength than do as BMW does, fit runflats.
Of cause you will lose a little in comfort and they are costly and will need to be replaced like the normal ones when damaged.

.

Harold1898

i agree, i would never skimp on anything let alone tyres. I am the sort of guy that only takes his car to the MB dealer for service even though it is more expensive. thanks for the comment. Just had 2 litres of oil added after 1700 kms. Never driven it hard but that is part of an AMG so no worries. Could you imagine Julia driving a C63? so funny

DuaneC63

What he forgot to tell you is even more important. A repaired tire no longer has a speed rating. My other question is who makes tires in Australia...otherwise everything is imported.

sjhugh

The 2 litres is common especially at such low kilometres and you will need a few more top ups before it should eventually ease up. I don’t think it makes any difference if you drive it hard or not.

No, I can’t imagine Gillard driving a C63 but I can picture Craig Thompson in one gratis from the HSU.

.

JimmyR

Keep well away from St George Tyres Sydney - and by association - Tempe tyres. Bunch of crooks - sold me "short dated" tyres online then their incompetent tyre fitters butchered the rims of 2 of my alloy wheels and over-torqued all the wheel bolts to the point that 2 of them needed to be angle grinded off.

Harold1898

Mate, thanks for telling me. that is just mind boggling. Sue them for damages.

Harold1898

"now i know it looks like my signature and i was in that place at that time and yes it is my licence number on the back and yes the calls did come from my phone and my room but no i dont know how that happened because it wasnt me"
I was a lwayer and let me tell you, i wouldnt like to have to go into court with this as evidence of innocence. how could you keep a straight face whilst addessing the court with it. so funny.

MB280S

You are right! The MO is on the sidewall of my Sport Conti 3 on the new car and not on the same tyres I bought here in Australia. Thanks.

zneB-sedecreM

My question is; what is the proper way to spell the word? Is it tires or tyres?

Harold1898

Australia and english spelling is tyre

Cogs06

I was pricing new Pirelli P7s today. Cinturato P7 are the current ones. One seller said he could get the older P7s from "another supplier" and they would cost me $165.00 each. A saving of $15.00 from the opposition selling Cinturato P7 supplied by Pirelli Australia.

I was warned about parallel imports and their shortfalls including the tyre compound.

I rang Pirelli Australia and they confirmed they are the only licenced supplier in Australia and that there are different compounds so I need to be aware of that.

Yes there are different compounds for different parts of the world. A lot of it depends on the temperatures to be experienced, the road surfaces, ice, snow, prolonged use of snow chains etc. Not only because Pirelli says so but also from my past experience.

Back in the 1980's Yokahama sold a particular tyre here in Australia (I had a set) claiming that 40,000 km was the expected life. When most were getting less than 20,000 they looked into what was wrong and found that they were the northern European cold climate compound.

There is no visible way of telling what compound you have got. So saying the ones on your new European car look the same as the ones you bought in Sydney most likely is correct.

Car manufacturers fit tyres according to their sale destination.

A cold climate tyre can get sub 10,000 km in hot climates.

Think about a piece of plastic. Place it it the hot sun and then flex it. Then place it in your freezer and flex it again. The results are so very different. That is why engineers spend a lot of time researching and developing materials that often appear to be the same to the untrained consumer.

There is no such thing as blanket fold "European". The north of Europe is vastly different to the south as far as the above mentioned conditions go.

We Aussies have got to get out of our tiny little part of the world and join the whole planet.

As far as run flats go the car makers who fit them are too stingy to supply a spare wheel, even a cop out space saver with a whole lot of gobbly gook to justify.

As always, BUYER BEWARE.