One with wheels - Tires - JonestHon

I just came across something which I wasn't aware of but perhaps the panel is, tires as an industry is a thin margins industry.

I keep receipts for all the maintenance work my cars get and noticed that in 2014 I paid on average £40 for semi descent tires, same make, size and a slightly different design of these summer tires is now £120 a corner down at the local tire shop (known chain).

This seems reasonable increase until I watched this short documentary from CNBC

youtu.be/4GACM-IZsZ4?si=yu7IHJi7U_WZdXLV

Over a 100% increase in price over a decade made me think it was a profitable business, apparently it's quiet static!

One with wheels - Tires - gordonbennet

Bought the set currently on the Landcruiser for £115 each probably 7 years ago, Yokohama GO15 all season ATs, they're currently £108 at Camskill.

I think tyre prices have dialed back a bit from the eye opening rises we saw over the last 3 years, whch makes one wonder what legislation or taxes our motorist hating govts can dream up to make tyres much more unaffordable.

One with wheels - Tires - skidpan

Had a set of 185 60 16 Uniroyal Rain Expert 3 supplied, fitted, valves and balanced by trusted local indy in October 2017 for £200 all in. They were a couple of pounds dearer than any of the on-line sellers for supply only.

Just had a browse and the Rain Expert 5 at Camskill is £50 each supplied.

So sod all difference if the local Indy is still as competitive.

Obviously prices are very different in OP's home country (as is the spelling).

Edited by skidpan on 31/03/2024 at 09:31

One with wheels - Tires - Xileno

I'm sure that's on the way GB although not sure what can be done about it.

www.imperial.ac.uk/news/243333/prioritise-tackling.../

Maybe we just have to accept human activity is bad for the environment.

One with wheels - Tires - badbusdriver

I'd be interested to learn the size and make of tyre the OP is talking about because my own experience, while not as good as GB, is that prices have not really gone up very much in the last decade and a bit.

I decide which tyre I want, buy them online (usually Ebay) and have a local garage fit and balance them. By far the majority of the tyres I've bought have all been the same size, 195/65x15 with a weight rating of 92-95. Makes involved have been Michelin, Goodyear, Nokian and Uniroyal. Last order was July '21 for Uniroyal Rain Experts, they were £210 for a set of four plus about £60 for fitting.

One with wheels - Tires - Andrew-T

... makes one wonder what legislation or taxes our motorist hating govts can dream up to make tyres much more unaffordable.

Come on, GB - the govt doesn't hate motorists, we help to top up the tax coffers. For the same reason that they don't hate smokers or drinkers. It's basic simple philosophy, you tax the activities many people choose not to do without, while claiming that it would be good for them to stop. What a shame they haven't found a viable way to tax drug addicts ....

One with wheels - Tires - Andrew-T

Are you calling from America ? We still spell them with a Y over here :-) Don't be ruled by the spell-checker !

One with wheels - Tires - skidpan

whch makes one wonder what legislation or taxes our motorist hating govts can dream up to make tyres much more unaffordable.

Are you seriously suggesting that governments will try and force cars off the road by making tyres unaffordable.

Where on the planet did you get that crazy conspiracy from.

Beggars belief.

Edited by skidpan on 31/03/2024 at 09:34

One with wheels - Tires - Steveieb

I was surprised how the performance and quality of Korean tyres like Hankook has improved and now fitted as OE to some Germany cars.

With factories in Easterrn Europe and China there is no telling where the tyres are coming from.

We had a Michelin factory in Stoke on Trent, Pirelli in Burton on Trent and Good Year in Wolverhampton at one time.

And Michelin had a graduate training scheme in the UK which produced world class engineers.

One with wheels - Tires - Xileno

I had two Laufenn (sub-brand of Hankook) tyres fitted in late 2021 for £124. A quick look on the web seems to suggest that would be the cost of just the tyres now and fitting on top. But it's difficult to tell as the local independent I use has always been very competitive on tyres and sometimes cheaper than the web.

Pleased with them so far - wearing well, no weathering and fairly quiet which is important on the MK2 Focus as it's not the most refined of cars in terms of road noise.

One with wheels - Tires - skidpan

whch makes one wonder what legislation or taxes our motorist hating govts can dream up to make tyres much more unaffordable.

Just been tapping at the Casio to show how crazy this comment is.

Using the new Yaris as an example annual costs are expected to be approximately as follows:

VED £170

Service £250

Insurance £300

Petrol (4000 miles @ 60 mpg @ £1.40/litre) £425

Total £1145

A set of OEM Bridgestones is £416 at Camskill, they should last 6 years (at least - the tyres on the 6 year old Fabia were the original Bridgestones) thus cost per year is approx £70.

Thus tyres are expected to be about 6% of our annual motoring expenditure.

And just remember other motoring costs increase annually.

Perhaps in GB's world they are planning to ban cars in the near future. Fortunately only very few live in that world. The rest of us expect to be driving electric eventually.

One with wheels - Tires - Andrew-T

<< Fortunately only very few live in that world. The rest of us expect to be driving electric eventually. >>

... which presumably will have similar needs except for the petrol, for which substitute power from the grid, or maybe solar panels ?

I am staggered at the price of the large low-profile tyres typically fitted to many SUVs and the like today. I baulk at tyres costing much over £70 each, especially when I remember that they are sc*** after only a very few percent has been 'used' !!

One with wheels - Tires - skidpan

Pleased with them so far - wearing well, no weathering and fairly quiet which is important on the MK2 Focus as it's not the most refined of cars in terms of road noise.

Our Mk 1 C-Max had the same underpinnings as the Mk 2 Focus and was probably the least refined car we have ever owned. On the OEN Conti's it was dreadful, on the replacement Pirelli's it was a tad better but when I replaced those with Khumo's it was like owning a different but better car. At the time (2010) I seem to remember the 205 55 16's were £220 for 4 fitted.

One with wheels - Tires - Terry W

I am not sure how much impact the pandemic had on tyre supply chains and the cost of materials (oil, steel, etc) - but prices over the last couple of years are probably a bit anomalous.

As a business my perception is that over the last few decades tyre technology has increased massively. Rather than replacing tyres every 8-15k, 25-35k (5+ years?) is far more common to judge from the posts

One with wheels - Tires - Andrew-T

Rather than replacing tyres every 8-15k, 25-35k (5+ years?) is far more common to judge from the posts

What ? after 8-15 K ?? Back in the day when cars were smaller and lighter it was not uncommon to get 50K from a set. Now I am more used to about 30K. I would hazard a guess that as EVs are heavier they may go through tyres pretty fast, especially if the owner indulges in the smart acceleration.

One with wheels - Tires - Chris M

Interesting that Camskill has got a few mentions upthread. Just checked the price of 2 Michelins for my Astra. ATS £193 fitted. Camskill £205 delivered.

I used to buy online but never now seem to find a price that makes it a worthwhile experience.

PS. The Camskill website is pretty low rent by today's standard.

Edited by Chris M on 31/03/2024 at 11:47

One with wheels - Tires - skidpan

Interesting that Camskill has got a few mentions upthread.

Never used Camskill, only mentioned them because GB did and I was trying to compare prices from the same site.

A few years ago Oponeo and Mytyres did great deals but since they are based in Germany/Poland I suspect they may not be as good as they were since Brexit.

One with rwheels - Tires - Chris M

My online tyre buying experience was all with Mytyres. Great until the third time I used them when the tyres went missing immediately after despatch. Mytyres customer service was dreadful and it took too long to get a refund. Shop around with the bricks and mortar establishments now.

One with wheels - Tires - corax
A few years ago Oponeo and Mytyres did great deals but since they are based in Germany/Poland I suspect they may not be as good as they were since Brexit.

I think you're right. Last time when I used Mytyres the service/prices didn't seem as good as pre Brexit. I get my tyres supplied/fitted by a local tyre shop now.

Edited by corax on 31/03/2024 at 13:32

One with wheels - Tires - Engineer Andy

What doesn't help is how tyres aren't so 'standard', size-wise (i.e. commonplace) across many makes and models of car any more.

There are so many (needless) variants and also cars that hardly can be called 'performance' equipped with large diameter wheels and wide, low profile tyres, that often ruin the ride quality and/or drastically reduce the lifespan of the tyres, wheels and suspension parts, all pushing the price to the consumer up (we never asked for either IMHO) and giving dealerships and tyre outlets far more business.

For example, the original tyres on my 2005 built Mazda3 were very common 205/55 R16, costing (for decent tyres, not including fitting) £70 each back in 2012 and £52 (with a special discount, normally £60) each for the latest set where I downsized to 195/65 R15 (the old size were around the same price as in 2012, which is good as the new tyres were even better and all-season.

Both were and still are amongst the most common tyres, fitted to many supermini and Focus sized cars across many makes built from the early 2000s to the mid 2010s, a few still are today.

Currently the same ones (latest version) of them cost £80 (though a near rival costs only £65, and they all were similarly priced back in 2018) and £92 respectively (smaller size first).

The latest version of my car equipped with a new, not-so-common 205/60 R16 tyres (a sort of half-way house between my two sizes but can't legally be fitted to mine without a speedo recalibration if that's possible) cost £122 each.

Even with the big inflationary pressures over the last 3 years, the newer size (which isn't that common over other cars/makes) is a third more expensive than my old 16in ones and 50% more than the 15in ones, and I doubt if you'd notice much (if any) difference in handling between them, the only main difference is a better ride quality on the higher profile tyres on my car because the springs and dampers are old and letting the tyres do more work helps.

The 15in ones would be best there because they have the highest sidewall of the three tyre sizes. No noticeable difference otherwise. One thing to note is how all my tyres lasted a long time (and distance) and have avoided damage from potholes, unlike many other locals with car equipped with low profile tyres.

I suspect its the tyre and car manufacturers making the big money,m less so those actually carrying out the work on our cars, as they are likely being charged high prices.

I also suspect them (and perhaps some major parts suppliers for the former) being in cahoots as explained above in order to facilitate more 'business', rather like many home electronics and white goods manufacturers are supposedly building in shorter 'planned obsolescence' periods into products in order to get more trade, whether via extortionate pricing for replacement parts (including little modularisation or compatibility/standardisation), fitting costs and thus often forcing customers to buy an entirely new product because a small repair costs a hefty percentage of the product replacement price (which isn't cheap).

Welcome to the wonderful world of corporatism / globalism.

One with wheels - Tires - Steveieb

Been impressed with Blackcircles which I use via the Boundless members website .

Excellent customer service based In Edinburgh and good prices on Bridgestone.

But I’d be interested in the Hancook alternatives mentioned by Xeleno above.

Wonder if Kuhmo have kept the same quality since they transferred some production to China . They were in Eastern Europe like Hancook