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09-11-2011, 08:24 AM | #1 |
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Tyres - Goodyear EfficientGrip - Possible supply shortage in Australia
Hi All,
Last week I decided to get a quote for a new tyre just in case I needed to replace one at some stage. Basically I just wanted to find out how expensive a RunOnFlat tyre was going to be. The tyre that I was after was a Goodyear EfficientGrip 225/45R18. Not surprisingly my local tyre dealer did not stock them and when he rang his supplier he was informed that they were not listed on the supplier’s stock listing. In fact the supplier got the dealer to go and physically check my car’s tyres to ensure that I had written the code down correctly (which I had). Anyway to cut a long story short the supplier after some delay informed the dealer that there were no tyres of this specific type (i.e. brand & size) in the country and there wouldn’t be for at least six months! I found this a bit hard to believe and I am wondering if anyone else has any information on this. If it turns out that the advice is correct and there is a need to replace a tyre then to avoid the situation of having 3 tyres of one brand and a 1 tyre of another brand on the car it is going to be necessary to replace two tyres which is a rather expensive option. Incidentally I do have tyre and rim insurance so I would be curious to know if the insurance would cover the cost of two tyres because I believe that safety would be compromised by having different types of tyres/tread patterns on the same axle. Lastly the price that I was quoted was AUD$465 (or $498 for the other brand – which I forget to write down the details although it might have been for Bridgestone). Maybe I should be looking at importing some tyres whilst the Australian dollar is high in which case I wonder how long you can store tyres before the rubber starts to deteriorate (does anyone know?). |
09-11-2011, 04:17 PM | #2 |
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That's a real worry ... my X1 also has the Goodyears. I've already had a puncture which was repaired, so fortunate that the tyre didn't need to be replaced.
I note EfficientGrip 225/45R18 are available from www.tirerack.com for $227 each ... I've emailed them requesting a shipping quote. |
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09-11-2011, 09:30 PM | #5 |
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Sorry, that size was already there on my screen.
Another way is to set up with a spare and run regular tyres. I have bought one just in case, but stayed on runflats anyway. The spare takes up a hell of a lot of the rear space laid flat, but not too bad if you have it in there standing up. This needs the rear shelf clipped out though. When you look under the rear platform there's not much holding in the battery, etc. It's very tempting to try and relocate the battery under the bonnet and change the exhaust a bit maybe to give some serious space under there. It's a shame they don't design the car with the option to have a spare, even a space saver one. (Have the space there whether you use it for a spare wheel or not) It'd be ideal to have runflats AND still have a spare for back up. My spare rim with tyre came to $400 all up. Once you've got one, if you're prepared to lug it around with you it opens up a wide choice of tyres. You can get some great sports tyres for only $250 each. Much cheaper in the longer run. A lot of people (arguably) say they're more comfortable. I figure the most likely time to have a flat is you find out when you 1st go to use the car in the morning, so if you've got a spare, whip it on and you aren't going to damage the very expensive runflat from damage by driving on it (like you say sometimes 1 flat means 2 new tyres). I think the annoying part is the fact that BMW don't give you a choice on it really. And of course I now need to carry a jack, wheel brace... PS Are the 18" tyres 225 front and rear. I know some have 2 diff widths front vs rear. now that would be a pain to carry 2 spares around! |
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09-11-2011, 10:49 PM | #6 |
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The wheels I have are the same size all round, but I believe there are others that are different.
Going to non runflats with a spare is an interesting option ... certainly one worth considering when the originals are close to needing to be replaced. |
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09-12-2011, 07:06 PM | #8 |
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My car is in for tyre replacement as I write this.
Goodyear Efficient Grip Front - 225/45 R18 Rear - 255/40 R18 The car has done 43,000 kms and the rear tyres are down to within 1-1.5 mm of the minimum wear indicator. The fronts are still at about 3 mm from the wear indicator in all the radial grooves however the inside edge of both are worn down so that there is no discernible tread left. The tyres are worn at an angle on the inner edges (only). I crawled around and under quite a few X models in the service area and every one with large wheels has the same wear pattern on the front wheels. So something to check on as your tyres wear but I'm not sure there is a fix for it. I'll know more about the state of the current alignment once the new ones are fitted and aligned. These tyres cannot be rotated front to rear as they are different sizes. Perhaps side to side keeping the direction of rotation the same, which means not just swopping the wheels over but moving tyres from wheel to wheel. I've not been made aware of any shortage of these. The alternative tyre is I believe the Pirelli P7, which is approximately $70 more each. (edit was $35) My car is not primarily at the dealer for tyres (the subject of another post) but it will interesting to see whether they are available and fitted today. I have previously looked at having snow/winter tyres shipped from UK, DE, USA but in all cases the total costs were prohibitive. Last edited by yohans; 09-13-2011 at 06:20 AM.. |
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09-13-2011, 06:50 PM | #9 |
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Confirmed: Supply shortage in Australia
So I now have Pirelli P7's on my car.
Early indications are that these run significantly quieter on the surfaces I've driven on so far. |
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09-15-2011, 04:14 PM | #10 | |
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09-18-2011, 08:44 PM | #11 | |
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I just have a quick question - How much does a Pirelli P7 225/50/17 cost in Sydney? I have been quoted closed to $500 each!!!
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09-19-2011, 09:50 AM | #12 |
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I replaced my Pirelli P7 run flats with P7 NON run flats immediately on leaving the showroom. Jax at Bondi swapped 4 run flats for 5 non run flats including fitting balancing etc. They probably got a much better deal out of it but I could care less.
Completely happy with my non run flats but haven't had a flat yet. I don't bother carrying the spare around but I'd take it if I did a country trip. I figure a tow home is cheaper than buying a new run flat anyway. |
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