OE spec Tyres.

[HellDiverUK]

Even on low-end cars, OE tyres are different to the normal retail ones. On Mrs HDUK's old boggo-spec 1.4 i30, it had Hankook K415. OE factory fit tyres lasted 30k on the front, replacement K415 we put on only lasted 14K. Same size, same pressures, same driving. Totally different tyres apart from being OE and retail.

 

[Lustral]

That might explain why im still on my OE PZeros on my R , im like 20K in and it still have about 5-6mm all-round , but they are a bit slippery when pushing on in this weather, but in the drier parts of the year they seem to grip like a champ.

I only expected them to last only 15K before I needed to change them. I think I will go for some MPS4S on the change .

 

[Dandle]

OE tyres aren't generally any difference to retail tyres. All it is that they change a stamp in the mold for the different OE designation, the contract will be to supply X amount of tyres in the deal to the car manufacturer. My wife worked for Conti for a while and all the tyre manufacturers all do massive discounts to get the tyres used as original equipment. Conti used a theory that for the first three sets of tyres the car will have from new most people will stick with the original tyre fitted to keep the car original. Hence the push to get tyres onto new cars. Sometimes the deal would be that for the first X amount of time or production run they would be the only tyre used as OE. After that you can end up with the vehicle production line fitting four or five different brands to the same vehicle types all with OE stamps on them.
The manufacturers don't spend millions on tyre development and then Audi or BMW come along and require it improved again or designed differently for their cars. Take Conti seal for instance VW started fitting that to their cars because Conti developed it as an alternative to the runflat, VW didn't specify them to develop and make it for their vehicle.

Even the tyres in the opening post could simply be different because of the age of the tyres, the design and manufacture can be changed and tweaked over time.

 

[[TW]Fox]

OE tyres aren't generally any difference to retail tyres.

Yet they often have different EU tyre ratings - now whilst I appreciate these ratings are a can of worms themselves there must be something thats different otherwise why is the rating not the same?

For example, here are two Pilot Sport 4S tyres in the same size:

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m55b0s5617p157321/Michelin_Tyres_Car_Michelin_Pilot_Sport_4S_PS4S_-_225_40_R19_93Y_XL_(*)_TL_Fuel_Eff_:_E_Wet_Grip:_B_NoiseClass:_2_Noise:_71dB

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m55b0s467p148507/Michelin_Tyres_Car_Michelin_Pilot_Sport_4S_PS4S_-_225_40_R19_(93Y)_XL_TL_Fuel_Eff_:_E_Wet_Grip:_A_NoiseClass:_2_Noise:_71dB

One is BMW Star marked, the other is not. Yet the tyre rating is not the same...

The whole thing is incredibly annoying and frustrating. I'd rather just fit whatever I want to my car but I just know that if I ever have a warranty issue with a vibration or perhaps some differential issue the first thing they'll do is moan that the tyres are not star marked.... so currently I stick with the OEM approved ones.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

The tyre markings means that by defining a design tyre and hence shoulder they don’t have to offer coverage for the range of ETRTO tyre sizing and hence can control the wheel offset to optimise wheel and tyre to the bodypanels.

Gives a better flexibility to the design stance by taking away constraints of the balloon envelopes that would otherwise need to be covered by the bodyside, wings bumper and spats for the legal tyre coverage.

This is why even some performance variants of cars can look underwheeled. Audi tend to manage this well

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

The tyre markings means that by defining a design tyre and hence shoulder they don’t have to offer coverage for the range of ETRTO tyre sizing and hence can control the wheel offset to optimise wheel and tyre to the bodypanels.

Gives a better flexibility to the design stance by taking away constraints of the balloon envelopes that would otherwise need to be covered by the bodyside, wings bumper and spats for the legal tyre coverage.

This is why even some performance variants of cars can look underwheeled. Audi tend to manage this well

So fitting the wrong manufacturer tyres could in fact be worse than fitting the non OE part then, where as the OE part is probably developed for a specific model in a range then the decision can be made to extend to the range as models change, new wheel options are added etc
basically as per the site I linked and basically what my uncle told me

There are differences in tread often, whats nigh on impossible for most of us to look at is if there is any difference in construction, all we can go on is the listed number of belts etc
There is possibly also changes to formulation

 

[Dandle]

Yet they often have different EU tyre ratings - now whilst I appreciate these ratings are a can of worms themselves there must be something thats different otherwise why is the rating not the same?

I don't know the answer for sure but can only go by what we learned from her time working in the tyre industry. It could be as simple as the time between the different tyres being tested they changed something during manufacture process or changed the compound blend slightly.
I know exactly what your saying. It doesn't make sense the a tyre company would make one tyre worse than another of exactly the same size and makeup. I take the whole tyre rating with a pinch of salt, its about as useful as the old emission regs.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

So fitting the wrong manufacturer tyres could in fact be worse than fitting the non OE part then, where as the OE part is probably developed for a specific model in a range then the decision can be made to extend to the range as models change, new wheel options are added etc
basically as per the site I linked and basically what my uncle told me

There are differences in tread often, whats nigh on impossible for most of us to look at is if there is any difference in construction, all we can go on is the listed number of belts etc
There is possibly also changes to formulation

What I described is more about the form of a tyre and control of its shape rather than functional aspects of a tyre.

 

[theone8181]

Coming from a 911 myself with (albeit old tech) ps2s, Yay for lack of choice in 295/30/18 I feel a company like porsche would probably work with manufactures to make a better tyre. I believe the carerra gt had special tyres, however even a standard 911 or cayman/boxster might need especial tyres due to weight distribution (in my mind that makes sense). I always stuck with n spec and they were fantastic tyres. I reckon someone like Audi might do but not for something like a golf in a frock But I could see them doing it for the r8 for instance (possibly one of the reasons an exotic car costs more).

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

What I described is more about the form of a tyre and control of its shape rather than functional aspects of a tyre.

Thanks and yeah I know what you were getting at.
Its good to see some direct input from someone actually doing it daily.

Can you think if you have ever seen the same tyre at the same size having multiple OE versions. Other than the update versions.
Unless of course the AO1 for example is a diff target car to the AO and AO2

 

[Housey]

The 911 had specific demands due to its configuration

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Can you think if you have ever seen the same tyre at the same size having multiple OE versions. Other than the update versions.
Unless of course the AO1 for example is a diff target car to the AO and AO2

M&S / all weather or summer tyre choice is one factor.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

M&S / all weather or summer tyre choice is one factor.

Oh thats a good one as well.
So many considerations.

Still think the old addage of buy the best you can is probably the way to go.

Cheers though

 

[HellDiverUK]

For the all-season/summer/winter choices, I always ran summers and a separate set of winters. Last two years I just run Michelin CrossClimates all year and they've been brilliant. Fine in summer, fine in winter. WAY better than the old style 4-seasons like the Hankook Optimos or Vredstein Quatracs.