Why dont...

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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...Big car makers like Ford/Vag etc make they're own tyres?

Ford have been making cars for over one hundred years, haven't they once in that time considered it as a cost cutting exercise/something to do? It would have to be cheaper for them, they'd surely make more money from servicing when 'Our own brand of tyre is recommended as the replacement'

There is a lot of science and research into making tyres (obviously) but surely much less than designing a whole new car/engine, so they must have the skills there if they want to!

Any thoughts into this?

/edit, apologies this being another post about tyres, it has nothing to do with all the winter threads that are around at the moment I assure you :)
 
ok, So the comments are:
-not worthy
-risky
-components not made by ford


I'd still go with the original question?
Not worthy of development costs, what over the last 100 years how many cars have ford sold? Not worth them looking into how to build a tyre? New business field, cars needing tyres isn't really what I'd say a risk? And yes, componenents not being built by the manufacturer, why not? They're not massively specialist, each car tyre takes around 30 seconds to produce, you buy the machine, keep pouring in rubber and it's all good!

I'd say 99% of motorists if offered a Ford tyre for there Focus or a Kumho wouldn't be put of with the ford branding, and would choose on spec/price as normal anyway
 
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You have to ask the same question to why Dell get Foxconn to make most of their cases and motherboards and use hardware from other manufacturers.

Good comparison, but computer hardware changes every 6 months, I can see the problems with changing machines and tooling and design as well as crashes in the market, tyres although improving technology wise all the time are quite the staple.

I think the reason as well pointed out by amigafan is that they are just sold first time round at cost, hard to beat that! Not money in general as other posters but supplied at cost. Didn't think of that :)
 
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