Tyres marked for makes of cars

[Rallyz]

Something puzzles me about the way a particular tyre can vary in price when labelled for different car manufacturers.

For example, I am looking to replace my current 19" Michelin Pilot Sport 2's (which as it happened were labelled for BMW) with Pilot Super Sports. Looking on Blackcircles I see that the BMW version is £254.90, the Mercedes version is £279.92, a no-manufacturer version is £242.59, but the Porsche version is only £232.77 (and curiously the Porsche and no-manufacturer ones are given a wet grip label of A, which is better than the B that the BMW and Mercedes versions).

What is the difference between the same make and model of tyre when nominally produced for different car manufacturers?

[geoffdunk]

Compounds - Compounds are designed with certain manufacturers, and as manufacturers we would test certain compounds both in wet and dry and hot & cold environment.

[Rallyz]

Ah, thanks for that Geoff. Looks like I'll be going with the Porsche ones then, cheaper and better wet grip Although possibly slightly worse wear if they're a little stickier?

I guess Audi never tested the Super Sports specifically which is why there doesn't appear to be an Audi variant.

[Graeme4130]

As said above, the compounds are 'tuned' by the Tyre manufacturer for the OE customer based on a number of things :
NVH
Rolling resistance
Vehicle Weight
Handling Characteristics
Cost
etc etc

Also, so manufacturers will have tyres screened and marked for Conicity

However, the difference all these things make are so marginal, that you'd barely notice it in the real world 99 times out of 100

[johnnydog]

Tyres made for the major car manufacturers and certain specific models have identifiers on the sidewall - AO - Audi (most models), RO1 - Audi Quattro RS and R models, MO - Mercedes only, MO1 for AMG models, HO - Honda, N - Porsche, Ferrarri - K, Jaguar - JO,m etc etc etc, and the list goes on.....
Whilst these have been approved for use with the relevant models, there is no real issue as far as I am aware fitting an MO tyre to an Audi etc and vice versa, although any reason for the insurance to argue against a claim in the event of an accident should, in my opinion, be avoided. Tyres are one of the first things that are checked should the vehicle be examined.

[Rallyz]

I would hope that it wouldn't be an insurance issue.
Is there an Audi variant (AO or RO1) of the Pilot Super Sports? Or would the non-manufacturer version be the one to choose "officially"?

[innercry666]

I've recently had MPSS supplied by Audi directly and they don't have the tyre homologation for Audi RS. There was no issue in them supplying and fitting the tyres and no comments on this subject either. They even recommended them!

I wouldn't expect any issues with insurance with running non-homolgated tyres particularly if they were the same in every respect except with the R01 designation.

[Rallyz]

Thanks for that reassurance.

[johnnydog]

I've just replaced all four tyres on my B8 with a set of Michelins - the only Michelin tyre currently available in an RO1 fitment is the PS2's. An excellent tyre - I had them on my B7, and I am perfectly happy with them. Noticed the difference straight away.

[Rallyz]

I had the Super Sports fitted yesterday. I'd forgotten the amount of improvement a fresh set of rubber makes. The road noise is so much quieter, the tendency to tramline has gone, and the tyre side slip when maneuvering seems to have disappeared.

Mind you, immediately after picking it up I went into a car park and there was a horrible sound like the tyre rubbing as I turned in. Checked that everything was okay and then realised it was the tread slipping with the mould release compound. It had gone by the time I'd made a couple more turns. Took it easy for the first 10 miles to get them scrubbed in a bit.