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Old 18 Sep 2005, 16:44 (Ref:1410686)   #1
kartingdad
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Why are tyres so expensive?

Title says it all really.

Why are we paying £370 + Vat for a set of 13 inch tyres. I can buy a set of 18" rubber Michelin Pilots for the same money with a lot more technology built in for less.

FFord tyres have been the same for ages, hundreds of thousands made, low overheads (no need to advertise them - you have to have them!) small distributer network etc.

Why are they so much money? They tyres they use on the SCSA Nascar type cars at Rockingham are humungous in size, good for a large car at speeds of 175 MPH and cost about the same.

Avon sell less of them, so can't be production volumes, so why are we all being stitched up?
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 17:16 (Ref:1410713)   #2
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why are we all being stitched up?
Because they can stitch you up and you accept it.
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 17:17 (Ref:1410714)   #3
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Great topic - and a Great Point, well put.

If there was a choice of manufacturer or two able to provide tyres for FF1600, I bet the prices would drop dramatically. But, I guess someone somewhere in the powers that be is reaping the rewards for his hard effort to make it a 1 make formula!!!!!!

I think you know what I'm saying.....just don't want any court proceedings thrown at me.!

There was a thread some time ago about cheap tyres AVON ACB10's from South Africa but after speaking with other drivers and teams about the possibility of importing these "cheap" tyres by boat, I ran aground. No one could seem to track down the supplier or garner a confirmed actual figure for the ACB10's. If anyone knows for sure I'm sure there would be lots interested in purchasing cheaper boots.

I think the answer to your final question, why are we being stitched up, may be because our formula is a low"ish" cost motorsport formula with little or no regular TV coverage, whilst the SCSA have every round on the box. I am sure AVON will have had to strike a deal on the cost of the tyres in order to keep costs down and attract more teams in to the SCSA. In turn larger grids means more TV interest, and the circus just goes on from there.

Let's see if the TV bigwigs won't to show more FF1600 on TV after the Moose trophy is aired. The TV coverage should be good. From the heat I saw (Heat 2), the action was all through the field. Just what you don't get in F1.

I'm afraid that until someone gets hold of FF1600 (a Bernie Ecclestone type) we will always be the unsung hero of British Motorsport, that I dare say has spawned more F1 drivers than any other single seater formula. Let's face it, not many start out in Anything higher----Do they?
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 17:53 (Ref:1410743)   #4
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I thought they were hand made by Swedish virgins in Knightsbridge and left to cure in Harrods.Hence the price.....
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 21:17 (Ref:1410862)   #5
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Walshy should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
IF you look at the supposed price of them in South Africa, then you can see what bumps the price up in this country.

TAX.

Take the VAT off and carriage off and you can say £300 per set. All of a sudden, you are at £75 per tyre.

I agree though. I can get a 225 R75 16 inch tyre for my SUV for £50 including VAT and fitting.

I suppose it's down to the Monopoly thing isn't it.
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 21:23 (Ref:1410869)   #6
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Redracer77 should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I don't think the price of the tyres is an issue as such but we should limit the amount of tyres we are able to use in a season but this opens up a whole new can of worms
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 21:27 (Ref:1410872)   #7
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Walshy should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Good point Chris.

Totally agree, but that is gonna be a tough one to police.
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 21:48 (Ref:1410884)   #8
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Originally Posted by Redracer77
I don't think the price of the tyres is an issue as such but we should limit the amount of tyres we are able to use in a season but this opens up a whole new can of worms
Good idea just keep it to 12 sets per driver
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Old 18 Sep 2005, 21:56 (Ref:1410890)   #9
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blue nose should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
A set of Yokohamas for wet and dry are only 220 plus vat and last three times as long.
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 06:10 (Ref:1411057)   #10
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A set of Yokohamas for wet and dry are only 220 plus vat and last three times as long.
I guess that means they are 3 times harder too, lap times would come down.

I like Chris's idea limiting the number of sets in one season. Can I have 12 like Alan?
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 06:19 (Ref:1411059)   #11
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blue nose should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
The car they were on can lap quicker than us.

It would be worth putting a set on for Kirkistown.
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 10:05 (Ref:1411207)   #12
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Mackmot should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I went to Avon tyres for a tour of the factory and they make each one by hand and it takes 6 men about an hour and 20 mins to make each one. They recently invested millions in some new equipment to allow them to make more.
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 10:27 (Ref:1411221)   #13
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Walshy should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I take it by that, the grooves are hand cut then?
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 12:17 (Ref:1411290)   #14
Tim Draffan
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Tim Draffan should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Why couldn't we use a good road tyre, they are cheaper and would last just as long, probably better in the wet too?
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 12:19 (Ref:1411292)   #15
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Avon must ne on a contract to supply tyres to FF1600 most probably with Ford, it would be interesting to know when the contract is re-negotiated and who is involved?
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 13:07 (Ref:1411328)   #16
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Mackmot should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I cant remember how the grooves were cut, I think the crossply's were cut by a machine (basically hand cut but with something that is sharp and keeps them straight) and the radials were moulded.

There is a guy from a tyre company watching this thread who wants to stay anomynous but will answer questions about how they are made and why race tyres are expensive. HE doesnt want a load of abuse though. I think if anyone went to see how they are made you wouldnt complain at all, its just like everything else in motorsport, if you want something done well and done right you have to pay for it.

I did also notice that some of the Avon prices were a little exagerated. 1600 tyres are £350 a set, Zetec tyres are £358 per set. Then they even give some money on each tyre back to UKFF as sponsorship and give away tyres as prizes in all FF champs. They are the only tyre company interested in FF so I think they do a pretty good job. I just dug further as well and found out that SCSA tyres are £185 each!!
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 13:19 (Ref:1411338)   #17
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Walshy should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Cheers for that Mackmot.

Is there nothing that can at least be done towards an exchange for old tyres? This could be ideal for keeping costs down and in this increasingly green conscious world we live in, they could then re use them.
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 13:39 (Ref:1411353)   #18
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Redracer77 should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Tyres are good value!! I have just bought a set for £188 inc vat for this weekend!!! You see if you race in MSV and your car looks nice you get a vouchure for 2 free tyres!!! So they will deliver to Brands and fit for free as well!!!
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 13:47 (Ref:1411365)   #19
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Triple J Motorsport should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
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Tyres are good value!! I have just bought a set for £188 inc vat for this weekend!!! You see if you race in MSV and your car looks nice you get a vouchure for 2 free tyres!!! So they will deliver to Brands and fit for free as well!!!

Yes I found that too
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 13:49 (Ref:1411368)   #20
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Yes I found that too
We could be going head to head again this weekend RayFF as I have some nice additions to my graphics to try and win again!!!
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 13:56 (Ref:1411376)   #21
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We could be going head to head again this weekend RayFF as I have some nice additions to my graphics to try and win again!!!

So have I some very expensive Bold decals
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 14:03 (Ref:1411382)   #22
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as expensive as my Greenwood ones!!
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 14:09 (Ref:1411389)   #23
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blue nose should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I would like to test on a set of Yokohama A0 32-Rs to see what the lap times are like, as they are just over two hundred quid a set and are race tyres.
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 14:17 (Ref:1411394)   #24
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I would like to test on a set of Yokohama A0 32-Rs to see what the lap times are like, as they are just over two hundred quid a set and are race tyres.
Alan you need a car to test tyres
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Old 19 Sep 2005, 15:38 (Ref:1411458)   #25
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Ill keep that in mind Chris.
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