Jesus when did tires get so dang expensive

[CrashOverride]

My neighbor is a director of sales for Tires Warehouse, the place that many SoCal tire retailers buy from. This guy knows tires. He could tell me what tire my car had, by looking at the tread pattern across the street. So I'm lucky in that I get a deal on tires. Spent over $2000 on meats. But, I asked him about why they are getting so expensive. He said one word. Tariffs. Rubber comes from China now, and I think he said there is literally a tariff per tire on import. And this was before the stuff with Trump. I don't know what he marks them up at, but the deals he gets me are usually a little bit better than tire rack. Although sometimes I get a steal on tires when they clear them out. I got rear OEM tires for the Mustang for $100 each. He told me that a lot of people don't go with the OEM, so they clear them out. And yeah, I know it's not a great tire for retail cost, but it's a heck of a $100 tire if you know what I mean.

It's cool because I get all kinds of Pirelli pens, Hankook hats and so forth. He's like the automotive equivalent of Santa Claus.

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[CrashOverride]

Once you've done a burnout bad enough to where you were literally choking on your own car's tire smoke . . . there's just nothing left to prove.

And if you knew what you were doing, you could do exactly that with a 2-barrel 318 in a 3400-lb car (less than 200 net HP at the crankshaft).


Norm

High enough torque with drum brakes and a open axle? = Clorox.
Tiny, wimpy engine but determined to make a show? = Auto trans fluid.

I had the latter, but to the onlooker, the crap-shaker 80hp fwd ford I had must have had nitrous because I had solid black lines all of 155mm wide and smoke pouring out of the passenger side (only LOL) fender well!

I think 95% of my burnouts stopped once I started paying car insurance. The other 4% once I started paying a mortgage. So I do like to dust them off, what, 1 day per year?

I love the dudes dumping a clutch in 2nd or 3rd, smoking their clutch all while smiling through the windshield because of the "massive" burnout they are doing.

But, the kid in me still loves to see people doing them. So, for my entertainment, when it's safe, roast 'em for me at the next light!

 

[Grintch]

My neighbor is a director of sales for Tires Warehouse, the place that many SoCal tire retailers buy from. This guy knows tires. But, I asked him about why they are getting so expensive. He said one word. Tariffs. Rubber comes from China now, and I think he said there is literally a tariff per tire on import. And this was before the stuff with Trump.

Tire are primarily made from synthetic rubber, and IIRC South America still is the biggest source of natural rubber.

While China is a big force in the manufacturing of many things, I don't think that includes tires.

 

[Bikeman315]

Tire are primarily made from synthetic rubber, and IIRC South America still is the biggest source of natural rubber.

While China is a big force in the manufacturing of many things, I don't think that includes tires.

I wonder if there are tariffs on European or Japanese tires. Thinking the big three American companies (Goodyear, Firestone, & B.F. Goodrich) could have fought for this many years ago.

 

[shogun32]

China makes a very large quantity of tires. But you'll see them primarily in the sub-150 price point.

 

[CrashOverride]

Tire are primarily made from synthetic rubber, and IIRC South America still is the biggest source of natural rubber.

While China is a big force in the manufacturing of many things, I don't think that includes tires.

I don't know other than what he told me, but the guy really knows tires. He would tell me how much they are going up ahead of time. A lot of tire companies send him to high performance driving events to try out their tires, so he's driven some really cool cars. Every car in his household has custom wheels and really nice rubber on them.

I found this link (Didn't check the credibility though) that says that China is by far the leader in tire exports.

 

[BrianGT2015]

When I was younger I used to blow the tires off my 2005 GT every chance I got. Now I have responsibilities and bills to pay. I only can occasionally afford to do burn outs. When I hear someone say spin em I say pay me.

 

[Grintch]

I wonder if there are tariffs on European or Japanese tires. Thinking the big three American companies (Goodyear, Firestone, & B.F. Goodrich) could have fought for this many years ago.

Bridgestone owns Firestone
Michelin owns BF Goodrich
Continental owns various bits of Goodyear, but the tire company still seems to be US based/owned (and THEY own Dunlop).

 

[Dusten]

Summer tires now last forever compared to the old days.

The PS4s have a 30,000 mile wear life. That’s just incredible.

$.04 a mile.
The car chassis it self is at least $.16 a mile.

Funny when you start understanding a car cost at least $.50 a mile every mile you drive.

Mine made it 21k

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