[DeTomaso] GT5S TYRES WANTED

[Peter Havlik]

Charles:

I recall the problems you had with the old Pirelli P7s. I'm hoping that the PZeros will have a longer tread life. I've put about 4,000 km on mine so far, and they show no signs of wear yet.

The fact that Pirellis are harder to source in Europe is surprising. When I was searching for my tires, one of the North American dealers I talked to said that the 345-35/15s were supplied to them only occasionally because Pirelli never sent a dedicated shipment; they only just stuffed the odd ones in a container to fill leftover empty space. I took that to mean there must be a stockpile in Europe from which they take them.

By the way, prices in Canada have been skyrocketing. I have a friend who deals in Pirellis, and he told me his cost would be $1,100 wholesale per tire.

- Peter


On 2011-08-15, at 3:21 AM, CharlesMcCall wrote:

> Hi Peter
> 
> Hope all is well! For whatever reason, despite the fact that Pirellis are
> made in Europe, they are easier to find in the US. Perhaps simply because
> the commercial infrastructure is better developed in the US, with places
> such as the Tire Rack that allow you to search for tires. 
> 
> The Yokohamas I have all came from the Tire Rack USA, and I had them shipped
> to me in Spain for example. 
> 
> I like the looks and performance of the Pirellis, although the Yokohamas
> last significantly longer in my experience. In 2002, I famously wore my
> Pirelli P7s down to the cord while being 1400km from home. I couldn't find
> any rear tires from any maker, so I rented a car and drove teh 1400
> kilometers home, threw two tires in the trunk, drove 1400 kilometers back to
> my car, had the tires installed, and drove home once again. 
> 
> I went through a set of Pirellis basically every year for the first few
> years I had the 5-S, while the Yokos I subsequently purchased have lasted
> several years each. I don't think that my driving style has changed much.
> I'm not sure that "life" is the leading factor in selecting high performance
> tires for a high performance car, but I thought I'd contribute my half cent
> for the day...
> 
> Too bad, because I liek the tread pattern of the Pirellis better..
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
> Behalf Of Peter Havlik
> Sent: domingo, 14 de agosto de 2011 23:45
> To: Colin.Bradshaw2 at BTInternet.com
> Cc: detomaso at realbig.com
> Subject: [DeTomaso] GT5S TYRES WANTED
> 
> Colin:
> 
> The only places I know of to get the front tires are through Kjell Jansson
> of the Swedish De Tomaso Club and, sometimes, Roland Jaeckel. 
> 
> Contact me directly if you want Kjell's coordinates.
> 
> As for the rears, they are still active products with Pirelli in their PZero
> Asimmetrico series. I just bought some from the tire rack in the US and had
> them shipped here to Canada a few months ago. They should be easier to find
> in Europe, I expect, because that is where they are made.
> 
> I would not worry about mixing tire brands front to rear. When I first put
> the Pirellis on the back, I noticed a distinct improvement in handling over
> the Yokos.
> 
> - Peter
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