[DeTomaso] GT5S TYRES WANTED

[CharlesMcCall]

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 problem was that I didn't really inspect the tires before heading
out on a 5000km road trip (literally) Spending an afternoon on a track and
my "enthusiasm" of signing my name in rubber on the last day probably didn't
help, but I think I have had 3 set of Pirellis and none of them lasted more
than a year or two. The Yokos have lasted roughly double. 

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.
***Not being able to find them may be partly due to two factors. 1) I don't
know where to look! And 2) The Internet infrastructure isn't as widely
developed in Europe as in the US. If you search in yahoo.com, you'll find
dozens of distributors. I've searched in France and Spain, and haven't found
the mega-distributors web pages like Tire Rack, etc. Roland Jaeckel, who
DOES know where to look, says that he has no problem finding 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.
^****Beg your pardon? I think your keyboard stuck. You wrote $1,100
wholesale per tire? 

(Gulp)

- 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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