Original Equipment Tyres vs. Replacement Tyres
Today, PitStopArabia is back with another blog post on tyres. The motivation for it comes from a customer’s question. The precise question was, ‘Are original equipment tires always the best choice for my vehicle?’. It got us thinking that most people have inadequate knowledge about tyres.
We do not blame them, nor do we expect them to have expert knowledge in them. However, we have to help car owners know as much as possible about their vehicle and its various components. So, today's blog post will answer the customer’s question. But first, we need to talk about something else.
What are Original Equipment (OE) Tires?
If you have been buying tires from PitStopArabia, you will notice that a lot of our products have this term mentioned in their description. What does it mean? The simplest definition is that these are the tires that are fitted on a vehicle when it is rolled out from the assembly line, i.e. the factory. The car manufacturer works closely with tire companies to develop tyres that enhance the vehicle’s performance and safety features.
For example, suppose that Apple creates a luxury vehicle. It would prefer tires that are super quiet, eco-friendly, and safe. So, it might engage with a tire company to specially design tires for the iCar. There can be various OE tires for your vehicle. Usually, OE tires vary from region to region. There are also instances where certain cars have tires specifically made for them.
Are OE Tyres Always the Best Choice?
It is a tricky question to answer. Why? There are so many factors involved that answering the question with a yes or no is outright impossible. In most cases, the carmaker selects an OE tire after conducting numerous tests. They ensure that the tire is the right fit. Does it mean that the OE tire is the best choice, and you should always buy them when replacing your old tires? No. Why?
There is a possibility of a strong business relationship between the vehicle and tire manufacturers. They might select the tire as an OE because of their relationship alone. They might forecast that the tire or vehicle is expected to generate these many sales. So, they might enter into a partnership where they both market each other’s products. In other words, profitability might be the sole motivating factor.
Another reason that OE tires are not always the best is the technology factor. Your car might be 4,5 years old. There is no doubt that tires would have new technology along with better performance and safety characteristics by now. In this case, a newer tire is a much better option than an OE. There is also a possibility that OE tires are more expensive than a superior non-OE tires. Usually, premium brands are a lot expensive.
Wrap Up
It concludes today's blog post. When you are about to replace your old tires, we hope that you can use the above information to make a better, informed decision. Thank You and Good Luck.