Thanks for all the feedback. Note the below is about Safari R15 Tyres
Bought Michellin LTX AT 235/75/R15 - Price Rs. 5500X4 including - Balancing & Alignment, (old tyre exchange - cancelled out the weights cost). They also give a United Colours of Benetton gift that comprised a wrist watch, leather key chain, car holder, wallet.
Had made up my mind to check out the Yoko Geolander ATS. - Went to the shop where i had got the Yoko S-Drive on ny Laura fitted less than a year back - They guy had stopped selling Yoko. Went to the other yoko guy who had be the second option last time round and had lost on price - and that guy too had stopped selling yoko. The guys mumbled something about support. Anyways both these guys had Bridgestone Duellers as an option but not in stock. (They had tyres with tubes as the option.)
Phoned another contact again no Yoko. Then one of the shops I visited (who has the authorized dealer ship for both Bridgestone and Michellin informed me that there was a delivery issue in MRF factory over the last 6 months and hence the OEM vendors had shifted to all the other brands and there was a shortfall of material in the market. He check for Bridgestone duellers (my previous tyres) and informed me that they would take 10 days while michellins LTS AT2 could be arranged by next day.
In the meanwhile the MRF Wanderer AT pricing too was Rs. 5600 (highest quoted compared to all the other international brand tyres.). They had 2 cheaper options in MRF from 4600 onwards but that did not impress in looks and plus MRF does not use silicon in the manufacturing process.
I was in a hurry so checked the website for LTS AT2 (the dealer had mentioned AT2 inplace of AT) and was impressed by the looks specs etc. They tyres had the Brand mentioned in white on the side wall etc. But the web stated the only size as R16.
On landing up at the dealer found the tyres were AT not AT2 - AT2 is not available for R15 and the side walls are quite plain. The Brigestones look nicer, the unavalable yokos have good looking side walls but in profile they look much thiner than the rest and hence don't appear muscular for SUV.
So finally went for the michellins. One of my requirements was softer ride on the roads, and the michellins take care of this with the soft side wall. The ride is much more soft compared to the Bridgestone duellers.
I think these will be the last tyres on my OLD man and should take it close to 200,000 kms retirement, dont think I will hold on to the 9 year old guy beyond the 10th year so this should do just fine.
Once again thanks for all the support. The final choise was made by other factors like availablity and wish to change from the current bridgestones.
Bought the tyres at BEST Tyres on Palm Beach Road - Vashi - New Bombay. |