Category Archives: All Neutral Tyres Stuff

All Neutral Tyres Stuff

All Neutral Tyres Stuff

An old customer recently came into our tyre depot in Halifax, Yorkshire, UK. Fred as we will call him. Bought a second hand car from a lady whos husband had recently passed away. The car had been stood in a garage for a few years. Consequently, the car was in good condition. The mileage was 47000 and the car was a Vauxhall Vectra.
The vectra was in immaculate condition. However, Fred only wanted the tyres checking. The car had two makes of tyres fitted. Accordingly, two were Michelin zx and the other two were both BF Goodrich. The tyres had tell tale “cracking”. Hence, on the bead and shoulder area of the tyres. Cracking is a tell tale sign of aging tyres?

All Neutral Tyres Stuff, All Michelin Tyres Stuff

Self-Seal System: Michelin and Continental

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Self-Seal System

Self-Seal System
Self-Seal System

Self-Seal System

Michelin will be rolling out its puncture-resistant Self-seal tyres around the world starting 2015.

Source: www.tyreblog.co.uk

It is not just the inconvenience of having a puncture

but the dangerous situation you can find yourself in when running over a screw at, say, 70mph?

The Michelin self-seal will repair itself instantly and get you out of trouble. It cannot, however, help you if you have a sidewall problem, In that scenario, the tyre will deflate like any other tyre would, but it is a step in the right direction but not as safe as a run-flat tyre.

Continental tyres and Michelin tyres launch

a new type of self-seal tyre
Both these giant tyre companies have come up with a similar type of product that will give the motorist some kind of protection against their tyre deflating when the tyre picks up a screw or nail in the tread area of the tyre.
Both companies use a type of soft compound that is located inside the tyre below the tread area and resembles a thick layer tar? The tar-looking substance is very sticky and, as I have said, covers the inside of the tread area and stretches from shoulder to shoulder.

The compound protects against penetrating nails

Including other Sharpe objects that are up to 5 mm in diameter, but only in the tread area. When a nail goes into the tyre, it seals instantly, eliminating the need to stop and change the wheel or even have a tyre repair done at all.

This will be bad news to the larger tyre repair companies, such as Rema Tip-Top, who have spent years developing different tyre repair materials that we use for repairing punctures with.

Even when there is just a hole in the tread, say if a nail goes in and comes back, the repair material will still seal the hole almost instantaneously, the tyre will not require another repair and can be used without requiring a roadside spare wheel change.


self-sealing tyre reduces the risk of a flat tyre. Self-Seal System


These tyres do have their limitations and drivers are still advised to check their tyres at regular intervals for cuts, lumps and bumps. Remember, the tyre seal does not protect you against any sidewall problems, but only the tread area. They are also not run-flat tyre and must not be run on if the tyre loses any pressure at all.

Michelin tyre self-seal system is pretty much the same.

The special compound sits inside the tread of the tyre and seals nails and screws that penetrate the tread area. The hole is sealed instantly by the sealing compound,. Consequently, the tyre is deemed to be repaired, and as long as no pressure is lost, the tyre can continue running as a normal tyre.
Michelin say that the self-seal tyres will be used this year (2015) on some VW models and that there is no reason why the system cannot be used on any of its tyre range without any compromise to tyres performance abilities.
It is important, though, to remember that self-seal tyres are not the same as run-flat tyres .

I’ll say it again: if they experience any pressure, have them checked out by a professional. Self-Seal System


In my opinion for what its worth, I think it only confuses things from a practical point of view? When we have to repair a self-seal tyre, we have to buff of the area where the repair is required (a very messy job) before carrying out the repair.

Once the tyre is repaired, it can be no longer be classified as a self-seal. In fact, we have come to the conclusion that, like the run-flat tyres, the self-seal is not worth repairing and we offer the customer a new replacement tyre.

All-season tyres
All Neutral Tyres Stuff

Keep Winter Tyres On

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Keep Winter Tyres On

Keep Winter Tyres On
Keep Winter Tyres On

Keep Winter Tyres On

Keep Winter Tyres

Keep Winter Tyres On

Why Some Motorists Keep Their Winter Tyres On All Year
Hello, everyone! Have you ever wondered if you should just leave your winter tyres on all year instead of replacing them? For some drivers around the world, this is not only a lazy alternative, but also a safer one. Let’s look at why this might be the case, with a bit of international flair and, of course, a nod to how we do things in the UK.

Global Perspective: All-Season Safety


In many places, particularly those with variable weather patterns (and I’m not just talking about the great British weather!), having winter tyres on all year can be a safer choice. For example, temperatures in portions of Canada and the northern United States can vary dramatically throughout the year. Winter tyres, with their deeper tread and specific rubber formulations, offer superior grip and stability in cold weather.

Similarly, in mountainous places such as Switzerland or Norway, where snow might fall at any time of year, it is typical to see cars equipped with winter tyres. The logic is straightforward: it is better to be prepared than caught off guard.

Why use winter tyres year-round? Keep Winter Tyres On


Winter tyres are intended to perform better in cold, icy, and snowy weather. They have a softer rubber compound and deeper tread patterns than regular tyres, resulting in increased traction. When the temperature dips below 7°C, which happens frequently even during a British spring, these tyres can significantly improve handling and braking.

But here’s a twist: while winter tyres excel in cold weather, they also offer some advantages when the temperature rises. Their deeper grooves aid in water dispersion, lowering the chance of aquaplaning during unexpected spring downpours or the infamous British summer rains.

The Local Spin: UK Drivers Take Note!


While we may not have the harsh circumstances of the Alps or the frigid cold of the Canadian tundra, our weather in the United Kingdom is everything but predictable. This presents an interesting subject for discussion: could keeping winter tyres on all year be helpful to us as well?

For places of the UK that have more cold mornings or are prone to damp conditions (looking at you, Lake District and portions of Scotland!), the safety benefits of winter tyres may outweigh the inconvenience of changing them twice a year. Furthermore, it’s not just ice and snow; these tyres can provide improved grip and shorter stopping distances in any low-temperature circumstances, which are typical throughout the year.

Considerations and Conclusions


Of course, there are certain drawbacks. Winter tyres wear down faster on hot, dry roads and are louder. They may also marginally boost your fuel consumption due to their higher rolling resistance. So it’s all about weighing the benefits and drawbacks based on your specific climate and driving habits.

Whether you opt to leave your winter tyres on all year or make the seasonal changeover, it’s critical to stay informed and make the decision that best protects your safety – and the safety of others on the road.

So, the next time you’re thinking about tyre strategy, keep the big picture in mind as well as the specific situations you’ll be dealing with. Safety is vital, and sometimes the uncommon option may be the best bet. Drive safely, everyone, and keep those rubber sides down!

This is not a weather warning for the UK?

Although it is expected to turn much colder in the third week of April,. Unfortunately, my wife and I are going to Scotland for a short break.

It could even snow? However, it just shows that it’s not only the UK that suffers from climate change. Hot and cold weather is becoming the norm. My recommendation is to keep your winter tyres on until, say, May. Anything can happen?

Eric Roberts

TyreSafe Forges Important New Partnership with Fresh Drivers UK

Temperatures expected to drop to as low as -1 degrees Celsius, according to state weather service Meteolux.

Source: Luxemburger Wort – Don’t change your snow tyres just yet, Luxembourg …

All Neutral Tyres Stuff

Toyo Tyres launches a new R888R tyre

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toyo tyres
Toyo directional tyre

Toyo Tyres Launch a new R888R tyre

For those who have been following my blogs and articles over the years. Then they will know that I have always been a keen follower of the Toyo tyres products. Over the years I have sold thousands of Toyo tyres . Indeed we used to buy the tyres in containers, direct from Japan.


I have always tried to maintain a good relationship with a mid-range tyre company . Of course, that will give us some promotional backing as well as having a good quality product to sell us. At the moment and for the foreseeable future, Yokohama tyres are fitting the criteria that I am always looking for.
Brand consistency has always been my goal, as it is important to sell a good tyre product that the customers can rely on both in quality and supply. It is no good, if your customer has to buy a different brand of tyre every time he or she needs a replacement tyre.

Toyo tyres filled this requirement

toyo tyres

At different times in my long career in tyres, Toyo tyres have filled this spot. Part of the mix of a good supplier is the price of the products and also the stability of the price. It is no good if the price fluctuates every time you need new stock and also the popular sizes should have special offers attached on a permanent basis.

This factor also gives you customer loyalty because they know that when they come back to you, the price will be the same or very close to their last purchase.
If I did have any criticism about certain tyre suppliers, it would be that they change tyre designs too much, with claims that their new tyre will give them “X” better miles or they will be able to corner faster. Michelin and Continental tyres are the worst culprits of this, in my opinion, but as a mid-range tyre manufacturer.

I would say that Toyo tyres have also been guilty of this.

As a tyre retailer we try to offer our customers continuity and value, but this becomes difficult when they are always changing tread designs claims that this new tyre is better than their old tyre.

toyoy tyres
Toyo Proxes

It can make you feel daft when every time a guy buys a new tyre, you have to sell him the latest tyre that superseded the last one he bought. One of my main grumbles was when Toyo tyres introduce a directional tyre and ran besides a normal tread pattern.

This was also done by other tyre companies along with the introduction of the asymmetric tread design, which meant that the tyre could only be fitted to one corner with the tread facing a certain way, which were marked “inside” and “outside”.
This mixture of tread designs and specific tyres for specific cars started to put me off a little, because I did not think that it was what my customers here in Halifax UK, wanted.

Like many of the mid-range tyre companies, Toyo tyres had ambitions to join the top elite tyre companies, by way of supplying the car manufacturers with the Toyo tyres product.
One of the car makers that they were successful with was Audi. Some of the Audi models were coming out on Toyo tyres as original equipment. This also meant that when the tyre needed replacing, then there would be a chance that the driver would replace the tyres with Toyo again and would give them a better market share.

This new drive led Toyota to develop a tyre for Audi.

Even though it was legal to drive on regular roads with these tyres, aspiring car racing stars used them in numerous club championships. This new tyre has also been recognised by the French car maker Renault, when Renault Sport fitted the tyre as original equipment on the new Megane R26R model.
The new tyre will be produced in 32 different sizes in the beginning. The new Proxes R888R will give the driver a fast warm-up time with increased dry grip and sustained performance over multiple laps and heat cycles.

A rayon “super-high” turn-up ply on some sizes, together with steel side plies, gives the new Proxes R888R a more accurate steering response and driver feedback, increasing the driver’s control and therefore optimising lap times.

All-season tyres
General tyres Stuff

235/70×16-General Grabber AT

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235/70×16-General Grabber AT

235/70×16-General Grabber AT

235/70x16-General Grabber AT

235/70×16-General Grabber AT

General Grabber AT wins second consecutive local 4×4 tyre test General Grabber dominates Drive Out / WegRy all-terrain tyre evaluation Top scorer in off-ro

235/70×16- General Grabber AT wins 4×4 Tyre Test

Source: 3d-car-shows.com

General Grabbers are a winner

Here, in Halifax, UK, we are lucky enough to be living in a very hilly area. We are at the foot of the Pennine Mountain range that straggles through the centre of the UK.

We are also a farming area and the towns and cities soon turn into a rural setting, full of sheep farms in the upper regions.
I am explaining this because these guys are the main ones that buy and indeed need 4×4 vehicles to get them around, especially in winter.

We are in a good central area to be able to sell tyres to these farmers (and repair millions of punctures?).
The farmers of Yorkshire are well known for not parting with their money, so we have to offer them value for money, as the y always want “something for nothing”.

but these were in the early days of cross-ply tyres, sizes like 600×16 and 750×16 on the long wheel base of Land Rovers.
As the years rolled on, the 4×4 vehicles became fitted with radial tyre sizes, and many new makes of tyres were introduced into the country. Some came from America, where the 4×4 market was huge. Even the normal guy on the street would own a pick-up truck.

235/70×16: General Grabber AT wins 4×4 Tyre Test

In the beginning, the tyres were imported. Hence, by the bigger tyre companies. Such as Goodyear and some of their subsidiaries . Including Kelly tyres. As a result , they were famous in the States for some of their wide and large 4×4 tyres.

Thus. it became a big thing to see how large a tyre you could fit on your 4×4 truck. Smaller companies started to import tyres into the UK . Hence, for the 4×4 market,. Including Cooper tyres, BF Goodrich, and 235/70×16-General Grabber AT.

These tyres had a huge following in the USA.

Consequently, they were well advertised in the 4×4 magazines. That were being sold here in the UK. This also corresponded with the increase in the popularity of 4×4 trucks. Thus, those are now appearing here in the UK.

Many farmer’s sons were responsible for their initial popularity. Who were going off the traditional Land Rovers. So then  onto the American-style pickup trucks. At the time, Nissan and Mitsubishi were importing them.
The tyre that was racing ahead in popularity became the BF Goodrich (BFG), which was an on/off road tyre. This means that the tyre was comfortable to drive on a normal tarmac road but equally good when driven off-road in the fields and in mud and snow. BFG were the one to beat, but in my opinion, they became too expensive.

general grabber
General Grabber AT2 4x4x tyre

People started to try other cheap tyre products in the 4×4 tyre range and this is where the General Grabber came into its own. 235/70×16-General Grabber AT, was originally an American tyre, but as a result of the tyre takeover war, Continental Tyres purchased it to add it to their line of 4×4 tyres.

235/70×16: General Grabber AT wins 4×4 Tyre Test

This is what gave the General Grabber more recognition and it was not long before tyre retailers such as us were selling these tyres to the 4×4 market.
The General Grabber began to outsell the BFG tyres with their AT (all-traction) range of on- and off-road tyres.

The other good advantage they had was that they were also priced in a lower price bracket, which suited the farmers and builders that were the main users of these types of vehicles.

The General Grabber still remains very popular today, with updated versions of the tread patterns.
Pellon Tyre and Auto-Centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

All Neutral Tyres Stuff

Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4

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Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4

Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4 Championship Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4 Championship Pirelli tyres

Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4

Pirelli tyres

Tyres, like anything else, come with a price. Yokohama were undercut in the pricing game. Therefore, the tyre contract was awarded to Pirelli tyres.

I do not not think that this has any detriment. Hence, to the quality of Yokohama tyres. They have proved to be a great product for F4 in the past. But it was just a decision made on price.

In my opinion, for what it is worth.

I think that it is all coming together at last for the Giant Italian tyre company. This, in my eyes, includes the full spectrum of products.

Thus, from the regular car tyres that Pirelli supplies,. As a result, right up to The F1 racing tyres and all in-between.
The F1 series did not do Pirelli tyres any favours. They experimented with different treads and compounds.

Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4 Championship

As in most things, one product does not necessarily suit all. Racing teams were up in arms. Things did not go right in the tyre department. But as time went on, Pirelli  started to straighten themselves out.

I think that the race teams became more confident. After all, Pirelli  are a great company and they are no fools. Anyhow, as far as making tyres is concerned,.

The first year in 2013 saw Pirelli tyres take a few hits

As they grappled with the different tyre compounds, that brought them some bad publicity, but 2014 brought them a much quieter year and saw them regain some ground.

One of the reasons could have been something to do with the new racing rules that were introduced, taking the ball away from Pirelli  for a change.
Pirelli tyres think that the F1 tyres will be pushed harder again in 2015.

Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4 Championship Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4 Championship Pirelli tyres
Pirelli tyres. Pirelli tyres to supply BRDC F4 Championship

However, with the start of the 2015 season, Pirelli Tyres is expecting that their tyres will be once again pushed to the limits with the development of the F1 car engines.

The F1 cars are thought to be going to be pushed harder this year, which will put extra pressure on the tyres once again.
Pirelli  will keep things much the same in 2015. With the possible exception of super-soft compound tyres. 

Which will have a much broader heat range, offering the racing teams extra chances in the correct driving conditions. This tyre is going to be used on the rear of the car and will be another short development in the progression of the F1 tyre development.

Pirelli tyres also take over the supply of tyres for F4 racing

In another development,.  Pirelli  have secured the contract to supply tyres to the BDRC F4 cars for the 2015 race season. The excellent Japanese company Yokohama Tyres previously held this contract.

I have to say, though, that this is not a bad reflection on Yokohama Tyres; the deal was carried out on a purely monetary basis, with a few politics thrown in.


Pirelli are also supplying a variety of rally tyres

to various rally groups and in my opinion, they are now extending the good name that they are now receiving from tyre development in general, bringing out excellent tyre products across the entyre car marketplace.
Pellon Tyre and Auto-Centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

Source: www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk

All Neutral Tyres Stuff

Pothole Britain

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Pothole Britain

Pothole Britain
Pothole Britain

Pothole Britain

Pothole Britain: Potholes to be tackled at last?

As a keen blogger and the owner of a tyre business and garage, I am always interested in the things that affect my work and over the years one of the big things that have concerned me has been the dreaded “pot holes”.
It is perhaps one of the things that the north south divide has plagued us with. I mean it seems to me that the north has many more potholes than the south. Even going as far back as the Beetles, the now famous lines of, “four thousand holes in Blackburn Lancashire”, comes to mind.

Pothole Britain
Broken alloy wheel caused by hitting a pothole

However, I can’t help thinking that, although a negative thing,

This is always good for business, and these potholes have disabled many thousand tyres and broken just as many car suspensions and springs.
However, it appears that the problem has come home to our MP’s in London, and it has been announced that £6 billion is to be allocated to local councils to tackle the problem and try to improve our roads.

The money is to be released between 2015 and 2021. This will be additional funding and should help them carry out the work without affecting the tax payers.
For more reading, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/6-billion-funding-to-tackle-potholes-and-improve-local-roads.

Pothole Britain

In my opinion, many of the potholes that we now see in our roads . As a result, the significant amount of resurfacing is what has caused this. Hence, that has gone on over the past four winters.

Here in the Halifax area of Yorkshire. Many of the gritting trucks have a snow plough attachment. Connected to the front and i have noticed that the small wheels that help the heavy snow shifting blade are missing on some of the vehicles, which can cause the roads to tear and eventually break up, eventually turning into potholes.

Other causes are when the wet starts to freeze.

The damaged area then deteriorates more as the traffic runs over it. Causing the actual hole to appear. The tarmac surface breaks up down to the hardcore and a larger hole then starts to form.

Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

All Winter Tyres Stuff

Michelin Winter Tyres For mums

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Michelin Winter Tyres for Mums

Michelin Winter Tyres for Mums

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Michelin Winter Tyres

Source: www.attachmentmummy.com

Wow a great article to read!!!

Michelin Winter Tyres
Michelin Winter Tyres

Michelin winter tyres for moms

Why do I single out “Mums”. Well this is a great time for the tyre trade in general. Including our female customers is now very important. So, there has been no other time when females are bringing their cars in for new tyres and the car being serviced or repaired.

This trend is also reflected in female publications. Importantly, because of the good vibrations that I am picking up from female friendly magazines and online channels that cater for woman. Of course, that are educating their online readers. Especially with information safety afcts about tyre related topics.

Mumsnet is a great example


Naturally, this is the one I have recently picked up on. Momsnet, a company, has published it and posted it online at attachmentmummy.com.
This organisation interviewed female readers and contributors! hence regarding about their knowledge of winter tyres and tyre matters in general.

I think this is very important, so have published the questions and answers. Hence, on my blog. Of course, in the same graphic style. In general, the answers were what we could expect.

But I was impressed with the number of women.

Who were knowledgeable about tyres. In particular, winter tyres. In fact, 62% of the women interviewed said that they would consider buying winter tyres for their cars.

So, I find this very important when considering the dreadful winter that we are now experiencing in the winter of 2020/2021. This figure falls in line with the big picture .

Of the increase in winter tyre sales in the UK. Over the past five or six years, most tyre manufacturers have taking the winter tyre market very seriously. Especially now here in the UK.

A string of unfavourable winter weather from 2010 has also contributed to this. In fact, I am writing this post.

So, the forecast is for bad weather conditions for the next two weeks and we have had 5 inch of snow today alone, on October 14, 2021. Of course, this will strengthen the demand for winter tyre products.

Michelin winter tyres are a favourite amongst the big car owners, such as MW a and Mercedes, with the rest of the market being shared by the other companies. Falken tyres manufactures winter tyre products, Including the well-known,

Mom buying winter tyres is not a new thing

The trend of women becoming more advanced, especially in the knowledge of their cars! This is nothing new to me. I have been writing about the advancement of female drivers for a few years now. No longer is the car the domain of the man?

You only have to look in your own family circle to realise the number of female drivers and car owners that there are. One of the first things a young woman will do when she leaves school or college is to pass her driving test and buy her first car.

michelin winter
Ladies are now very compitent when t comes to buying tyres

When I was young, the girls were not interested in cars and preferred to leave the driving to the boy’s. How things have changed! Now the situation has equalised. With young women, they are just as likely to buy a car as a young male! So, how has the tide changed?
Due to intensive marketing,

The large tyre companies have noticed this change in female driving.

Of course, with their ads now targeting female drivers. Such as this joint article, backed by Michelin. In fact, I’m certain that a mix of male and female employees will run the tyre industry as a whole.

Naturally, as females get more and more interested in working in the car industry .
Many tyre companies now employ female staff. Including the fact that one of my depot managers is a woman and does an excellent job. So, at least 50% of our customers are female.

We have the added benefit of Debby being able to communicate with our increasing mix of customers.
Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles.

All Winter Tyres Stuff

Dunlop Winter Tyres

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Dunlop Winter Tyres

Dunlop Winter Tyres

Dunlop Winter Tyres
Dunlop Winter Tyres

A leading manufacturer of passenger, sport, performance, truck and SUV tyres.

Source: www.dunlop.eu

Dunlop are not at the forefront of winter tyres development.

The product is probably as good as any other tyre manufacturer’s winter tyres, but they are not very well published, at least not in the Yorkshire area of the UK.

I will, however, do my next winter tyre article about the Dunlop winter tyre product because it is something that I have sold all my life.

Dunlop winter tyres

I think that it must be a nationwide thing. Now that drivers in the UK are switching to safer tyres in the winter,. It has taken a few years to sink in. But all the hard work that the tyre industry has put into the cause is now paying off, and as a result, Britain’s roads will be a safer place to drive on this winter.
The other countries in the EU have been way ahead of us in the past. Even passing national laws to make drivers fit winter tyres. The Germans were the ones who started this movement, which quickly spread to other European nations.

Dunlop Winter Tyres
Dunlop Winter Tyres
Now that the islands that make up the UK have a maritime climate,

 But I am convinced that the weather is now going through a colder stage, making our winters more unpredictable.
We can have cold and snowy weather at any time between November and the following March, so it is best to be well prepared and make sure that your car is also well prepared by fitting winter tyres.

Dunlop Winter Tyres: catching up with winter tyre development

As regular readers of my blogs will know,.  I used to work for Dunlop many years ago. Thus, I have a soft spot for the one-time giant tyre company. Dunlop rally tyres were once one of the favourites. The tyres were fitted on rallies all over the country.

Dunlop Winter Tyres
Dunlop Winter Tyres
The winter tyre market has helped the development,

from the trials and tribulations of rallying to learning many things, such as tread design, along the way.
In my opinion, Michelin and the other top tyre manufacturers advanced in the winter tyre market, while Dunlop Tyres appeared to lag behind, producing a large number of excellent winter tyre products.

All Winter Tyres Stuff

Continental Tyres Dandelions: 2024

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Continental Tyres Dandelions

Continental Tyres Dandelions

Continental Tyres: We made first Winter tyres using Dandelion

Believe it or not, my other interest in life other than being a garage owner has been my love of nature and keeping different animals as pets. One of my favourite pets to keep in the beginning was rabbits and guinea pigs.

These animals have always been a good type of animal . Continental Tyres Dandelions

to keep when starting out looking after pets. Some people think it is cruel to keep animals in small living quarters, but I am convinced that it set me on the road to becoming a sensible, caring person in later life and, as a businessman, passing good attributes onto my staff, to help create a good working environment.

Continental Tyres Dandelions
Continental Tyres Dandelions

To get back to the point, I used to walk a couple of miles each morning to collect greens to feed my animals with. One of their favourite greens was the humble dandelion.

The thing that many people will notice . Continental Tyres Dandelions

The thing about the dandelion is that when you pick them, they leech out a sticky white substance. I used to wonder if this liquid could ever have a beneficial use, in medicine or industry.
When I grew up and went into the tyre industry, I always wondered about the similarity between dandelion juice and the latex that was drawn from trees to manufacture rubber. It was also similar to a product that was used to self-seal tyres if they had a small puncture with, a white, sticky latex type substance.

Continental Tyres-Have made first Winter tyres-using Dandelion

I could not believe that now, in my later years. Continental Tyres has worked together with an organisation known as the “Fraunhofer Institute.”. To actually develop this by-product of nature. Latex from the dandelion plant.

As a result, into making tyres. Continental Tyres Dandelions

Thus  the very thing that has kept me and my family in a living all these years. The molecular structure of the humble dandelion is very similar to the latex. Which is grown for the tyre and rubber industry. Naturally, in vast forests in warmer parts of the world.

Continental Tyres Dandelions
Continental Tyres Dandelions

The plants that have been used are a variety of dandelion from Russia. Hence, it can be grown anywhere in the temperate regions of Europe.

They have been grown in vast quantities all around the Continental factories. Throughout continental Europe.

This is a great environmental achievement. Continental Tyres Dandelions

So and earlier this year (2014). Then the German tyre company was awarded an environmental and economic prize . Known as the “Green Tec Award” in the automobile category. Something that Continental Tyres is truly proud of.

Continental Tyres-Have made first Winter tyres-using Dandelion

The humble dandelion was always seen as a weed. hence, to many gardeners . But in recent times, it has been recognised as one of the earliest wild plants to flower. Providing nectar and pollen for early bees and butterflies.

It is now also used in flower schemes because of its early flowering. Besides, it was once hacked down as a weed. So it is now left in situ to flower. Therefore, this is a new development from Continental. I will put the dandelion up there with all the other important finds. In the search for a greener planet,. Continental tyres are to start building tyres using the dandelion latex

The research has been going on for a number of years now. Continental Tyres Dandelions

armed with a large acreage of Russian dandelion plants. Grown around the tyre factory. They decided to use the new product, now known as “Taraxagum,” in the manufacture of some experimental tyres.

continental tyres
The new material will be called “Taraxagum”

The tyres that are used are winter tyres because they already contain a large amount of natural rubber.

The winter tyre natural rubber has been completely replaced by the new marketing name teraxagum, and will be extensively tested this winter near Hanover in Germany and also in Sweden, where the temperature gets very low.

Continental Tyres-Have made first Winter tyres using Dandelion

Dr. Andreas Topp, Head of Material and Process Development, says… “The development process of Taraxagum has been very promising so far and we are continuing the industrialization together with our partners. We are very confident.

Our current research results will be confirmed. Especially, through the tyre tests. So that they will meet the performance targets,”
In my opinion, Continental tyres have struck gold. Hence, with this new product,. It will also save billions of euros in transport costs. 

Because the dandelions will be able to grow here in Europe .

Close to the tyre manufacturing plants. The new tyres will undergo many trials. Before they were released for sale. A time period of ten years has been mentioned.
Pellon Tyre and Auto-Centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles. We are members of Unipart Car Care Centres and give a nationwide guarantee for all our work and parts. We also sell ContinentalTyres online from our website

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Old Tyres Look Like New

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Old Tyres Look Like New

Old Tyres Look Like New
Old Tyres Look Like New

Cutting corners is a way of life for many shady elements in the car community. For them, if it looks the part, it’s ready to sell off to an unsuspecting victim customer.

Old Tyres Look Like New

Wow ! I have never seen this before in all my years as a tyre dealer. As a result, I am completely shocked at what I see. For this reason, it just goes to show what type of people. Are running these part worn tyre companies.

Re-cut Car Tyres-is it common practice in some countries? Old Tyres Look Like New

I was truly shocked and amazed at the same time. Hence, when I first saw the video,. At first, I was outraged at what was going on.So was the writer of the original article. But after a while, I cannot help feeling that this practice does actually go on in other countries around the world.

 As long as we stick to the rules and regulations. Hence, those are set out for us to follow. But the practice of cutting car tyres. Indeed, has up until now been unheard of. That is, unless somebody can point out where this is a legal thing to do?

  Old Tyres Look Like New-Cases are now cropping up about how many illegal tyres have been repaired

I am sure that many of you are tyre professionals out there. I have come across some pretty bad examples. Consequently, there are things that are related to part worn tyres.

There seems to be little care or thought given the safety. Or the law where the part worn market is concerned.
Only last Saturday we have customer call in. So I bought two part-worn tyres and fitted about two weeks ago.

 Only to find that they had completely fitted the wrong size. They were not even a legal match? they were far too small for the car?

When asked why he had permitted this

The customer claimed that the other person had assured him that it was perfectly acceptable. He also claimed that the other person’s attitude when he questioned him about the incorrect size had made him feel a little threatened.
The worst ones are the subpar repairs that these people have made; this sort of thing is just the tip of the iceberg.

We have seen some horrific cases where the tyre has only lasted a few days before blowing out or, in some cases, these tyres never keep their pressure and the customer brings them into us for sorting out.

Old Tyres Look New

They must know that they are breaking the law when they sell these things to the public, so do you have to be a special type of person to sell them in the first place?

Looking at the state of some of the premises, it is a wonder that people go there in the first place, but as I say, people can and must be desperate to keep their cars on the road, and this includes buying worn tyres.

I only hope that these do not make their way to our shores

But nothing surprises me as to what lengths these people will go to to make money. As I have said on many occasions, I see nothing wrong with selling part-worn tyres as long as they are processed and sold within the law of our land.
Please take a look at this video and let me know what you think??

This post was first published on Pellonautocentre blog…http://www.pellonautocentre.com/blog/?p=33398