Quote:
Originally Posted by doughboy
OK, lets say that's right. If you have all these different versions of the same tyre and size, how do you actually buy them as replacements when all you have is size xxx with BMW star?
No choice of model or year, just size and BMW star?
M2 and M2C having same size.
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BMW star doesn't mean anything(other than to note that it's an OE specific tire and that's specific to BMW).
When I was at GY we had an OE fitment book(software too) but we typically bought them from tirerack. When you enter your car make model and year you'll see the OE fitment.
Idk internally what Michelin does, but we knew based on DOT codes(which shows manufacturing plant) alongside specific sidewall markings.
It's actually quite obvious most of the time when looking at a replacement tire vs an OE tire. The tread pattern will be different in either the groove depth, sipe density and sipe depth, pitch sequence or the pitch itself.
As I said in the other thread. Michelin's goal is to get people to associate high quality/performance OE tires with their replacement business. The PSS on our M2s could very well have the same tread compound as a Cup tire, but what Michelin wants is more sales of the PSS, likely because it has a bigger tire line(way more sizes and is all season vs summer).
I worked with a guy that developed tires at Michelin, they literally do the exact same thing except it was obvious that Michelin had much better predictive analysis and a much better manufacturing process. Dear god their uniformity was spot on...Once I shred these tires I'll cut a tire section to see if it's still built on a C3M.
If anyone shreds an OE tire on an F80/82 or the OG M2, I'll buy it at $50, cut it and show you guys the differences in construction(can't do a compound test on silica/natural rubber/etc because I no longer have access to that sort of stuff)