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Old 26th November 2009, 17:44   #1
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Aw shucks, Michelin prices to shoot up. And for the most unlikely reason!

I'm a fan of two tyre brands. Ones Michelin and the second Yokohama. Not only do these two make great (grippy) tyres, but they perform well under Indian conditions too.

While Yokohama has a VFM pricing, Michelin has always been at the premium end. Problem is, a source reveals that their prices are about to shoot a tad higher!! Don't take the premium positioning too seriously, Michelin. India is an incredibly price sensitive market.

To the one who shared this info : You know who you are, Thanks!

Quote:
Michelin prices going up!

I just heard from a reliable source that Michelin have increased the prices for many of their sizes.

185/70 R14
145/80 R12
175/65 R14
155/65 R13
175/70R13
195/60 R15 Primacy LC
205/65 R15 Primacy LC
195/60 R14
155/70 R13
185/65 R14
205/55 R16 Primacy LC

These are some of the sizes for which the prices are going up.

In all the other sizes, the tyre is the XM1+.

The price increase varies from 75/- for the 145/80 R12 to 400/- for the 205/65 R15 Primacy LC. 185/70 R14, one of their most popular sizes due to the popularity of the Swift/Dzire/Ritz is going up by 150/-. In most cases, the price increase is about a 100/- per tyre.

The reason given is: "In some places and for some sizes, Goodyear, Bridgestone are more expensive."

This shows that Michelin take their premium positioning too seriously. They are actually very concerned about their image and are taking a HUGE risk by doing this. They were doing extremely well in the market over the past few months because there was a price cut in these sizes. But those days are over. Now, the important thing to see is if Michelin can continue their sales surge with these prices.

So, guys who bought your tyres in the recent past, count yourselves lucky! Supposedly, this price increase is effective from December 1st.
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Old 26th November 2009, 17:58   #2
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one more reason to hate them
Not that I dont like grippy tyres, but I like my tyres rough and tough! ( and grippy along with that)

Last edited by greenhorn : 26th November 2009 at 18:00.
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Old 26th November 2009, 18:05   #3
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Its not that good a reason to increase their prices. This is a gamble.

However considering that it would set back a prospective buyer by a few hundreds it should not be that bad and especially for a car/tyre buff who believes in the quality of a Michelin.
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Old 26th November 2009, 18:08   #4
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Hope there will be a reduction in their prices after they establish their plant here.
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Old 26th November 2009, 18:15   #5
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That plant is currently slated to produce tires for commercial vehicles only. Can anyone tell me which Goodyears and Bridgestones cost MORE than Michelin?
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Old 26th November 2009, 18:17   #6
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Bridgestone, if you're listening, Increase the price of the GIII's above michelin levels. Its not like they're gonna sell anyway, and those goddamn frenchmen will price themselves out of the market, and then you can sell all the S322's you want - for XM1+ prices! *diabolical laugh*

@ nikhil - its just a prejudice I've no way of explaining. kinda the same way i feel about Honda, and probably would have felt about Alpine if I hadn't bought some of their stuff.

Last edited by greenhorn : 26th November 2009 at 18:30.
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Old 26th November 2009, 18:18   #7
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Gilead, there is no such thing. It's just that in some markets, in some sizes(mainly the lower end sizes) the Goodyears and Bridgestones are at an almost equal price.

The market price of tyres has gone up in the past few weeks/months due to lack of supply. Michelin have been more or less consistent compared to these other companies(especially Apollo, MRF and Bridgestone). So, their price has remained stable while people have jacked up the prices of some of the other tyres.

My other theory is this:

Michelin started expanding too rapidly. There have been lots of occasions when Michelin's warehouses have been empty due to the rising demand of the tyres. This has happened thanks to the huuuge supply shortage. So, I feel this is one way of stabilising the situation. Reduce the demand by a small percentage for your tyres because you are anyway unable to meet the demand. I feel this is akin to playing with fire. It could backfire badly.

@Horny --- Why you so anti-Michelin?

At the end of the day, I'm still a fan of Michelin. I think they are committing a blunder here, but I still love those tyres. When you get your hands on a brand new Michelin tyre and feel the finish, and compare it to anything from Yoko, Bridgestone, it feels fabulous. And for comfort, I'm convinced there is no one better in the Indian market today.

Last edited by Nikhilb2008 : 26th November 2009 at 18:24.
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Old 26th November 2009, 20:12   #8
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Michelin makes very good tires but hiking already premium pricing is not a good idea when it comes to volumes.

On the other side Yokohama also makes very good tires but sells it at lower prices in india thats the reason why their tires can be spotted on every other car including mine.
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Old 26th November 2009, 20:32   #9
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Thatz a marginal increase, I don't mind paying extra 100 bucks for the comfort & grip of Michelin tyres!

Last edited by finneyp : 26th November 2009 at 20:46.
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Old 26th November 2009, 20:40   #10
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Looks like Michelin is going the Honda way of milking its customers just because they can afford to spend a little extra from their pocket.
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Old 26th November 2009, 20:55   #11
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Love the ride/handling of the MXV8's I upgraded to on my car. Its been over a year now, and I am happy with how they turned out.
But, Michelin's are pretty expensive - so further price increases are not warranted IMO (though they are not large in this case).
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Old 26th November 2009, 21:35   #12
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BTW, Bridgestone prices are also going up soon. JK prices are already up.

So, Michelin's price going up may not be that stupid an idea.
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Old 26th November 2009, 21:45   #13
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150-200 per tyre may seem a marginal increase but remember we always buy 4 or 5 tyres which equates to close to a thousand bucks when changing tyres for a set of 5.

Michelin's are grippy but for our roads I find the compound a tad too soft which means lesser life and prone to cuts.
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Old 26th November 2009, 22:12   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vid6639 View Post
150-200 per tyre may seem a marginal increase but remember we always buy 4 or 5 tyres which equates to close to a thousand bucks when changing tyres for a set of 5.

Michelin's are grippy but for our roads I find the compound a tad too soft which means lesser life and prone to cuts.
Viddy, I honestly dont buy that argument.

See, it's a matter of how you treat the tyres. If you drive carefully and take care on broken and bad roads, it's ok.

If you want to drive like a maniac, then get MRFs and be happy.

Bridgestones are nothing but glorified MRFs. Only the Turanza model is decent. But it's also prone to sidewall bulges and cuts. Trust me on this. It feels harder than the Michelin and it is. But that doesnt mean you can abuse it like MRFs.

I know you have the ER60s, but knowing you, your idea of "abuse" is nothing. For you and the kind of care you shower on your car, even tyres made of glass will not get damaged.
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Old 26th November 2009, 22:23   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008 View Post
Viddy, I honestly dont buy that argument.

See, it's a matter of how you treat the tyres. If you drive carefully and take care on broken and bad roads, it's ok.

If you want to drive like a maniac, then get MRFs and be happy.

Bridgestones are nothing but glorified MRFs. Only the Turanza model is decent. But it's also prone to sidewall bulges and cuts. Trust me on this. It feels harder than the Michelin and it is. But that doesnt mean you can abuse it like MRFs.

I know you have the ER60s, but knowing you, your idea of "abuse" is nothing. For you and the kind of care you shower on your car, even tyres made of glass will not get damaged.
lol. Yeah what you say is true but I'm just saying the Michelin's and Yokos are much softer than the Bridgestones and the MRF's and Apollos.

For me not at all a problem and my next tyre upgrade will definitely be a yoko because I can't afford Michelin's now. D

I want to try the Yokos after trying the Turanza ER-60 and the XM1+ on a friend's car.
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