[Rehaan]

I guess my Michelin info is a bit outdated :

70 profile Michelin Certis - No issues whatsoever

60 profile Michelin MXF Sports - No issues, until it got a side-wall bubble on the front tyre, which i will admit was due to a fairly HARD impact, which was my fault.

So.. haven't voted in the poll.

cya
R

[vasudeva]

I own Michelin XM1+ 175/70R13 and have had no issues for 2 years. But they have run for only 4K in that period. 1-2 bad experiences with warranties is enough for me to seriously consider excluding Michelin from my next purchase.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by adnaps

Though the handling on the JK's was a tad better...........road grip is far far better on the Michelin XM +1.

Hi Adnaps, how can handling be better on one brand, but road grip (pretty much the same thing) superior on the other?

[SS-Traveller]

Came across this thread just now, and considering the number of Michelin tyre users with issues regarding their tyres, I wanted to put in a few thoughts of my own.

1. Most tyre manufacturers (not just Michelin) regard their tyres to have been perfectly manufactured, and any fault in the same (bulges, sidewall cuts, pinched beads etc.) to have been caused by either the user or the fitter/repairer.
2. We do know that Michelins, Goodyears, Bridgestones come with a softer compound, while JKs, Ceats, MRFs come with a harder compound - the latter don't have as many sidewall-related issues, but the trade-off is in terms of reduced grip.
3. A casual chat with a friendly gentleman at the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) stall at the Auto Expo 2010 revealed that manufacturing defects are considered to exist in just about 0.01% of all tyres manufactured today. The warranty offered is to cover this 0.01%, and anything else is not considered fit for a warranty claim. The gentleman was not forthcoming about Michelin, and sidestepped a specific query by mentioning Michelin tyres are not manufactured in India. (A friend also had issues with Michelin, though I've never used them. Given the current circumstances, I won't, too soon.)
4. In that case, one can deduce that a tyre manufacturer only settles claims related to 0.01% of all tyres it manufactures. Michelin is expected to be no different.
5. All tyres are tested on high-tech machines for manufacturing defects before being packed and sent out of the factory - if a defect can be detected on a tyre that has never run on the road/been fitted to a wheel, yes, the company will honour a warranty claim for replacement.
6. IMHO there should be some benefit of doubt given to the tyre user by the manufacturer when claims are made. Until that is the case in this country, it may be better to stick to tyre manufacturers that have the least percentage of user complaints - as of this thread, some 18% of Michelin users have issues, and I consider that an extremely large number.
7. The taxi trade in India is the most gruelling tester of all kinds of tyres. What tyres do they use? Ceat and MRF are their favourites, I think. And I don't know any taxiwallah yet, who's claimed warranty on his tyres.

Tyre specialists on the forum may disagree with the above. Your comments please.

[Jaggu]

SS i completely agree with you and a very good summary. I dont know about the inside info of % failure, nor do i claim that other manufacturers are better! But the % of vote's are high and for me its alarming!

I can understand there will be a compromise when it comes to soft rubber, for better grip and ride, still i feel the design needs to be further optimized for our indian conditions. Secondly the pricing, i think it needs some correction if they dont intend to honor the so called "warranty".

If my usage is predominantely unpredictable highway roads or if i live in B/C cities with majority bad roads, i wouldnt choose Michellin's.

ps: i still haven't voted

[greenhorn]

SS traveller, bridgestones are now more the latter category. They've picked up on what the market wants pretty well. The Bridgestone S322's can stand as much abuse, and probably last longer than even the hardest from the apollo/MRF stable

even their 'performance' tyre, the G III's are harder than the average performance tyre

[adnaps]

Originally Posted by GTO

Hi Adnaps, how can handling be better on one brand, but road grip (pretty much the same thing) superior on the other?

I felt that the soft side walls of the michelin give a slight lag when you turn the steering which was not there on the JK's. The Jk's appear to respond quickly to inputs from the steering as compared to the Michellin. Road grip was another issue altogether, Michelin is far far ahead.

[Nikhilb2008]

SS traveller, Please dont insult us TBHPians by mentioning taxi drivers as a benchmark! They dont care about ride, comfort, handling, etc.... All they care about is cost and long life.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The taxi trade in India is the most gruelling tester of all kinds of tyres. What tyres do they use? Ceat and MRF are their favourites, I think. And I don't know any taxiwallah yet, who's claimed warranty on his tyres.

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

SS traveller, Please dont insult us TBHPians by mentioning taxi drivers as a benchmark! They dont care about ride, comfort, handling, etc.... All they care about is cost and long life.

Nikhil, I think you missed the point I was trying to make. There is no attempt to compare BHPians with taxi drivers, or insult anyone. All I was trying to say is that they as a breed of car drivers don't even remotely bother to claim warranty for defects their tyres develop - when their tyres fail, they just buy new tyres and carry on. You as a tyre dealer, would be in the right position to verify that.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

when their tyres fail, they just buy new tyres and carry on.

No they don't. Taxi and truck owners are notorious for "re-treading" / repair their tyres. The number of times that the same tyre is retreaded depends on the level of stinginess of the taxi owner.

[Nikhilb2008]

SS Travellers ---- I disagree. Taxi owners are just as likely as any other car owner to claim warranty. At the end of the day, they are also humans who have spent some money on tyres and they feel that they are not to blame.

GTO -- Today, very few taxi owners retread their tyres. Of course, when it comes to the truck segment, it's a different story altogether.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

60 profile Michelin MXF Sports - No issues, until it got a side-wall bubble on the front tyre, which i will admit was due to a fairly HARD impact,

Now, the question is what if you hit the same pothole, same speed with MRFs or JKs. Would you have gotten a bubble on your tire?

I have hit potholes (craters actually) where I felt the chassis might have cracked into two...yet the tires (not Michelins) were the last thing that caused me concern.

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

SS traveller, Please dont insult us TBHPians by mentioning taxi drivers as a benchmark! They dont care about ride, comfort, handling, etc.... All they care about is cost and long life.

This thread is about durability of Michelins in Indian conditions and what better refrence can you have than tourist and taxi drivers.

Its not for no reason that they choose Logans, Innovas and Qualis as their first choice. These are some of the mose rugged and reliable vehicles out there.

[Nikhilb2008]

As an enthusiast who wants to drive fairly enthusiastically, would you buy any of these cars?

I feel that considering the durability of a Michelin/Yoko/Conti in comparison to an MRf/JK/Bridgestone quite pointless.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by GTO

No they don't. Taxi and truck owners are notorious for "re-treading" / repair their tyres....depends on the level of stinginess of the taxi owner.

@GTO: I stand partially corrected. Retreading is one of the options - the other is to shift to dirt-cheap Chinese tyres like Linglong or Infinity, which perform tremendously well. I've used Infinity tyres myself, and have been more than satisfied, despite what purists might say.

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Taxi owners are just as likely as any other car owner to claim warranty.
GTO -- Today, very few taxi owners retread their tyres. Of course, when it comes to the truck segment, it's a different story altogether.

@ Nikhil: Likely, but they don't do it in real life - you'll agree with me there... Truck tyres are a different segment altogether.
PS: How many taxi drivers' tyre warranty claims do you remember settling, as a ball park figure, in the last 5 years?

[greenhorn]

I think Mpower's point is that michelins are not unlike ferraris or any other supercar. Will not tolerate indian roads, will not tolerate indian fuel, may not tolerate indian traffic.
If you want to drive enthusiastically in India, you need a minimum amount of ruggedness, and that the same goes for tyres