Rolls Royce "specific" tyres unavailable. Ideas?

[Furbo]

I need a set of tyres for a Ghost. They are a 104Y run flat. Rolls Royce says they have run out of them and they are a RR specific tyre.

Speaking to a trusted local tyre centre, they say they can find no reference to a RR specific tyre. But there is a Goodyear dual-fitment listed at the princely sum of £600 per tyre...which are unavailable.

They say they can instead get: Continental Eco Contact 6 108Y Extra Load. But they are not run flat.

So, it seems to me that I've got the option of buying non RF tyres or not driving the car.

It's no big deal carrying a small electric pump and a cord repair kit, I suppose. Furthermore we are in the AA. But could there be any insurance issues?

Thoughts or other solutions appreciated.

[E-bmw]

I must admit to not specifically knowing of RR specific tyres myself either.

I know of Audi/Merc/BM/Porsche and others but not RR.

https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/car-manufac...

[Furbo]

E-bmw said:

I must admit to not specifically knowing of RR specific tyres myself either.

I know of Audi/Merc/BM/Porsche and others but not RR.

https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/car-manufac...

The fact that both the Rolls Royce main dealer and the tyre place say they are unavailable leads me to believe that they are.... unavailable. So whether they are truly a manufacturer specific tyre or not is moot.

I have no option but to buy something else.

[E-bmw]

Furbo said:

E-bmw said:

I must admit to not specifically knowing of RR specific tyres myself either.

I know of Audi/Merc/BM/Porsche and others but not RR.

https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/car-manufac...

The fact that both the Rolls Royce main dealer and the tyre place say they are unavailable leads me to believe that they are.... unavailable. So whether they are truly a manufacturer specific tyre or not is moot.

I have no option but to buy something else.

I know, I was just remarking that I know of no such tyre specific type.

[Furbo]

E-bmw said:

Furbo said:

E-bmw said:

I must admit to not specifically knowing of RR specific tyres myself either.

I know of Audi/Merc/BM/Porsche and others but not RR.

https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/car-manufac...

The fact that both the Rolls Royce main dealer and the tyre place say they are unavailable leads me to believe that they are.... unavailable. So whether they are truly a manufacturer specific tyre or not is moot.

I have no option but to buy something else.

I know, I was just remarking that I know of no such tyre specific type.

Ah got you. Sorry.

[hidetheelephants]

I can't see how insurers have any complaint as long as the tyre is rated to carry the weight and for the max speed of the vehicle, although given there is a manufacturer-specified tyre that's NLA it's arguably a modification so informing them of it is necessary.

[Furbo]

hidetheelephants said:

I can't see how insurers have any complaint as long as the tyre is rated to carry the weight and for the max speed of the vehicle, although given there is a manufacturer-specified tyre that's NLA it's arguably a modification so informing them of it is necessary.

I called them. They said "fine". I have asked for them to email me saying "fine".

[E-bmw]

Furbo said:

E-bmw said:

Furbo said:

E-bmw said:

I must admit to not specifically knowing of RR specific tyres myself either.

I know of Audi/Merc/BM/Porsche and others but not RR.

https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/car-manufac...

The fact that both the Rolls Royce main dealer and the tyre place say they are unavailable leads me to believe that they are.... unavailable. So whether they are truly a manufacturer specific tyre or not is moot.

I have no option but to buy something else.

I know, I was just remarking that I know of no such tyre specific type.

Ah got you. Sorry.

No worries.

[stevieturbo]

Furbo said:

I called them. They said "fine". I have asked for them to email me saying "fine".

Given most people buy a new car, with OE quality brand name tyres, then later in life choose to fit the cheapest chinese rubbish they can find and insurance doesn't seem to care....I don't see how it would matter here, when tyres are simply not available in the type you would like.

[Furbo]

stevieturbo said:

Given most people buy a new car, with OE quality brand name tyres, then later in life choose to fit the cheapest chinese rubbish they can find and insurance doesn't seem to care....I don't see how it would matter here, when tyres are simply not available in the type you would like.

It's not that. It's that there are tyres specified for the car and I cannot get them. I am not aware that our other cars have a tyre specification. But, to be honest, I haven't actually checked.

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

Furbo said:

It's not that. It's that there are tyres specified for the car and I cannot get them. I am not aware that our other cars have a tyre specification. But, to be honest, I haven't actually checked.

So let's just unpack ‘specific tyre’

Essentially it is a tyre that RR engineering have tested to meet specific requirements- such as NVH or speed. Once a tyre has been approved then the tyre manufacturer can add a RR marking to the tyre to make it official. However there is no other actual difference in the tyre.

It’s a bit of a marketing scam really, forces you to pay top dollar for an approved tyre, where as the same tyre without the RR marking will do exactly the same job.

If you are desperate then get a premium male tyre that matches the dimensions of the RR market tyre. It will be absolutely fine especially as a spare. But you might want to get an axle set at least.

There is no insurance implication however there could be an environmental implication in terms of noise or fuel efficiency by not using a the correct tyre. However this is a dealer and OEM issue not a customer issue. You can run woosung ling longs if you want.

[Sheepshanks]

It generally seems to be a nonsense - Michelin told me there's no difference on Mercedes MO tyres vs non-MO and, if you think about it, they (and most of the other car manufacturers) use the same mark on every tyre and that tyre could be used on a very wide range of Mercedes models and ages. A current MO tyre won't havebeen tested on every (or even any) version of a 10yr old model I owned one MB from new and that didn't come with MO marked tyres.

The only manufacturer I'm aware of that does differentiate between versions of tyres is Porsche, with N1, N2 etc.

[Furbo]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

If you are desperate then get a premium male tyre that matches the dimensions of the RR market tyre.

I would also consider female tyres obviously, because they will be equally capable.

But seriously, I take your point. The GY tyres are however quite specific it seems and there is NOT an alternative for a set of four. The only tyres that will fit are non run-flats that will require a puncture solution, e.g. foam or cord repairer and pump.

[paul_c123]

If there is a tyre of same or higher specification, in important areas, it would be okay to fit that tyre. For example, it would need to be same/higher load and speed rating. It is arguable whether it would need to be the same size (respecting that you may need all 4 tyres changed etc). It is also arguable that a runflat must be replaced with a runflat. It obviously has implications for what happens if you get a flat tyre, eg most cars with runflat carry neither a spare wheel nor a tyre repair kit (I know they're almost useless in 99% of situations, but...)

So its definitely worth having that assurance from the insurers to replace a runflat with non.

Agree that any reasonably equivalent premium tyre would be a fair replacement for a specific manufacturer-recommended fitment tyre, given all else equal.

[stevieturbo]

Furbo said:

It's not that. It's that there are tyres specified for the car and I cannot get them. I am not aware that our other cars have a tyre specification. But, to be honest, I haven't actually checked.

All cars have a factory tyre spec, usually on the sticker on the door slam.

[Furbo]

stevieturbo said:

Furbo said:

It's not that. It's that there are tyres specified for the car and I cannot get them. I am not aware that our other cars have a tyre specification. But, to be honest, I haven't actually checked.

All cars have a factory tyre spec, usually on the sticker on the door slam.

Does it specify the make and model of tyre? I have only noticed tyre sizes and pressures.

[E-bmw]

Furbo said:

stevieturbo said:

Furbo said:

It's not that. It's that there are tyres specified for the car and I cannot get them. I am not aware that our other cars have a tyre specification. But, to be honest, I haven't actually checked.

All cars have a factory tyre spec, usually on the sticker on the door slam.

Does it specify the make and model of tyre? I have only noticed tyre sizes and pressures.

Personally, I have never seen it do so.

[Buzz84]

Furbo said:

I need a set of tyres for a Ghost. They are a 104Y run flat. Rolls Royce says they have run out of them and they are a RR specific tyre.

Speaking to a trusted local tyre centre, they say they can find no reference to a RR specific tyre. But there is a Goodyear dual-fitment listed at the princely sum of £600 per tyre...which are unavailable.

They say they can instead get: Continental Eco Contact 6 108Y Extra Load. But they are not run flat.

So, it seems to me that I've got the option of buying non RF tyres or not driving the car.

It's no big deal carrying a small electric pump and a cord repair kit, I suppose. Furthermore we are in the AA. But could there be any insurance issues?

Thoughts or other solutions appreciated.

Ref breakdown services.

I once had a BMW X5 which had been fitted with non run flats vs the standard run flats.

I hit a pot hole and popped one, tried to pump it up and air pissed out of a gash in the sidewall so I had to call the RAC

When the patrol arrived we were talking and he said that officially my car should be classed as "modified" due to the non standard tyres and that they are supposed to refuse service under cover and charge for the recovery.

He said in his case it didn't bother him and he arranged a flat bed to get me home at no cost, but did say another more jobsworth patrol could have gone down that route.

He also told me that all vehicles leave the factory with some form of ability to continue in the case of tyre issues (run flat/foam/spare - my pump on its own didn't count) that means that in most cases vehicles have the ability to continue on and its stipulated in the T&C that these should be in place.

[Funky Squirrel]

Furbo said:

I would also consider female tyres obviously, because they will be equally capable.

They perform even better when wet!

[Furbo]

Funky Squirrel said:

Furbo said:

I would also consider female tyres obviously, because they will be equally capable.

They perform even better when wet!

Stop it now.