Holy Crap! Look what happened to TRX prices | FerrariChat

Holy Crap! Look what happened to TRX prices

Discussion in '365 GT4 2+2/400/412' started by dstacy, Feb 20, 2008.

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  1. dstacy

    dstacy F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 23, 2006
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    Dave
    Coker Tire released new pricing for the 400i tire 240/55VR415.
    Are you ready?

    $535 a tire!!!!!!!
    That makes a set of 4 a whopping total of $2,140. Plus shipping. Plus mount and balance.
    Almost a 30% increase in one year.
    Mama Mia!

    Thats starting to make the spare set of factory 400i 15" wheels I have a pretty good investment.
     
  2. It's Ross

    It's Ross Formula 3

    Jul 30, 2007
    2,028
    Barrington, Ill. USA
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    Ross
    This must be a fresh batch reflecting the strong Euro. I've heard stories of "new" TRXs being several years old. At least your 2Gs gets you fresh rubber.
    Has anyone ever tried remachining the TRX wheels to accept 16" rubber? Just a thought, I have no idea how metal there is to mess with.
     
  3. 007GT3

    007GT3 Rookie

    Aug 24, 2007
    39
    I understand Toyo tires is raising all of their prices by about 30% here in the US so it's probably not just the Ferrari market that will get the run around on prices. (Pun intended)
     
  4. chris marsh

    chris marsh F1 Veteran
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    Aug 30, 2005
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    Chris Marsh

    This sounds do-able but I think you'd have to go to 15" (they're 390 mm to start, right? (15.35")).

    Personally I just bought Cokers 18 months ago and paid about $1300.00USD. I also just had my rims refinished.

    One of these refinishing houses should be able to get you a price.
     
  5. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

    Mar 17, 2006
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    Seattle, WA
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    Brian White
    I never understood why Michelin or someone else would not do some smaller runs of modern performance tires but in TRX sizing. That would rock, a set of Michelin Pilot Sports but in TRX size.

    Why not? Seems like a reasonable request given the numbers of TRX-shod collector cars out there.
     
  6. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
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    The Ferrari market is too small once you account for brand preferences...

    Goodyear was kind enough to find me modern 14" rubber in the 308GTB requirement, but I doubt I could sell a container of 100 tires, if they sent them stateside....
     
  7. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
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    You might check that European manufacturer for 390mm, though...it was FULDA, in Germany.

    Nice tires, my new 14" ones are gatorback design. From the Classic section of their website.
     
  8. Pcar928fan

    Pcar928fan Formula 3

    Jan 21, 2008
    1,702
    Austin, TX
    Is there some problem with buying after market 2 or 3 piece wheels for the 400? Just wondering. They could/might update the look of the 400 and then of course tires would be easy to find. Then if/when you go to a big F-car show you can put the TRX shod stock wheels on and not have to put to many miles on them since they are so damn expensive. Obviously there is a pretty good up front investment in the wheels, but it seems to me it might pay for itself, plus there are wheels out there that are not overly expensive. HRE's cost a fortune, but Kinesis are not all that high... Tell me where/why this won't work.

    James
     
  9. aleventhal

    aleventhal Formula Junior

    Jan 11, 2005
    654
    Millbrook, NY
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    Alexander Leventhal
    I run 16" 328 wheels on my 400i - easy swap and problem solved. Do a search and you will see how i did it, but it is essentially bolt on...
     
  10. It's Ross

    It's Ross Formula 3

    Jul 30, 2007
    2,028
    Barrington, Ill. USA
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    Ross
    The 255/45 x 415mm tires are used on the 400s and Boxers, that's it. Coker has an exclusive deal with Bibendum, we Ferraristi are expected to pony up for them.
     
  11. Pcar928fan

    Pcar928fan Formula 3

    Jan 21, 2008
    1,702
    Austin, TX
    Basically it is one more TAX on the wealthy! Forget that the 400's we on this thread know and love cost less than the AVERAGE new car today! NICE of them huh?!
     
  12. infuriarsi

    infuriarsi Rookie

    Oct 9, 2007
    40
    Eugene, Oregon
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    Joseph Potter
    Keep in mind the liability associated with producing tires for high performance cars of limited numbers.

    No volume to offset the expense.
    High risk applications.
    Large capital costs for limited production.
    Americans that sue at every opportunity as we must find someone responsible other than ourselves.

    equals: ever increasing costs

    I am surprised they make them at all.

    Just bought 5 for the 308
     
  13. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    Nov 4, 2006
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    It bugs me too and remanufacturing is the number one issue confronting all classics unfortunately Michelin is a gigantic company and the market you are referring to is microscopic peanuts to them.
     
  14. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 1, 2003
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    from memory the trx is halfway between the 14" and 16" so you would have to add metal to it

    there must be a market for someone to machine the 390mm spec trx to a conventional tyre size
     
  15. SpeedTek

    SpeedTek Rookie

    Aug 1, 2007
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    Hawaii
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    Dexter
    It would require a lot of work and there is not enough meat on the rim to machine it safely. It would certainly involve some welding to correct everything.
     
  16. mini_ferrari

    mini_ferrari Formula 3

    Feb 13, 2004
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    Jerry Preisel
    Hey guys,

    I work at Coker and am the local Ferrari guy here. We are the NA distributor for their vintage line. With decline of the dollar, and the increased price of oil (production, shipping) the prices keep going up. Also they make these in very limited runs, 1-2 times a year and sometimes less than that. The smaller the runs the larger the cost. If you all have any questions just let me know. Also I give all FChat members a discount so if and when you do need them just ask for Jerry.
     
  17. Fritz Ficke

    Fritz Ficke Formula 3
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    Jan 3, 2006
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    Fritz Ficke
    Just to put things in perspective.
    Tires cost $2400.00 and last about 30,000 miles or eight years.
    The gas to go 30,000 miles @ $3.00 a gallen and getting 12 mpg is $7,500.
    With in 30,000 miles you should change the oil and filter 10 times, the car holds 17 quarts and has two oil filters so 170 quarts of oil and 20 filters, $$.
    Some important service work should also be done in that amount of miles also that should add another couple of dollars.
    If you chose to not drive your car much...
    Insurance for 8 years varies but at the leaset amount of $350 a year for 8 years is $2,800
    and oil should still be changed and things will still fail from non use.
    I do not like the price of tires for these cars but in the big picture it is not bad and I am glad to be able to still be able to get them. My two cents.
     
  18. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

    May 17, 2006
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    James K. Woods
    OK, this is on Testarossa, not 400i, but same tire price shock thing -

    I noticed that in the 415 rim size, Coker has three tires in their book: For a TR, the big rears (the 280) are $535.00 and are V rated. The size that matches my fronts are $505.00 and are Z rated; however they say the tread pattern is different. Bummer, you are limited to only 149 mph because there is no Z rear tire offered.

    I was also amused to see that they made a footnote that "these tires are made for cars manufactured before 1976".

    But, what else are you going to do? The crummy thing is that I still have plenty of tread, have only flat-spotted the fronts once briefly (and they still are in reasonable balance), but I can see cracking in the lands between the tread blocks.

    So, I guess it is time to make a call...
     
  19. It's Ross

    It's Ross Formula 3

    Jul 30, 2007
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    Ross
    The 415mm rims are 16.33" Removing only about 4mm from the lip would net the desired 16" size.
    Has anyone a loose wheel around to see if this even plausible?
     
  20. It's Ross

    It's Ross Formula 3

    Jul 30, 2007
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    Jerry,
    Do you think Bib would be interested in building a more modern tire in the TRX sizing? Not only are these bloody expensive they aren't very good.
     
  21. mini_ferrari

    mini_ferrari Formula 3

    Feb 13, 2004
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    Jerry Preisel

    I highly doubt it, just because that would mean they would have to build a new mold, but I'll send them a request. It can't hurt.
     
  22. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

    May 17, 2006
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    Jerry, am I right (looking at your catalogue that came with my Hemmings this week) - the fronts for a 415 Testarossa are Z rated with a different tread than the V rated rears? Along the same lines, what would be the chance of getting a matched set of 4 for the Testarossa?

    What I mean is, are those 2 sizes used for anything other than the metric TR, and if so or not - why the differences front to rear?
     
  23. mini_ferrari

    mini_ferrari Formula 3

    Feb 13, 2004
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    Jerry Preisel
    You are correct, the fronts are a Z rated and the rears are a V rated. As far as why they have different treads, your guess is as good as mine. I just sent our contact at Michelin an email asking him that though, so I should hear back from him next week sometime and will let you all know.

    Jerry
     
  24. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

    May 17, 2006
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    Thank you, I will be watching. I will need a set this fall; still have plenty of tread but getting a few cracks in the tread blocks.
     
  25. mini_ferrari

    mini_ferrari Formula 3

    Feb 13, 2004
    1,004
    Chattanooga, TN
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    Jerry Preisel
    Ok heard back from our buddy at Michelin. He say this tire was mainly used on the BMW 6 series, and at the time BMW and Michelin made an agreement to produce a TRX tire that had improved handling and noise performance. He said they were still producing that one instead of the standard TRX is because it is the latest evolution of the TRX concept and they though that would be the logical tire. Hope this helps.

    Jerry
     

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