Tyres - GENERAL GRABBER AT2
Submitted: Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 13:40
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GU
Have ordered a new Navara ST-X to tow our 1.1t pop top around oz.
We shall be replacing the OE highway biased tyres with genuine off road rubber
and have been looking at General Grabber AT2's.
Currently have BFG A/Ts on our Patrol and these have been fantastic for our style of off road play. However, we have been told only this week by two dealers in my area (eastern suburbs Melb) that new BFG's are now made in Malaysia and don't have anywhere near the mileage that the US ones have. We were told that they would need replacing by 40,000k's. One dealer who sold Coopers even said that we should not buy Coopers (bearing in mind he actually sells them) because in his opinion they weren't worth the trouble in fitting them. He said that they were having far too many problems and wouldn't recommend them at all.
The General Grabber AT2 has the same tread pattern as the BFG A/T and we were wondering whether any readers had used or was currently using them and if so were they happy with them.
I also did a google search on the tyres, the results displaying US and UK web sites
showing the tyres (255x70R16) to be $88 in the US and 56 pounds sterling in the UK. Hate to think what I'll be paying for them over here.....mmmm....."ExplorOz
Off Road Tyres" has a nice ring to it.
The General Grabber's are rated for 50% road and 50% mud applications.
Any
feedback would be appreciated.
Cheers .. GU
Any
feedback welcome.
Reply By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 13:48
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 13:48
Sounds like the biggest bunkum I have heard in years.
40,000 k's from BFGs regardless of where they are made ... where are you planning on taking them?
Why are the Malaysian made ones any different to the US ones? They are made with the exact same moulds, most of which are made in Italy anyways.
Trouble with Coopers fitting them? Like what? At least if there are problems with Coopers you will get them replaced in my experience.
No - I've no experience with General Grabbers but I choose to use Cooper Tyres and I have had no problems with BFGs in the past.
Ciao for now
Andrew.
AnswerID:
193683
Follow Up By: GU - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 14:00
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 14:00
Time will tell whether it's bunkum or not Andrew.
Does the mould guarantee the mileage or does the rubber??? I don't know, do you?
We are taking our vehicle around and through Oz.
I actually have had Cooper's before myself and threw them away after 35000ks
because I reckon they were lethal in the wet. I also had one delaminate and the dealer couldn't have cared less. Unlike you Andrew mine weren't replaced. Nonetheless I was prepared to look at them again but as I said the dealer himself said don't bother. If you want the name of the dealer please advise your email address and I will tell you who it was. No problem.
If you have had a good run out of Coopers that that's great. If you've had a good run with BFG's as I've had that's great also.
I'm actually after anyone who can tell me about Grabbers and Andrew that is not you.
Cheers .... GU
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 16:30
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 16:30
wasn't a criticism of you GU - just your dealers.
Feel free to email me the dealer's name - andrew@vividadventures.com.au
Throwing Coopers away at 35000 ks if they were truly wrecked - just call 1300 COOPER and I'd bet you'd have some decent support, as also any tyre that delaminates.
Haven't heard of the Grabbers but my first hand experience with Cooper and BFG is different to what you've been told - makes me think there's an alterior motive in your dealer's world.
Ciao for now
Andrew.
FollowupID:
451602
Follow Up By: Shaker - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 19:43
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 19:43
QUOTE: At least if there are problems with Coopers you will get them replaced in my experience.
ha ha ha ha, AS IF! They will lie & cheat there way out of their obligations!
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 20:17
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 20:17
I guess you took them to court if they lied and cheated.
Did you win?
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 22:36
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 22:36
No ... you guessed wrong, have you any idea what it would cost to take a company like Cooper Tires to court?.
But on the other hand, if you are doubting my story, you are welcome to email me your telephone number to patrol6atnetspacedotnetdotau & I will be more than happy to explain the exact circumstances & name names of the liars.
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Sunday, Sep 10, 2006 at 00:31
Sunday, Sep 10, 2006 at 00:31
no probs ... I'll drop you an email, but you ought to find out about the small claims court.
It's not expensive. It's not difficult. Unless you were asking for $1m it should be easy to sort out your problem.
Cooper Tires is in the US - I think I'd leave them alone - that would be a big ask. Try talking to their Australian distributors - sometimes their dealers don't do them any service and I've experienced and heard lots of positive stories of people who talk with them about any problems.
Look at the way they ran the recall recently, for instance.
At the end of the day, these are all complex structures and materials, and things can go wrong, but there are a helluvalota Cooper and BFG tyres sold and no big hullabaloo.
Ciao for now
Andrew.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Exploder - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 14:39
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 14:39
Never heard of them before.
If the (255*70R16) sell for $88 in the U.S then they are a cheep tyre.
In the states avrage the price for 4WD tyres are
(price's are for a 31" tyre)
BFG AT’s $121 each
Good year MTR $165 each
Mickey Thompson MTX $106
Pro Comp MT $142 Each
Kumho MT 100 each
A quick google search shows that continental is the parent company, so interpret that how you like.
Have you given the Goodyear ATR any consideration, I have not heard any bad reports about them and they are also reasonably priced.
As for coopers being lethal in the wet, I would disagree; I think they are spectacular in the wet have used both the AT and ST tyres.
Cheers.
AnswerID:
193687
Follow Up By: GU - Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 14:48
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006 at 14:48
Thanks for that.
I will definitely have a look at the Goodyear ATR's as well as others.
I'm told by one dealer that the "General Tire" company was either established or currently owned by Dick Cipek (of Mickey Thompson tyres fame - FC-11?) but I also do remember reading some time ago in either 4WD monthly or 4x4 Aust. that they were very impressed with the "General" tyres that came as original equipment on that particular vehicle they were testing. Up until then I had never heard of them either.
Will keep looking and gather as much information as I can in the meantime.
Cheers ...GU
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Reply By: Member - Tony T (VIC) - Monday, Sep 11, 2006 at 17:38
Monday, Sep 11, 2006 at 17:38
Well there's plenty to go on with all those replies, but for what it's worth I've got the Grabbers on my vehicle (came with it when new) and I pounded them around the
Kimberley recently and they still look new (to me anyway)- I'm xpectiing a pretty long run out of them-40K to date, but I'm no tyre expert, just happy with the the Grabbers.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: GU - Monday, Sep 11, 2006 at 20:11
Monday, Sep 11, 2006 at 20:11
Thanks for the reply Tony T.
Two dealers recommended these tyres to me and both said you could expect up to 100K from them. Hope you continue to be happy with them.
Cheers - GU
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