Buying tires in South America (1 Viewer)

[joshoisasleep]

I wasn't really sure where to put this post but here seems like the best place.

So it's looking like about time to buy some new tires (especially after the recent desert adventures), and I'm thinking for various reasons to go with the tried and true BFG AT's. I thought of going with the like 12 ply or whatever they are military style tires you can get down here that all the cruisers in the desert had, but I think maybe they won't be as good for on-road use and I have no experience with them or tube-type tires at all.


I had heard that a lot of tires are manufactured in Brazil, and so since the beginning of the trip had been hoping to pick up a set of good brand tires while in South America for cheap. The other day I browsed a few tires shops and was disappointed to find prices of around or over $200 a tire when looking at various AT's. Darn! Then I went back the next day with my head on straight and realized that all the prices were in Argentinian Pesos! That's about 3 to the dollar! So it looks like I'll be picking up a set for somewhere around $70 a tire brand new .

This post isn't just to brag though... there is a question also. My tires could PROBABLY hold out until we get to Brazil (maybe another 10,000km). Does anybody know if they're even cheaper there, and/or if BFG's are even manufactured down here? The prices I looked at were for Goodyear and other brands as I had not yet found a BFG dealer.

 

[cruiser_guy]

I'd watch for name brand tires if you can and preferably ones that you can get here too. Check that they are DOT rated or you could be in trouble back home if you have a blowout and an accident.

I had what appeared to be a good deal on tires about two years ago here in Guatemala and they lasted maybe 30,000 - 40,000kms which seems pretty poor to me till they were down to the wear bar. 31x10.5x15 AT's Simpering or something like that. They were DOT rated but wore poorly.

I'm running new BFG 32x11.5x15 AT's that I "stole" from a guy in Sacramento this past summer c/w OEM '60 series rims too!

 

[Exiled]

In Venezuela offroad tires are much more expensive than they are in the US and usually are imported from here.

 

[joshoisasleep]

In Venezuela offroad tires are much more expensive than they are in the US and usually are imported from here.

I'm surprised to hear that! I'm surprised to hear that Venezuela imports anything from the US actually! ...

Hey trivia time... what does the BF in BFGoodrich stand for? I keep thinking Bridgestone Firestone, like they're all one big company... ??

 

[Exiled]

I'm surprised to hear that! I'm surprised to hear that Venezuela imports anything from the US actually! ...

Hey trivia time... what does the BF in BFGoodrich stand for? I keep thinking Bridgestone Firestone, like they're all one big company... ??

In what is probably what gives Chavez the most headaches, the US is Venezuela's biggest trading partner, and even outside of oil there are huge imports from the US, from commodities to manufactured goods.

 

[jabxyz]

Josh,
Here they are selling Hankook and Toyo tires primarily with one place selling Maxxis for off roaders. There are a couple of BF Goodrich places but their selection was pretty sparse. If it were me I would buy exactly what the guys were running on those 80s in the desert. I would think that as outfitters their livelihood depends on them riding on the rubber best suited for those harsh conditions. On the other hand if you are not planning on passing through anything else like the conditions that you encountered in the desert then Toyo makes a very good AT tire that lot's of folks run here.

 

[joshoisasleep]

Thanks for the tip on the Toyo's, I'll look for them.

Although I am expecting to possibly encounter similar conditions a few more times on this trip... I don't know how well those tires would handle/last on-road compared to a standard A/T, and I'm going to be on-road a lot more. As well those guys likely never encounter many of the other conditions that I will come across... they just drive in tundra pretty much...? So I don't want to base it just off that... maybe I would find myself in some mud or sand and they would do nothing? I'll have to have a readthrough on Mud, I know there's a good (but long) thread on choosing expedition tires that goes into a comparison of 10-12 ply's vs standard AT's at one point. I somewhat remember said thread settling on a good AT being a better choice overall... I'll have to go back and read it.

Of course the military type tires do have the "awesome" factor that is very tempting all on its own...

Josh,
Here they are selling Hankook and Toyo tires primarily with one place selling Maxxis for off roaders. There are a couple of BF Goodrich places but their selection was pretty sparse. If it were me I would buy exactly what the guys were running on those 80s in the desert. I would think that as outfitters their livelihood depends on them riding on the rubber best suited for those harsh conditions. On the other hand if you are not planning on passing through anything else like the conditions that you encountered in the desert then Toyo makes a very good AT tire that lot's of folks run here.

 

[jabxyz]

Thanks for the tip on the Toyo's, I'll look for them.

Although I am expecting to possibly encounter similar conditions a few more times on this trip... I don't know how well those tires would handle/last on-road compared to a standard A/T, and I'm going to be on-road a lot more. As well those guys likely never encounter many of the other conditions that I will come across... they just drive in tundra pretty much...? So I don't want to base it just off that... maybe I would find myself in some mud or sand and they would do nothing? I'll have to have a readthrough on Mud, I know there's a good (but long) thread on choosing expedition tires that goes into a comparison of 10-12 ply's vs standard AT's at one point. I somewhat remember said thread settling on a good AT being a better choice overall... I'll have to go back and read it.

Of course the military type tires do have the "awesome" factor that is very tempting all on its own...

Josh,
I wanted the Toyo Open Country M/T but they didn't have them in either 33 or 35s at that location. I ended up with the Toyo Open Country A/T, 33s, and am happy for an 70 % on road/highway tire. If you can get the M/T get them as they have a fairly aggressive tread and are radials. I really haven't tried it off road yet as the mechanical part of the build is presently happening but as soon as I get back to San Salvador I plan to try them out off road. I really hope that they do decently as I'd hate to have to start thinking about an off road tire just to play with. The wallet pain would be intense. Post up what you get and how you like them.

 

[fernandol]

I'm with Exiled, don't know about other south american countries but the only quality tires made in Venezuela are Pirellis and they are not all that cheap. If you find good deals in BF Goodrich and the such they are usually imitations or tires manufactured under somewhat dubious licenses.

 

[Joe Egolf]

Dr Benjamin Franklin Goodrich founded B F Goodrich rubber company.

 

[joshoisasleep]

update. Looks like I spoke too soon... most stores are selling AT's for around 570 Argentinian pesos... so similar or a little higher than back home. Bridgestone/Firestone, BFG, and other brands. There is only one store selling them for around 230 pesos a tire... I'm going to have to go back and double check... I asked him several times on the price though, so I'm almost certain I'm not mistaken. Perhaps he is as mentioned above selling immitations. They are at least claimed to be Bridgestone/Firestone, and it's a big fancy shop.

 

[TEPUI]

Get 'em in the US. In Chile, we pay double than what you guys pay in the US. I paid around US $300 for 265s (Cooper Discoverer STT2)

 

[TEPUI]

...If you find good deals in BF Goodrich and the such they are usually imitations or tires manufactured under somewhat dubious licenses.

I know of various people who have bought cheap BFGs in So Am and then later found out that they bought tires that were rejected by QC in the US.

 

[joshoisasleep]

I know of various people who have bought cheap BFGs in So Am and then later found out that they bought tires that were rejected by QC in the US.

Gotcha, I'll take that advice. I may go for some 12 plys afterall as they can be had for like $70 a tire, and are badass. We'll see when I get to Brazil maybe.

 

[jabxyz]

I know of various people who have bought cheap BFGs in So Am and then later found out that they bought tires that were rejected by QC in the US.

This has always been my fear about buying U.S. made tires here. I feel a bit better now that the owner of the 4x4 tire store here, selling Toyo, Hankook and Maxxis, is a club member and vouches for the quality of his product.

 

[cruiser_guy]

My confidence in tires purchased in Central America went downhill this weekend. I was looking for a few parts to fix a galled gear in my split transfer case and came upon this shop that was regrooving regular tires!?!?

 

[Volcano cruiser]

My confidence in tires purchased in Central America went downhill this weekend. I was looking for a few parts to fix a galled gear in my split transfer case and came upon this shop that was regrooving regular tires!?!?

Charles,
This soo does not surprise me. Again I just hope that josh buys from a real shop, based on good recommendations and where he can inspect to see if the tires he's buying are really new and he can watch the ones that he picked out be put on his rig. That last piece can not be over stated, the looks that I got following the installer as he pulled my four Toyo ATs from the rack in the back and walked with him as he and a helper rolled them to my rig. I stood right there as they mounted them up and put them on. The shop floor manager grumbled as he kept trying to offer me coffee in the lounge. I could see him ready to do the old switcheroo with the cheapo local knockoff tires that sat in the rack right next to the imported Toyos. When my son got back in the car with me his first comment was, man these guys will rob you blind if you give them half a chance. Just a thought.
John

 

[joshoisasleep]

Hey guys I still haven't bought new tires, and of course need them more than ever. I'm in Paraguay now... prices in Argentina were pretty high and I figured I'd take the chance that they might get cheaper sometime soon. I recently ran into an adventure tour bus just across the border, and talking to the driver he seemed to indicate that they regularly get tires here in Paraguay as they're super cheap compared with anywhere else, and was actually just about to go get some himself.

He was talking about getting Pirelli brand BUS tires for $370 a tire... that sounded cheap to me. I just hope it's not as mentioned above just factory rejects... Paraguay is known to be historically one of the most corrupt countries in South America, from what I've heard. I'll let you know what we come up with!

 

[Volcano cruiser]

Hey guys I still haven't bought new tires, and of course need them more than ever. I'm in Paraguay now... prices in Argentina were pretty high and I figured I'd take the chance that they might get cheaper sometime soon. I recently ran into an adventure tour bus just across the border, and talking to the driver he seemed to indicate that they regularly get tires here in Paraguay as they're super cheap compared with anywhere else, and was actually just about to go get some himself.

He was talking about getting Pirelli brand BUS tires for $370 a tire... that sounded cheap to me. I just hope it's not as mentioned above just factory rejects... Paraguay is known to be historically one of the most corrupt countries in South America, from what I've heard. I'll let you know what we come up with!

Josh,
X10 on Paraguayan corruption. Is that $370 USD/tire? If it is that sounds EXPENSIVE to me. In June of last year I paid $210.62 USD/tire for 33x12.50 R15 Toyo Open Country ATs here in El Salvador.
Good luck,
John

 

[cruiser_guy]

Is that $370 USD/tire? If it is that sounds EXPENSIVE to me. In June of last year I paid $210.62 USD/tire for 33x12.50 R15 Toyo Open Country ATs here in El Salvador.
Good luck,
John

I'm not telling what my tires cost! I'll just say that even John paid significantly more than me though mine were purchased though 'mud in the states. Last year a set of 4 mounted and balanced BFG 32x11.5x15 AT's on OEM '60 rims barely used (injection moulding knobbies still present), this year for the FJ45LV a set of 31x10.5x15 AT's Goodyear I think with about 5000 miles.