I chose the tyres based on the decent reviews here http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/GT-Radial/Champiro-HPX.htm - purchased them online and had them fitted locally onto our main family car.
All was well until ...my car went in for its MOT, and it failed due to the condition of the rear tyres. Surprising as the tyre tread looked OK (i would say 50% worn at most), as did the outside sidewalls, however when the wheels were removed it was clear to see (on both tyres) a deep crack all the way round the perimeter of the inner sidewall.
The MOT station advised that this was dangerous.
I have contacted both the manufacturer and the distributor with these images, their response were:
From the distributor - none... My emails to the distributor have all bounced back or received no reply (micheldevergroup.co.uk)
From the manufacturer - "Please
send the tyres back through the dealer whom you purchased them off.
Until I have physically inspected the tyres I cannot make any comments
on whether the condition is purely cosmetic
or it was structural".
Alistair Brown, Technical Sales Manager
(GITI TIRE - the manufacturer)
Alistair Brown, Technical Sales Manager
(GITI TIRE - the manufacturer)
Sadly I am not in the habit of keeping used 17" tyres to send back to the manufacturer, and the tyre fitter that supplied the new tyres did not stock the GT Radial brand (and I didnt know about sending them back at that point in time), so that's the end of that!
So what do you think fellow motorist?
Are these cracks around both of my GT Radial Champiro tyres purely cosmetic (and therefore not an MOT fail), or a structural issue that might cause safety issues?
Would you put these onto your family car?
Would you put these onto your family car?
Update...
Whilst as helpful as possible, the representative from the manufacturer of these GT Radial Champiro tyres with splits around the entire inner sidewall can do nothing without physically inspecting the tyre (and that is no longer possible), so there ends my story. My images do not help.
If you are thinking of purchasing some GT Radial Tyres for use in the UK, and like paying for new tyres when the tread is perfectly fine then I can heartily recommend these from personal experience.
Have you had a problem with your GT Radial Champiro Tyres? Let me know by leaving a comment below.