We’re all guilty of this: We take our car tyres for granted and seldom think about them. You’re not alone. Tyres are so easily overlooked – until, that is, we need to replace them.
When that happens, most people have little or no idea of what tyres to buy and why. There seems to be a neverending array of tyre choice with so many different price points and often unthathomable jargon to contend with. It can be bewildering, so how’s the best way to go about buying tyres?
There is a simple answer: choose the same tyres that your car came with when it was new. In this article, we introduce you to “Original Equipment” and why it can help you make the right tyre choice.
So what is “Original Equipment”?
This is the only bit of jargon you’ll see in this article, and it’s very easy to explain: Original Equipment (“OE” from now on) are the tyres selected by a car maker for a specific vehicle, and fitted to the vehicle when it’s purchased new.
OE tyres have to meet very, very strict performance and safety criteria – all set by the car maker. Tyre manufacturers compete for OE status – they want their tyres to be the Original Equipment on new cars when they roll off the production line and into the showrooms. As a result, competition drives tyre innovation, good news for all of us.
The leading provider of Original Equipment is undoubtedly Continental, with one in every three new cars in Europe sold fitted with their premium tyres. It’s not surprising, considering their wealth of tyre manufacturing experience, and the vast sums of money they invest year after year into developing leading tyre technology. It’s a tyre brand that’s highly trusted by car makers.
Why are the best car tyres “Original Equipment”?
In a painstaking process that can take up to four years, tyre manufacturers like Continental Tyres collaborate with car makers to produce exactly the right tyre for a particular car model. Normally this involves around 100 different attributes which are determined by key characteristics of the car and are unique to each vehicle model.
After all, there’s a world of difference between – for instance – a Skoda Fabia and a Porsche Cayenne. Both are excellent vehicles, but each has a distinctly different set of characteristics and attributes. One needs tyres to enhance fuel efficiency and comfort, while the other needs them to support super-quick acceleration. You can work out which is which…
Put simply and joking aside, while OE tyres are all developed with safety as a priority, they’re also designed to bring out the variety of characteristics you’ll find amongst the wide array of different vehicles currently on the market. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is this: the tyres on a brand new car aren’t there by some random accident…
Replacing your tyres with OE versions
This is why when it comes to replacing your tyres we recommend doing so with those that your car came with in the first place. You’ll have peace of mind knowing:
- They’ll continue to bring out the best in your car
- They’re the safest option
- You simply can’t go wrong
How can you tell if your tyres are OE?
Alongside the brand name (e.g. Continental) and the product name (e.g. “ContiPremiumContact 5”), there is more information that’s provided in code, some of which tells you which car make and model your tyre is made for. Have a look at the table below to help you understand what they look like:
Example of an OE tyre for Audi – manufacturer code “AO”
| Manufacturer | OE Key |
| Audi | A0, A01 |
| Audi quattro | RO1, RO2, R03 |
| BMW | * |
| BMW / Mercedes | *MO |
| BMW / Mercedes Runflat | *MOE |
| Jaguar | J |
| Land Rover | LR |
| Maserati | MGT |
| Mercedes-Benz | MO, MO1 |
| Mercedes-Benz Runflat | MOE |
| Porsche | NO, N1, N2 |
| Tesla | TO |
If you see one of these codes on your tyre you know it’s Original Equipment and approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
Let our expert tyre professionals help you
At Advance Pitstop we believe buying OE tyres is a very sensible choice, but ultimately what you choose to purchase will depend on the type of car you have, as well as how much you drive, and where and how you drive your vehicle. This is why it makes sense to get professional tyre advice if you’re unsure. Our experienced tyre team are trained to do this, so head down to your local Advance Pitstop and choose right. You can find your nearest branch at the top of this page.
Advance Pitstop – Caring for your car from the tyres up