Tyres and batteries are something all motorists are required to replace regularly with tyres usually being changed after every three years or after 60,000km and batteries every one to two years. Tyres are the only parts of a car that come in direct contact with the road, which is why scheduled checks and replacement are mandatory to prevent any sudden breakdowns. An automotive battery is also a critical component of a vehicle’s operating system, providing the power to crank the engine.
The Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma), the sole standardisation body in the UAE, has introduced stringent measures for tyres to enhance road safety and eliminate the use of counterfeit and faulty tyres in the country. Yet, many price-sensitive consumers get swayed by cheaper price tags of spurious products and often opt for them over premium ones to save a few hundred dirhams.
Considering the high summer temperature, all tyres that are sold in the UAE need to comply with GCC Standardisation Organisation specifications. Esma ensures that tyres of all vehicles and motorcycles, except heavy-duty trucks, have a lifespan of five years. The authority is also in the process of introducing a ban on used tyres in the UAE.
Esma is also set to roll out a system to track a tyre from its date of manufacture until its destruction, and nobody in the country will be allowed to sell tyres without the certificate of origin. Regulation will also cover processes and conditions of manufacturing, handling, storage, retreading, maintenance, disposal and cancellation of tyres in accordance with the approved Gulf standards.
Check thoroughly
“As all tyres look the same to a regular consumer, it is very difficult to tell the difference simply by checking the outer appearance,” says Mitchell Peeters, General Manager, Goodyear Middle East and Africa. “A driver should read the brand name and pattern on the tyre carefully and cross-check the combination online, which can very often give him an insight into the authenticity of the tyre.”
Really good counterfeiters are quite sophisticated and work with smart technology to dupe consumers, who are in search for best deals and inadvertently purchase products that are substandard and unsafe, points out Charles Jesudason, Sales Director, Zafco. “Counterfeiters also play up on well-known brand names and make products with a slight change in the way a brand name is spelt or sounded when pronounced,” he says.
“The label on a pack of tyres or a battery often appears to be authentic and an average buyer often cannot distinguish between an original and a forged product. However, a buyer can avoid being duped if he purchases products only from authorised stockists, dealers or retailers.
“A close visual inspection of the package and/or holograms or marks on the product is also important. Reputed manufacturers attach distinct and hard-to-duplicate marks on their products to differentiate them from counterfeits, Jesudason says.”
Counterfeit tyres can sometimes do the job that they are intended to, but if you’re looking for enhanced performance, safety and fuel efficiency, always opt for premium products.
From the rubber compound to the manufacturing process, fake tyres differ considerably from their branded counterparts. “Testing and quality processes are often non-existent in counterfeit products,” says Peeters of Goodyear Tyres.
However, if a consumer decides to fit tyres that are of low quality or fake, he compromises on his safety as they may fail at any moment. “Counterfeit tyres wear out faster and affect braking distance, performance, speed, handling and other factors that are usually carefully researched by premium brands,” says Peeters.
Owing to extremely high temperatures during summer in the UAE, vehicle users must take extra precautions to avoid sudden breakdown and blowout of tyres.
“Resistance to heat is an important feature for all tyres that are being sold in the UAE. Tyres should be able to withstand severe heat resulting from harsh climate, higher vehicle speeds and loading conditions,” says Rajesh P., Department Manager, Tyres and Batteries division (Yokohama Tyres), Juma Al Majid Est.
Go for quality
Experts suggest that vehicle owners must choose products from only renowned brands, which have undergone required quality checks.
“Look for safety technologies, magazine/newspaper accreditation and third-party testing results before buying a set of tyres. Do your due diligence — know your product and know what you want from it,” says Peeters.
New tyre regulations in the UAE require a change of tyres if the production date is older than five years. Dealers are also not allowed to sell tyres that are more than two years old. “New global positioning system tracking technologies are also available in the commercial tyre sector that can check the pressure and temperature of tyres to follow up on their condition throughout their life,” adds Peeters.
