Budget Rubber Takes Over

Chinese Tyres Take 80% of Bahrain Market

TDT | Manama 

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Chinese tyres have seized about 80 pc of Bahrain's car tyre market, with a full set costing roughly a quarter of the price of Japanese rivals as drivers turn to cheaper brands. Khalid Nasser, a tyre shop owner in Souq Waqif, said Japanese and South Korean makes had once led sales but Chinese products now account for four out of every five purchases.

Price is driving the shift. Four Japanese tyres can cost about BD400 (BD100 each), while a full Chinese set can be bought for around BD100. Nasser said over 80 pc of customers now ask for Chinese tyres, with sales climbing during summer as heat and heavy road use lead drivers to replace worn sets.

He also rejected claims that Bahrainis cross into Saudi Arabia in search of cheaper tyres. The flow, he said, now runs the other way, with Saudi drivers coming to Bahrain to buy them.

Shipping charges, factory costs and the price of raw materials all shape retail prices. Nasser said some factories had raised raw material costs by between 5 and 7 pc, passing the increase on to buyers. He dismissed talk of counterfeit tyres in the local market. Products from Japan, China, Thailand and Taiwan come from different factories and are sold as genuine goods, he said, adding that fake products were usually linked to spare parts rather than tyres.

Japanese tyres remain among the best for quality but also carry the highest prices. Drivers who cover shorter distances often choose cheaper sets that meet their needs for a limited period, Nasser said.

All tyres brought into Bahrain must clear checks by the relevant watchdogs before they can be sold. Buyers are also paying closer attention to the country of manufacture and production date.

Recommended tyre life differs by maker. Some companies allow up to five years from the production date, while other products carry a lifespan of one or two years, depending on the tyre, storage and use. Warranty terms also vary. Some Chinese tyres come with one year of cover, Thai tyres with up to three years and Japanese tyres with up to five.

Nasser said the life of a tyre depends as much on driving and care as it does on build quality.

The Gulf Standardization Magazine, published online by the Gulf Standardization Organization, urged drivers to check tyre pressure often and keep it at the level listed in the vehicle handbook. Checks should be made while tyres are cold. It also advised drivers to rotate tyres in line with the maintenance schedule, avoid changing pressure while tyres are hot and use only the sizes and types named by the car maker.

Tyres should not be fitted to damaged or poorly repaired rims, it said. Drivers were also warned against overloading vehicles, which raises tyre heat, speeds up wear and increases the risk of failure.