Golden Rules to Follow While Driving in Extreme Weather Conditions

Your car, like most other machines, is susceptible to extreme variations in temperature. When it’s scorching hot or freezing cold outside, the probability of a mechanical fault in your vehicle increases proportionately. You must take certain precautions to make sure that it doesn’t hamper your journey.

Driving in The Scorching Heat

The once fabled English summer is slowly turning extreme with each passing year. The recent heat wave was the longest in decades, and it seems like the trend will continue in the foreseeable future.

Most people consider summers to be the ideal time for driving. You may notice a spike in the number of people who are taking long road trips at this time. While it is true that driving in the summers is relatively easier than in extreme winters, you still need to pay extra attention to your car or risk a potential breakdown.

• For extreme temperatures, make sure your vehicle is fit with summer tyres. If you drive an SUV, there are many options for 4×4 tyres in Manchester that you can choose from.

• Check your car’s battery regularly. Extreme heat may damage some of the internal components of your car battery.

• Clean your car of any dust or dirt that might accumulate around components like the suspension, brake callipers, etc.

• Pay particular attention to the level of coolants in your car. Also, remember to check the fluid level for the rest of the components.

• Tyres are more prone to blowouts during summers. If possible, get a set of run-flats for your car.

Driving in The Incessant Rain

There is no fixed season for rain. It may rain anytime, anywhere. Hydroplaning is the most significant risk in such situations. Preparedness is the key when it comes to driving in the rain.

• Never drive with tyres that have a tread depth lower than 3 mm.

• Do not use cruise control.

• Use tyres that have more pronounced treads, preferably with longer sipes.

• Allow extra space to vehicles that are ahead of you. Never tailgate when the visibility is low.

• Keep the headlights on.

• If you are stuck in a pool of water, make sure that the water doesn’t enter the tailpipe. It may reach your car’s engine and cause it to shut down entirely.

Driving in The Winters

Winters are arguably the hardest time for driving. If your area receives heavy snowfall, it can become all the more worse. Driving in snow is a different ballgame altogether, and you should follow every safety precaution while doing so.

• Install winter tyres without fail. If there’s heavy snowfall, go for a set of studded snow tyres. You may find an impressive collection of such Car Tyres Manchester at garages like Gilgal Tyre.

• Heat your car for at least 2 minutes before taking it out for the first time.

• Battery failure is common during winters. Check its condition periodically.

• Keep tyre pressure 1 or 2 psi above the recommended level. Air pressure drops as the temperature starts falling.

• Clean your car of the grime and salt at least once a week.

Driving in extreme weather conditions is rarely a pleasurable experience. Following these tips will ensure that at least it’s a safe one.

Continental Acquires VUK for Strengthening its Euro Presence

Continental has acquired VUK, a Czech manufacturer of machine tools. VUK has been supplying tyre assembly components to Continental for quite some time now.

Continental aims to strengthen its presence in certain parts of Europe and hence, they have undertaken this move. This growth will supplement their already strong distribution network around the UK, and car owners around the country will be able to buy Continental’s products, whether someone is looking for car tyres in Manchester, or anywhere else in the country.

Head of Manufacturing and Logistics for Continental, Bernhard Trilken, says that the company wants to increase the manufacturing capacity of their new car tyres. They are also looking forward to their ‘Vision 2025’ through this acquisition.

Vision 2025

Continental’s Vision 2025 was founded back in 2010 as a long-term growth strategy. Back then, the company’s shares stood at just 30% in the Middle East, and Africa.

Phase 1 of Vision 2025 began in 2011 with the acquisition of Modi Tyres Company Limited (MTCL) in India. Continental is targeting the Indian market for premium car tyres. The ContiComfortContact CC5 and MaxContact MC5 are two tyres aimed at this market.

Head of the Tire Division of Continental AG, Nikolai Setzer says that their Vision 2025 has increased their prowess not only in the Asian region, but also in Europe, the APAC, and the Americas.

VUK: The ingredient for growth

The acquisition of VUK will contribute more to this vision; Trilken adds that this plant in Otrokovice will form part of their Continental Molds and Machinery (CMM) unit.

The CMM is the company’s largest plant in the world producing around 21 million tyres for light trucks and passenger vehicles and 1.5 million tyres for buses and trucks every year.

The CMM unit concentrates on manufacturing tyre moulds and industrial tyres. Apart from the above, this plant also produces high-performance tyres with technologies like:

1. ContiSeal technology

The ContiSeal technology caps the damage created by punctures of up to 5 mm in diameter. Car owners won’t have to replace the tyres immediately after it sustains a leak.

These new car tyres come with a viscous and sticky sealant that reduces tyre depletion by sealing up to 80% of a leak.

2. ContiSilent technology

The ContiSilent technology reduces the noise emitted by car tyres by at least 9 dB. One of the superior benefits of this technology is that it works in all seasons. These tyres come with an added layer of polyurethane foam that plays a vital role in reducing sound levels.

Trilken adds that VUK will not only expand their portfolio but also help Continental to gain proficiency in machine building. They also aim to establish their Otrokovice plant as a research centre with the help of VUK.

Continental will integrate the current employees of VUK with the ones at CMM for making the plant more functional. While the former holds expertise in machine assembly and components, the latter holds considerable knowledge in software, mechanical, and hardware engineering.

As of now, Continental continues to hold ground with their car tyres in Manchester and in the rest of the UK. Car owners in the UK can visit car garages like Gilgal Tyres Manchester for buying the latest range of Continental tyres.

Comparing the Two Giants of Automobile Industry: Bridgestone vs Michelin

It’s like comparing Bobby Carlton and George Best, or Ian Botham and Geoffrey Boycott. They are all giants in their respective fields and deserve credit for the same. But we are human beings, and we can’t help but love comparisons. Today we are going to do something along those lines.

The subjects of comparison today are two of the biggest names in the multi-billion dollar tyre industry. If you drive a car, a van, an SUV or even an aeroplane, chances are you have used their tyres at least once in your lifetime. Together, these two companies sell more tyres than the next five combined. You may have already guessed it- we are talking about Bridgestone and Michelin.

The beauty of today’s world is that these two companies, along with hundreds of others, can exist harmoniously despite being bitter rivals. If you live in Manchester and visit an auto garage like Gilgal Tyre Manchester, you will find Bridgestone tyres stacked right alongside Michelin tyres.

Okay then, let’s get at it.

Market Share

There’s very little to distinguish between the two in this aspect. Bridgestone sits at the top of the pile with Michelin breathing down its neck at the next spot. In 2017, Bridgestone sold tyres worth 26.2 billion USD while Michelin came a close second with 23.4 billion USD.

Both these companies operate around the world and have various manufacturing plants in different countries. Bridgestone employs around 143,000 people in its 141 manufacturing facilities in 24 different countries, while Michelin employs about 112,000 employees in its 69 facilities around 18 countries.

Together, they produce north of 300 million tyres every year. If you take a drive around Manchester, you’ll notice that most cars use either one of these two tyres Manchester.

Motor Sports

Motorsport is the highest peak for any tyre manufacturer to climb. That’s because the performance of a racing car is heavily dependent on its tyres and there are experts in every camp who dissect the performance of each and every tyre before the racing begins.

Quite predicatively, both Michelin and Bridgestone have performed admirably in this department. Both these companies started to supply F1 tyres around the same time, Bridgestone in 1976-77 and Michelin in 1977-78. Car boasting Bridgestone tyres have won 175 races compared to Michelin’s 102.

Michelin withdrew from Formula 1 in 1984 and re-entered in 2001, a time when Bridgestone was the sole supplier. That started a bitter rivalry in the F1 circuit between these giants. The same year, Williams swept the fourth round of the Imola season, equipped with Michelin tyres.

Bridgestone didn’t take it too kindly. They hit back the next year, with the fabled collaboration with Ferrari’s F2002. Yep, you guessed it. Schumacher’s legendary 2002 season, where he won an unprecedented 11 titles and ended the season with 144 points (both world records at that time, later broken by himself in the 2004 season) was on Bridgestone tyres.

The war between these two tyre giants in F1 kept on raging in the years to come. But Bridgestone piped past Michelin on most instances, because you know, Michael Schumacher!

The Verdict

There’s very little to choose between the two. They are both market leaders and pioneers in tyre innovation. If you don’t believe us, just keep an eye on car tyres in Manchester. You’ll notice how the market is dominated by these two. However, at the moment, Bridgestone is ahead of Michelin, even if it’s by a hair’s length.

Don’t let that cloud your judgement though. Like we have said many times over, you wouldn’t regret buying any of these tyres Manchester or anywhere in the over 150 countries they cater to.