Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:10:06 EDT
Reply-To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Michelin Agilis Tires - Update
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The Michelin Agilis tire, 185R14C, the tire of choice for all VW Buses and
Van and especially popular on the Vanagon model, as we have heard from
Michelin is no longer in production. I am about to dispute this fact with
some hard evidence. While in Mexico this past winter, see my
_www.westfaliatravels.com_ (http://www.westfaliatravels.com/) blog, I had the opportunity
to see brand new Michelin Agilis tires in many locations and a friend of
mine purchased a set from Sams Club in Puerto Vallarta. He has taken photos
of these tires to show you what I am about to present to you. Michelin has
not ceased the production of these tire but instead has withdrawn them from
the US and Canadian market for some reason. The Michelin Agilis tires as
you will see from the photos here >
_http://picasaweb.google.com/FCondelli/MichelinAgilisTires#_
(http://picasaweb.google.com/FCondelli/MichelinAgilisTires) , are new with a production date stamp (4409) which is the last week
of October 2009. They do not have any number marking after the word
Agilis as the ones we previously had here in the US and Canada, ie, no number
51, 61 or 81. Instead there is a blank spot. The load range of the tires
is stamped 1875 lbs/ per tire. The manufacturing location is marked “France”
. And, the very unique item is there is no DOT number but instead a blank
spot where it usually is or was ! Because of these details I am “presuming”
Michelin has decided to withdraw these tires form the US and Canadian
market and has not submitted them from DOT testing. These tires are
available and not out of production in Mexico. I have seen them at Costco, Sams
Club, Coppel and many other smaller shops that sell tires in Mexico. So…
..draw your own conclusion. If you want a set then you will have to go to
Mexico or some other country that is now carrying the Michelin Agilis.
Please note that I will be away from my business travelling in the USA and
Mexico from November 18, 2009 until April 30, 2010. Parts orders will be
processed although not as quickly as usual. I will always be available by
E-mail. If you phone, your call will be addressed by Greg T. Brown here
and he will either call you back or advise you to contact me directly by
E-mail. See my _www.frankcondelli.com_ (http://www.frankcondelli.com/)
website for complete details. Travel Blog at _www.westfaliatravels.com_
(http://www.westfaliatravels.com/)
Cheers,
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html) -
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://www.busfusion.com/) a VW Camper camping event,
Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2010
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