These tyres just keep on going forever and ever
The General Tire range of tyres has a solid reputation for superb all-round performance and durability. And one Cape Town driver has confirmed the brand’s exceptional longevity by clocking up an astonishing 103 000km on a single set of Grabber 4x4 tyres.
Lodi van Deventer of Brackenfell, Cape Town, reached this remarkable milestone after three years with the General Grabber AW 265/70 R16 tyres fitted on his Toyota Fortuner.
“Most people find it hard to believe that I have covered over 100 000km on the General Grabbers,” Van Deventer says. “The majority of the driving was on tar in both urban and rural environments, but I also did quite a bit of gravel driving in the Stilbaai area during holidays.”
Van Deventer, who is a curriculum planner at the Western Cape Department of Education, is an avid fisherman, and regularly uses the Fortuner to tow a boat for crayfishing during the holidays.
“I have grown so fond of these tyres over the past three years, as they have given me great service in every situation, from smooth tarmac to rough terrain. From now on I will only fit General tyres on my vehicle,” he states.
However, tyre maintenance and care remains essential to ensure a long lifespan. Van Deventer highlights the fact that he had the wheels rotated, as well as alignment and balancing done religiously every 10 000km. This ensured even wear on all four tyres throughout the 103 000km – and he estimates that the Grabbers still had around 20 000km remaining when he eventually had them replaced.
The Grabber AT represents the latest-generation all-terrain tyre from the General Tire stable, and has won numerous local and international awards and tyre shoot-outs. This includes taking first place in two in-depth South African tests carried out by local 4×4 magazines, Leisure Wheels (October 2012) and WegRy/Drive Out (December 2014).
“We are delighted with the impressive mileage that Mr Van Deventer recorded on the General Grabbers, as it reaffirms the brand’s inherent strengths in terms of performance and durability,” says Niel Langner, marketing manager for Continental Tyre South Africa. “This shows what is possible with responsible driving and proper tyre care.
