I guess ur right if ur comparing them side by side at a race but how long can u make that argument for? Eventually over time the stock tires will no longer be available for purchase. What do these side by side cars do then?
le'ts look at those $500k restoration jobs that people do for older muscle cars. None of them will have the original tires but they are sold as original due to the parts used to restore it. I have never heard of anyone stating that they want 50 year old tires on their brand new $500k car. Maybe if it was a show piece and never to see the road I guess but thats not many.
Tires are not factory parts. They have an expiration date and get recycled just as oil does. If I put Ligui-Molly in my motor vs. the factory oil does that make my car no longer stock? It's supposed to be a performance upgrade to ur engine. Doubt it does anything but it's not stock.
Tires are only good for a couple of years before they go out of date. No one can go to Chrysler and say "I want to oder some factory tires for my 1970 Cuda". They don't exist cause tires are not factory parts. Every manufacture uses another company for tires on all of their cars.
Newer technology and newer materials will always be coming out to replace the old tire and it won't have the same name nor will it be the same product so IMO tires are not factory parts and changing them doesn't make ur car no longer stock.
you make very good points.
But when comparing 2 new vehicles, you compare them using the products they came with.
If you allow a “change” on one, then you must allow a change in the other. It opens up Pandora’s box.