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Michelin(R) PAX System(TM) Scores with Honda Owners

Michelin investment in service network keeps consumer satisfaction high

DETROIT, Jan. 10 -- Drivers in Motown -- and other U.S. cities -- give the 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring edition and Michelin PAX System(TM) the thumbs up for the added measures of safety, security and convenience the continued mobility system provides.

"It's a feature you got to have," said Brenda Baker-Mbacke, 42, a Southfield, Mich., social worker who calls herself the "Flat Queen" because she ends up with one or two flat tires a year as she travels across the state for her job. "It's a great safety feature, and I believe it doesn't matter what your sex is. Nobody wants to change a tire. You're paying extra for peace of mind."

Baker-Mbacke was one of seven consumers who evaluated Michelin PAX System on the Honda Odyssey Touring edition for a Detroit News consumer panel report. The consumers gave PAX System a "rare unanimous thumbs-up vote," the newspaper reported.

Michelin PAX System, which is standard on the 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring edition minivan, allows motorists to ride on a flat tire for up to 125 miles at 50 mph. Michelin PAX System also offers better handling than standard tires for everyday driving and better comfort than traditional self-supporting tires when operating at normal inflation pressure.

Michelin PAX System has four components: tire, support ring, wheel, and pressure monitor. Its unique design means the tire will not come off the wheel after a total loss of air pressure in normal operating conditions.

Sales of all 2005 Honda Odyssey models were up 22 percent compared to November 2003, marking the second consecutive month of double-digit increases. Michelin is supporting the U.S. introduction of PAX System on the 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring edition by establishing a nationwide, around-the-clock service network. The goal of the 1,200-point system is to keep consumers satisfied even if a tire goes flat.

"Industry observers thought the real challenge for PAX System would be aftermarket service," said Tom Chubb, vice president of marketing, Michelin Automotive Industries Division. "Consumers' experiences with PAX System service have been positive -- even though they're dealing with an event they once felt was inconvenient."

Just a few months after introduction of the minivan, consumers are already testing the network's preparedness. One owner was alerted to low air pressure in the right rear tire while driving. He stopped at a gas station on the way home and put air in the tire. The next morning, he checked the air pressure and then called 1-877-PAX-TIRE after finding it had only 12 psi. Michelin's consumer relations staff scheduled an appointment at the nearby Honda dealer, where the owner drove in and had a new PAX System assembly installed in minutes.

Michelin has invested heavily to establish a four-tier service program with a network of Michelin and Honda dealers that can service a flat PAX System tire or exchange it with a completely new PAX System assembly. When consumers are warned by the Odyssey's on-board tire pressure monitoring system, they call Michelin's consumer relations specialists at 1-877-PAX-TIRE.

Drivers are then directed to one of 200 Michelin dealers, where the tire can be repaired or replaced with a new assembly. The second option is sending consumers to one of more than 1,000 Honda dealers, where the flat assembly will be replaced with a new one. The third option calls on Michelin rapid- service providers to deliver a new PAX System assembly to a Michelin dealer for installation on the vehicle. Finally, in remote locations Michelin guarantees installation of a new PAX System assembly within 12 hours of a service call.

The comprehensive approach to aftermarket service is all part of the PAX System Assurance plan that takes the standard Michelin warranty and adds replacement for road hazards during the first two years or 50 percent of tread wear coverage at no charge.

The world's largest tire maker, Michelin (http://www.michelin.com/ ) manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs 23,000 and operates 21 plants in 17 locations.