Dunlop Tires, Serengeti Eyewear Make Tire Buying Stylish

AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 30, 2006 -- The tire industry isn't looking through rose-colored glasses as motorists delay their tire purchases.

But at least one tire brand is looking to cut the glare and ease tire baldness at the same time. Through Sept. 23, Dunlop is giving away $140 Serengeti eyewear with four select tires.

Andy Traicoff, director of the Dunlop brand in North America, said tire baldness is growing, and he's hoping the prestigious eyewear promotion helps tire buyers focus on their tires.

"Luxury sales continue to grow, and Serengetis are cool. I believe motorists are looking for an incentive to replace their worn tires. Installing new tires on the family sports car and wearing some new Serengeti eyewear can give you a new outlook," Traicoff said.

In the past, Dunlop has offered MotorWeek DVDs of the "Top 25 Drives" and 50-song music downloads for iPods and MP3 players.

Traicoff said the new Serengeti offer is designed to help combat a growing problem -- receding tread lines. More vehicles are operating with less tread depth; for example, retailer data shows vehicles are wearing 3.5 percent less tread depth than a year ago.

Part of the problem is that two out of three drivers do not know how to tell if their tires are bald, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association. A 2003 National Safety Council study also said incorrectly inflated or worn tires contributed to more than 20,000 serious auto incidents.

High gas prices and a slowing economy, Traicoff said, are causing motorists to delay tire purchases. In fact, one tire analyst, Saul Ludwig of KeyBanc Capital Markets, said, "There's an inclination to run tires a little balder."

Traicoff said checking tire inflation monthly or before a long trip keeps tread designs healthy. Increased tire deflection caused by insufficient inflation cuts tire life by about 10 percent for every 10 percent the tire is under-inflated. For example, an average passenger-car tire could lose about one-third of its life at 20 pounds per square inch of inflation.

Similar to running fingers through your hair, motorists can use their fingertips across a tread design to detect any wear patterns, he said. In many cases, the damage can be stopped with proper tire rotations (every 6,000 to 8,000 miles), periodic alignments and suspension inspections and correct tire inflation.

There are two ways to check tire baldness, Traicoff said. Turn a penny upside down with Lincoln's head entering the tread groove. Ironically, if you see all of President Lincoln's hair, the tire is bald.

The other method is built into the tire. Wear bar indicators are exposed when the tire goes bald.

"Bald is beautiful, and the look is fashionable with a pair of Serengeti eyewear. But on the family car, bald can be unsightly," he said. For those who prefer cash to stylish eyewear, a $50 mail-in rebate also is available.

Dunlop is a global tire brand with an excellent reputation among performance car enthusiasts. Well known for its prestigious original- equipment fitments and sports car racing heritage, Dunlop is also a key supplier to sport compact enthusiasts featuring "tuner" tire sizes and race series sponsorships.

For more on Dunlop promotions, go to http://www.dunloptires.com/.