Goodyear: Worry-Free Tires Appeal to Busy Consumers
18 May 1999
Goodyear: Worry-Free Tires Appeal to Busy Consumers AKRON, Ohio, May 18 -- Time-strapped consumers are 'burning
rubber' in about every aspect of their lives, except when it comes to rotating
their tires.
In fact, the lack of tire maintenance is out of balance, say marketers for
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Demographics continue to show that motorists
want worry-free tires.
"Convenience is rivaling safety as a consumer desire in the tire
purchase," according to Ron Wells, marketing manager for Goodyear light-truck
tires.
"Time-pressed consumers feel they don't have the luxury to rotate their
tires, to spend much time shopping for tires or to be stranded along the road
with a flat tire," Wells said.
According to the Center for Community Economic Development, nearly 60
percent of U.S. families are supported by at least two wage earners, implying
a lack of leisure time. Single-parent households have increased to 30
percent, up from 13 percent in 1970.
A recent AAA survey reported that 67 percent of 1,500 motorists failed to
rotate their tires in the past year. Goodyear recommends that tires be
rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. About 65 percent said they thought their
tires should be rotated at least every 10,000 miles.
Tire rotation evens out tire wear in conventional tires in each position,
preserving overall balanced handling and traction. Infrequent rotation
results in premature, uneven tire wear and eventual early tire replacement.
These demographic shifts are spinning convenience and safety together as
primary attributes for present and future tires, Wells said. "Our challenge
is to make people's lives easier as well as improve vehicle safety on the
road. Technology will be a driving force as we introduce new tires that
rotate around those goals."
Consider the Goodyear Wrangler RF-A light-truck tire, a response to
"rotation-aversion." The highway-tire system is engineered for no rotation.
The revolutionary approach of the Wrangler RF-A -- which stands for Rotation-
Free Aquatred -- involves front and rear versions of the long-wearing tire.
Given this rotation apathy, the company's two-tire system is "engineered
for convenience," Wells said. "Treadwear on sport-utility vehicle and pickup
truck tires differs front to rear, so why not use separate tread designs and
tire shapes to resist wear at each position?"
Wells calls the tire system, "position optimization." That is, tires are
designed specifically for their positions on a vehicle. The tires are backed
by a 60,000-mile limited treadlife warranty.
Industry treadlife warranties require regular tire rotations and proper
tire maintenance, but the Wrangler RF-A definitely breaks new ground on
rotations, Wells said.
Despite these Wrangler RF-A advantages for time-poor consumers, some tire
maintenance advice is timeless. Goodyear recommends that motorists check tire
inflation pressures monthly or before a long trip and regular alignment
inspections.
According to the AAA survey, about 38 percent didn't know their vehicle's
correct tire pressure. Tires should be inflated to the vehicle manufacturer's
recommendation printed on a vehicle's door placard or in the owner's manual,
not the maximum limit stamped on a tire sidewall.
