Motorists Love Michelin, Study Finds

Ever wondered what motorists think of their tires and if they rank them any way? Don't despair if you didn't, because J.D. Power and Associates took care of that job for you. While you should always take study results with a grain of salt, it might help you to take a decision if you're on the market for some rubber, tire rubber that is.

According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study, Michelin ranks highest in the luxury, passenger car and truck/utility segments, while Goodyear ranks highest in the performance sport segment.

In other words, Goodyear is only good for sports cars, while Michelin is suitable for pretty much everything else.

Four factors were taken into account for each of the four segments, luxury, passenger car, performance sport, and truck/utility, and these were wearability, appearance, traction/handling, and ride. The results were based on the owners’ experiences with their tires after two years of ownership.

“Problems caused by road hazards and punctures are most common, but since consumers understand that tire manufacturers have little control over road conditions, this has relatively little effect on owner satisfaction,” said Allison LaDuc, senior research manager of automotive product quality at J.D. Power and Associates.

“Tire wear problems have a considerable impact on satisfaction.  Improving performance in this key area may help mitigate other problems or issues customers may face,” he added.

The study was based on responses from nearly 30,000 new-vehicle owners who purchased a 2007 or 2008 model year vehicle. The study was fielded between October and December 2008.