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Mail-order Survey Ranks Goodyear Tires High

13 December 2000

Mail-order Survey Ranks Goodyear Tires High

    AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 13 Even without direct Goodyear tire
sales to a nationally known mail order business, a customer survey from the
tire and wheel retailer has ranked two Goodyear tires as the best choices in
their categories.
    Goodyear's Aquatred 3 tire received the most customer kudos in the all-
season category of a survey from The Tire Rack, a mail order and on-line
service.  Regatta 2 was No. 1 in the standard touring ranking.
    Bob Toth, marketing manager for Goodyear auto tires, said The Tire Rack's
tire surveys are a testament to the performance of Aquatred 3 and Regatta 2.
"It's also a bit surprising.  Since we don't sell Goodyear tires direct to The
Tire Rack, we'd expect the tire surveys to mention every tire brand but
Goodyear," Toth said.
    According to the survey, the Aquatred 3 tire was superior to other tire
brands in wet and dry traction, hyrdroplaning resistance, cornering stability,
steering response, ride comfort, noise and treadwear.
    Even its predecessor -- Aquatred II -- had a respectable finish, No. 7 out
of 31 tires.
    Toth said The Tire Rack survey reinforces the tire's dry traction
capabilities as well as its well-known performance on rain-slick roads.  In
fact, consumers rated wet and dry traction equally at 8.8 out of 10 points.
    Aquatred 3 features a 10 percent wider footprint on the pavement than its
predecessor, for improved wet and dry handling.  The tire uses a "touring"
tread compound that earns a "AA" traction rating, the highest according to
federal standards.
    The new tire provides an 8 percent improvement in wet braking distance.
At 45 mph, that's nearly 13 feet shorter than Aquatred II tires.  Dry traction
is improved by 6 percent.
    "I guess we shouldn't be shocked by Aquatred 3's standing in The Tire Rack
survey," Toth said. "Its performance in the marketplace and on American roads
is stellar."
    Consider also that Aquatred tire buyers are extremely loyal to their
purchase.  Nearly 65 percent of Aquatred owners replace their worn tires with
new 'treds.  The industry average is about 40 percent.
    But go figure on Goodyear's Regatta 2, the company's highest selling tire
line.  Its top finish in standard touring was remarkable, Toth said, since the
tire isn't advertised or showcased in new product lineups.
    Yet the tire ranked highest in dry and wet traction, hydroplaning
resistance, snow traction, cornering stability and steering response.
     "Consumers understand the all-around excellent performance of these two
tires," Toth said.  "And considering that Goodyear does not sell tires to The
Tire Rack on a direct basis, the results are even more satisfying."