Michelin and Pirelli Rank Highest in US JD Power Survey

Michelin has come top in JD Power’s latest OE tyre satisfaction survey in the SUV-sized vehicle-based tyre segments, with Pirelli winning in the mass-market segment. The “2006 Original Equipment Tire Satisfaction Study” was based on five performance factors: appearance, handling, ride, traction and wearability. The study found that tyre wearability continues to be the most important factor in overall OE tyre satisfaction. “In general, tyre manufacturers will see the largest return on investment if they are able to improve in the wearability factor,” said Carolyn McBeth, director of automotive component research for JD Power and Associates.

Michelin ranks highest in the luxury/sport and SUV segments for a third consecutive year and ranks highest in the pickup/full-size van segment for a second consecutive year. Michelin performs well in all five factors that determine overall satisfaction in each of the three segments, receiving particularly high ratings in the wearability factor. In the mass market/non-luxury vehicle segment, Pirelli performs well across all five factors, with particularly high ratings in appearance and traction.

The study finds that customer recommendations of tyre brands are influenced by satisfaction with tyre performance, the types of problems that may be experienced and by a need for tyre replacement. When it comes to problems, only 1 per cent of customers who experience poor traction/grip on a dry road, for example, indicate they “definitely will” give a recommendation, and only 5 per cent intend to repurchase their OE tyre brand. Conversely, among customers who experience a road hazard/puncture problem, 16 per cent indicate they “definitely will” recommend their tyres and 34 per cent intend on repurchasing their same original equipment tyre brand.

Repurchase intention and recommendations are also greatly impacted by whether or not a customer had to replace any of their OE tyres. Among customers who did not need to replace any of their tyres, 93 per cent report they “definitely will” give a recommendation and 89 per cent intend to repurchase the same brand. Looking at those who needed to replace one or more of their OE tyres, only 7 per cent would give a recommendation and 11 per cent would repurchase the same brand.

“While some problems have a greater impact on customer satisfaction than others, having any type of problem can affect a customer’s likelihood to recommend and remain loyal to their OE tire brand,” said Carolyn McBeth. “Road hazards that cause common wear and tear on tyres are normal and somewhat expected, or are at least tolerated, but issues such as poor traction/grip on dry roads and fast tread wear can have a more significant impact on a customer’s overall impression of a tyre brand.”

The study is based on responses from more than 32,000 owners who purchased a new vehicle between 2004 and 2005 and measures owner satisfaction with the original tyres that came equipped on their new vehicle. It ranks tyre manufacturers based on customer experiences in four vehicle-based tyre segments: luxury/sport; mass-market/non-luxury; pickup/full-size van; and SUV. Rankings are based on owner experiences with their tyres during the first year of ownership.

The results:

OE satisfaction index scores for luxury/sport segment, year one owners (based on a 1,000-point scale)
Michelin 887
Pirelli 871
Goodyear 870
Average 852
Dunlop 849
Continental 821
BFGoodrich 819
Bridgestone 818

Mass Market/Non-Luxury Segment:
Pirelli 883
Michelin 877
Average 833
Bridgestone 825
Goodyear 825
General 822
Hankook 816
Continental 812
Firestone 805
Yokohama 801
Dunlop 789
Kumho 767

Pickup/Full-Size Van Segment:
Michelin 853
Goodyear 831
BFGoodrich 825
Bridgestone 819
Average 801
Hankook 798
General 747
Continental 729

SUV Segment:
Michelin 893
Goodyear 851
BFGoodrich 849
Average 848
Pirelli 843
Bridgestone 842
Continental 839
Dunlop 781