Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 18:59:12 -0400
Reply-To: "James R. Wetzel" <jrwetz@BELLATLANTIC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "James R. Wetzel" <jrwetz@BELLATLANTIC.NET>
Subject: Re: tire anecdotal evidence
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Bulley wrote:
>
> I'd like to kibitz on something I happen to know a little about; tire
> design.
>
> A good friend of mine is a senior tire engineer for Bridgestone/Firestone.
> He has discussed on numerous locations, that automobile manufacturers will
> contract with Bridgestone/Firestone, to design the tire that is perfect for
> their car. The manufacturer provides all of the details of the car and
> anticipated needs from the tire. Bridgestone/Firestone goes to the drawing
> board from there.
>
> While some companies like VW, may purchase Commercial-Off-the-Shelf
> available tires, I would be willing to bet ALL are very particular about
> the tires. I think all of us will agree, you can have a wonderful vehicle,
> and put the wrong tires on, and end up with a dog. What company would spend
> millions in R&D for a vehicle, then put tires on that make it handle like a
> glue horse on a mud path?
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
> www.bulley-hewlett.com
> Cary, NC USA
> 888.468.4880 tollfree
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: prs [SMTP:schiemer@MAGICNET.NET]
> Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 8:03 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: tire anecdotal evidence
>
> > To be useful, we would need a large, unbiased sample. Lacking
> > that, I prefer to follow VW's recommendations, since they have made a
> > scientific study of the issue.
>
> It is incorrect to assume Volkswagon has done any kind of study, scientific
> or otherwise, without tangible evidence of same. Just because they design
> and build a vehicle for availability to the mass market, they are not bound
> to 'study' anything about ANY part of the vehicle, tires or otherwise.
> It's just that sort of blind faith that causes consumers to believe myth
> over real 'fact'. IE; VW -a multi billion DM company doing business in
> hundreds of countries throughout the World- builds a car so it HAS to be
> safe to own and drive.
> [Lessee, saddle fuel tanks in Chevy pickups and Pinto gas tanks come to
> mind here...] And both those manufacturers are way bigger than VW. Where
> were all their scientific studies??
> If I was to hazzard a guess, and that's all it is, VW probably inquires
> from the manufacturers what tires they would recommend for a particular
> application. Then they go the extra step to find out how little they'll
> have to pay for the tire on the xx,xxx units they intend to build and sell
> that year. Come next year, they start the process all over again. They'd
> rely on the tire manufacturer for the science, then do the correct bean
> counter thing and buy it (sic; recommend them) on the cheap. Kibitz
Uh, General Motors, as evidenced by their use of Goodyear products.
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