Michelin and Pirelli: the best rubber in SA

J.D Power and Associates named Michelin and Pirelli as the top tyre brands to provide a satisfying customer experience in a recent survey.

The 2007 South African Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study is based on questionnaire responses from more than 5 300 owners of new vehicles registered between October 2005 and September 2006 as part of JP Power and Associates’ global automotive quality and customer satisfaction research programmes.

Michelin and Pirelli top the customer satisfaction rankings, with both tyre makers scoring 843 on a 1 000 point scale. This marks a second consecutive year on top of the rankings for Michelin, while Pirelli has improved by 14 points since 2006 to tie with Michelin. Out of a total of nine brands that were surveyed, other brands that performed well were Continental with 815, Bridgestone (812) and Dunlop (801).

The study measured owner satisfaction according to four factors that are scaled in terms of importance to motorists in South Africa: tyre quality and durability (50 percent), tyre handling (18 percent), tyre appearance (16 percent) and tyre traction (16 percent). Michelin scored well with regard to quality and durability, traction and handling, while Pirelli made its presence felt with regard to tyre appearance. Overall satisfaction with original equipment tyres has improved to its highest level (796) since the study’s introduction in 2004.

“The improvement in overall satisfaction in 2007 is evidence of the commitment of the industry to provide vehicle owners with an ever more satisfying experience with their tyres. As seen in other markets where we conduct the survey, such as India, Japan and the United States, the strong link between an exceptional ownership experience and repurchase of the same tyre brand makes the cost of satisfaction programs worth the investment,” said Brian Walters, vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa operations at J.D. Power and Associates.