CAVEAT EMPTOR!

No, I did not lie to this CEO - rather, I simply changed my mind. WHY? Because, whether he responds or not - whether he reimburses me something - or nothing - the Facts speak for themselves! If I can save someone else from being "sucked in" and "ripped off" - SO BE IT!

"To Be Forewarned Is To Be Forearmed!"

PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE! American manufacturers have been 'Screwing" us for years! They KNOW exactly WHEN a product will FAIL - right AFTER the WARRANTY EXPIRES! That's just good business and good engineering, right?

Thus begins my sad tale ...

GOODYEAR EAGLES SUCK!

© - Tom Hyland - 09-03-09

- FACTS -

1. February 2007 - Purchased 2004 P T Cruiser - only had 30,000 miles on it, and original set of 4 Goodyear Eagle P205/55R16 Tires.

2. July 21, 2007 - 1st tire BLEW - mileage only 38,142 -replaced at Mr. Tire - got same tire, in order to keep matched set. Cost = $124.69.

3. September 21, 2007 - 2nd tire went bad, kept leaking - mileage 41,812 was told steel belts were bad - so replaced it (one with the worst tread) along with another 3rd tire. AND also paid for Front-End Alignment! Tire Cost = $124.69.

4. December 2007 - replaced 4th tire which BLEW - now had complete new set of 4 Eagles - mileage 46,027. Didn’t realize it then, but because I declined to pay EXTRA for so-called Road Hazard coverage, Mr. Tire would credit me with absolutely NOTHING - when these 4 ALL FAILED LATER! Cost = $295.56. Eighteen months passed - 30,000 miles.

5. July 7, 2009 - 5th tire kept leaking - mileage 76,102 - had a 3 inch line cut in the inside wall - Left Front - unfixable - replaced it at Merchant Tires with a Better Japanese tire with 70,000 mile Warranty - for only $123.98 - this INCLUDED road hazard insurance too! Also got Front-end Alignment. Cost = $215.97.

6. August 2009 - 6th Tire - Right Front - noticed steel belts protruding through inside edge of wall - Merchant’s again - matched number 5 - Sumitomo Touring LST. Now had 2 brand-new GOOD Japanese tires on front. Cost = $131.42 (including tax).

7. Just last Friday afternoon - August 28th - was on Baltimore Beltway, 695 - doing 65 mph in Center lane - and BAM! Left Rear Eagle BLEW! Luckily did not fish-tail, was able to swing into right lane, and was able to slowly get off on the Exit Ramp. I had been suffering with a bad BACK for 2 weeks now, and going to the Chiropractor for relief and adjustments - I AM 69 YEARS OLD - and had to crawl around, and change your STUPID TIRE with a spare Donut! I DID NOT APPRECIATE THE AGONY CAUSED BY THIS - AND - I WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT - IF I DID - I WOULD BE SUING YOU!

8. Drove to the closest tire dealer, less than a mile - which just happened to be a Mr. Tire dealer - (which I now DETEST) - took in all my RECEIPTS for your LOUSY tires - and they would do NOTHING! As they did not carry the Japanese brand I already had - replaced with another Japanese tire - Yokohama Avid. Only 60,000 mile Warranty! AND paid extra $17. 00 for Road Hazard coverage to boot -
Cost = $143.51.

9. I now have 3 GOOD JAPANESE TIRES WITH GOOD COVERAGE - and thought - “Well, that’s That!” NOPE! Yesterday morning, when I went outside to leave for work - THE LAST DAMNED GOODYEAR EAGLE WAS ALMOST FLAT! Luckily, the Royal Farm Store is only 1 mile away, and I made it to the Air Pump! I am now MONITORING this Last Piece of S**T - and have no doubt whatsoever that I will be buying a final JAPANESE TIRE in the very near future - AT MERCHANT’s!

10. That, Dear President of GOODYEAR is my TRUE STORY -

SEVEN FAILED GOODYEAR EAGLES IN ONLY TWENTY MONTHS! AT A TOTAL COST TO ME OF $892.33 !!!

In closing, please NOTE this final FACT - I am a writer on AUTHORS DEN - have OVER 473,000 HITS, or Visits!

I shall wait exactly ONE WEEK before posting this true story to my Website - just to allow you time to investigate and respond.

P.S. - Was told by the salesman at Mr. Tire that - the more cheaply made tires, with lower warranties are purposely made from a SOFTER rubber, which wears away more rapidly!

Yours = 40,000 miles =
Perfectly Planned Obsolescence!
CAVEAT EMPTOR ... BUYER BEWARE!

And YET - how come the JAPANESE can make a BETTER tire, with almost DOUBLE the warranty, absorb SHIPPING COSTS for thousands of miles - and still sell it at basically the SAME price as yours?

What a Country! What a Company!
What American Workmanship!

And you wonder why The Big Three ... FAILED?

Sincerely,


Thomas K. Hyland, Jr.
485 Mirabile Lane
Baltimore, MD. 21224

Cell Phone - 410-963-0179 -

Website - www.authorsden.com/tomhyland

© - TKH



ATTN: ROBERT J. KEEGAN, CEO

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co ?1144 East Market Street?Akron, Ohio 44316-0001
?(330) 796-2121?Fax: (330) 796-2222