Customers with run-flat tyres are less satisfied overall and replace tyres more frequently in the first two years of ownership than do those with non-run-flat tyres, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Original Equipment Tyre Customer Satisfaction Study. The study measures tyre owner satisfaction in four vehicle segments: luxury, passenger car, performance sport and truck/utility. Satisfaction is examined in four factors: tyre wear; tyre ride; tyre appearance; and tyre traction/handling. Rankings are based on owner experiences with their tyres after two years of vehicle ownership. The study finds that overall satisfaction among owners of run-flat tyres lags that of owners of non-run-flat tyres across the luxury, passenger car and performance sport segments, a pattern consistent with previous iterations of the study. The difference is most pronounced in the performance sport segment, where satisfaction with non-run-flat tyres averages 685 points on a 1,000-point scale and satisfaction with run-flat tyres averages 612.
In the luxury segment, satisfaction with run-flat tyres is 24 points lower than with non-run-flat tyres (688 vs. 712, respectively). In all three of the rank-eligible segments, the largest gaps in satisfaction are in tyre ride and tyre wear. “The use of run-flat tyres is likely to increase as automakers continue to view them as a viable option for improving fuel efficiency by eliminating the need for a spare tyre, thereby reducing the weight,” said Brent Gruber, director, global automotive division at J.D. Power. “It’s vital that auto and tyre manufacturers address the ride and wear issues, which are still not meeting customer expectations. Customers expect that run-flat tyres won’t compromise tread life or the ability to provide a quiet and comfortable ride.” Owners with run-flat tyres also replace tyres more frequently in the first two years of ownership than do non-run-flat customers.
While the replacement rate for run-flat tyres owners is slightly higher in the first year of ownership (10 percent vs. 7 percent, respectively), the discrepancy becomes more pronounced in the second year of ownership, when 27 percent of run-flat tyre owners replaced at least one tyre, compared with 16 percent of non-run-flat tyre owners. “While tyre manufacturers have made improvements in addressing dealers’ reluctance to repair run-flat tyres in the same way they would non-run-flat tyres, customers with run-flat tyres are still replacing them at a much higher rate,” said Gruber. “Manufacturers need to continue making progress in this area in order to increase satisfaction and loyalty among their run-flat tyre customers.”