Cootish rant to no one in particular re: tires

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obbop

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"The tire's shoulder design and sidewall offer a combination of style and ruggedness that complements the vehicle's image."

Embedded within the blurb desribing a particular tire.

OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!! The shanty-dwelling Coot (really should trademark that) is REALLY concerned about the conveyance's image.

Heaven FORBID that the neighbors and general onlookers lambast the conveyance for not displaying the proper "image."

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..... growl.

Perhaps the internal anguish is at least in past due to knowing that there are American voters whose mental level IS one wherein their vehical's "image" counts for sumpthin'.

Not referring to a vehicle's cleanliness or the level to which it is maintained. Nope. It's this subjectively defined "image" thing.

IMAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If the blurb about image wasn't effective advertising assuredly the highly-paid marketing folks for the tire's manufacturer would not include such a mention.

Sheeeeesh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Obtaining tires is NOT akin to picking new sheets for the bed or the paint to slather across a shanty's walls.

What the HECKAROO does "image" have to do with the vast majority of rolling stock infesting the highways and byways? Old Coot can understand seeking a "look" for a tire for show cars etc. but for the typical 4-wheeled transportation device........ "image"????????????

Just don't make a lick o' sense to this ol' timer.

Stupid inane vain illogical humans.... well, the majority, anyway.

IMAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

/end rant
 
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The closest I get is I want only blackwalls since they are easiest to clean. I've had the BFG Radial T/A's and they were a pain to keep the letters clean (besides the entire car.).
 
A "cool" tread design may be a selling point. Certainly the Pirelli P6000, Yokohama AVS ES100, Goodyear Eagle F1-G3, and Bridgestone Potenza S-02 were sold with a "radical looking" tread as a selling point.

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The BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW 2 definitely uses it's oddball appearance as a selling point.

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/overview/g-Force_TA_KDW/22.html

Quote:

Benefit: Cutting-edge appearance
Feature: Choice of two great-looking tread patterns, sweet sidewall styling–customized to meet the preferences of all UHP consumers

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By the way - many of the newer Michelin tires have sidewalls complete with a graphic of a of Bibendum standing next to a checkered flag motif. What does it say? Just that the owner can afford Michelins.
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Obtaining tires is NOT akin to picking new sheets for the bed

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Depends whom you ask. I personally spend a lot of time researching tires before making a purchase. Bed sheets - I could care less - it's a piece of cloth that sits under the blanket and is practically never seen.

I know it's silly and it has little to do with performance, but I do enjoy seeing an eye-pleasing tread pattern on a tire. OK, so maybe I have a tire fetish....
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Quote:

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Obtaining tires is NOT akin to picking new sheets for the bed

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Depends whom you ask. I personally spend a lot of time researching tires before making a purchase. Bed sheets - I could care less - it's a piece of cloth that sits under the blanket and is practically never seen.

Click to expand...

Tire manufacturers really do sell things this way. I had a set of Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S tires. They were assymetric with an inner and outer side specified. The outer side had a fancy graphic with the current pronounced "P" Pirelli logo and stylized lettering for the tire model, size, and load information. The inner side said PIRELLI in plain block outline letters and has the same info in plain lettering.
 
There's 'rice', to describe modifying Honda Civics to sometimes inane levels, but only to those of other auto camps :^)

In other forums I've coined the term 'corn', to describe the larger 4WD trucks and SUVs with large lifts, big tires, roll bars, carefully cleaned (waxed ?) white shocks, etc.

Then there's 'beans' to describe the typically older, lowered Chevy sedans with hydraulics, often doing 50 mph in the #1 lane.

And there's a new camp that I see, modifying SUVs with fancy wheels, low profile performance tires, sometines with spinners. Some in the Portland area made the news during a recent winter storm, playing pinball off of other cars, streetlights, etc., while careening out of control down the snow and ice covered streets, but their tires were fashionable. I haven't settled on a name for this group yet, but 'cheese' seems like a candidate.
 
I wouldn't put tires with whitewalls, white stripes, or white lettering on a vehicle, but I'm not too picky about the looks of a tire's sidewall as long as it's black. I do like the tread design to look like it will function well in the conditions I intend to use it though!
 
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What the HECKAROO does "image" have to do with the vast majority of rolling stock infesting the highways and byways?

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One important point to remember, and a marketers gold; The general buying public is a bunch of idiots.

Many years ago I was gasing up at a station across from a dealership, a new S10 blazer rollers in, two people get out. Obviously the salesguy, and the mark. The mark is out looking at the truck, ogling it, while the sales guy is gassing up, and he's asking the sales guy, "Are you sure these are the biggest tires I can order?" Yup. The tire size was more important to this guy than their ability to pull him through the mud/dirt/snow that his potential new 4x4 should be used for.

Alex.
 
I have to say the looks of a tire don't mean much to me, but if I'm buying one or two used tires for a vehicle I'm going to do my darndest to get the exact same tread pattern.

I used to own a 1993 Dodge Dynasty which had half-used Goodyear Intrepids on it when I bought it at 77K. I thought that was funny, Intrepids on a Dynasty, but I digress.

This wasn't a problem, and I was done with those tires by 98K. I bought another set, and was just about done with them at 140K when Goodyear discontinued the tire and decided the Aquatred line would suffice as a replacement. Those didn't match the Intrepids, so I went on a quest around Central Ohio to locate a complete set of Intrepids at any store. I did manage to drive 90 miles out of my way to a small Goodyear store in Springfield, Ohio where I got a set of Intrepids for half of retail, plus installation. Those tires lasted until I totaled the car 2 years and 24,000 miles later at 164K.

I purchased a 1992 Dynasty with 162K to replace it. It had bald junk tires and I went to the junkyard where my '93 sat and I pulled those wheels and Intrepid tires off and put them on the '92. 28,000 miles later I sold the car and the tires were still on it, but bald.

I guess the Regatta 2 would be the current Goodyear tire to match those Intrepids, but they don't have much of a rain channel.
 
Take it a step beyond the look of a tire---- and---- we have AROMA!!! The new Kuhmo Ecsta DX Aroma will entice the ladies with a lavender scent!!! I kid you not! Take a look at the TireRack website. Maybe someone can post a link. My ability at this computer is limited.
 
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That is without any doubt, the most ridiculous thing I've seen attached to a motor vehicle in a long, long time!!!

Perhaps they should make the "lavender fragrance" tires look like this!

Fragrance??? Sure, I'll take a set of "Smoky Burnout" fragrance tires -- for my Prius!!!
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