GS Tire Wear GM Laugh of the Week-- it's Drivers Fault
12-13-2012, 07:32 PM
#21
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Ya know, Goodyear might have designed the tires, but they designed them to GMs specifications, including how much they would cost, and how long they would last. So don't blame Goodyear for doing exactly what GM told them to do. GM qualifies everything that is supplied to them. They tested the Goodyear tires extensively before qualifying them and giving Goodyear a contract to supply them on the G/S knowing full well how long the tires would last, under both normal and severe use. They are summer performance tires. That means they were designed to be used in summer. They have a soft grabby compound in warm weather (not cold), that enables them to corner at higher than nomal G forces, but which also has low wear resistance (like yellow art gum erasers compared to pink ones which lasted longer). The car magazines then test these cars, and guess what? On a dry, smooth test track the G/S provides impressive cornering in their test reports. Joe/Jane Sixpack is impressed, and uses this and other meaningless information like "hand assembled engines" to pursuade him/her to pay premium dollars for the wide-bodied G/S which just happens to strongly resemble real high performance Vettes like the Z06 and ZR1, the real reason he/she Sixpack wants to own one. Did GM tell them the frigging tires would only last 8,000-12,000 miles? No. Did the buyers bother to check out the limitatations on these tires? No. Did GM bother to tell them their were no all-season runflats to replace them? No. Did buyers bother to check if all-season tires were available for the G/S? No. Well of course, nobody today is responsible for their own actions right? Gee then ir must be Goodyears fault for providing tires to GM specifications, and GMs fault for selling a car that met market demands. Gee, no one is at fault, a perfect resolution of any situation faced today. 
12-13-2012, 07:39 PM
#22
Race Director
Don't worry about wear ratings as they are useless between brands.
My friend's ZR1 tires have 12k on them and look real good. But they are Michelins also. They do cost around $2600 though.
My friend's ZR1 tires have 12k on them and look real good. But they are Michelins also. They do cost around $2600 though.
12-13-2012, 08:04 PM
#23
Melting Slicks
No offense but is that why they have them so they serve no purpose. Do you think someone from Tire Rack would agree, just curious?
12-13-2012, 08:35 PM
#24
Melting Slicks
GM is puttting Michelins on all C7's....goodbye Goodyear
12-13-2012, 09:05 PM
#25
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St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Deb, After reading Laconiajack's post it seems that I was confused about your car. I thought it was the ZR1 you were talking about, but actually it was the Grand Sport? Even worse.
12-13-2012, 11:41 PM
#27
Racer
1st gen supercar F1's
I am on my 2nd set with just 6K on my 2011 GS. GM replaced them at just over 3000 miles for free. The back are now bald again. I'm a 52 year old man that does not spin his tires. I now need to buy new rears on a car with just 6K.
Which non run-flat are the best?
Which non run-flat are the best?
12-14-2012, 07:30 AM
#28
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17, '21
Deb I just changed my original Gy wranglers, on my 07 gmc van with almost 60000 miles on them and they still had 3 to 4/32 on them. It can be done, but what is the tradeoff. If they don't pro rate a new set at least let them know you will never buy GY's again and there are 80000 members on the Corvette forum and I will tell everyone of them how crappy they are. A new set must be over 2 grand on a ZR1, so that means 2000 every year for new tires. WOW!!!!
As usual blah blah has nothing to say about the subject that is relevant
H
BTW I know MANY people older than you that do drive with thee ol leadfoot The run craps are CRAP no matter how you drive. 
12-14-2012, 09:47 AM
#29
Race Director
One's only recourse is to vote with their wallet. Many of us have as we refuse to be milked by GY. NOT talking about GY's passenger car or truck tires, they're a different animal altogether.
In all fairness & as a few others have already pointed out the GY compound's soft for superior traction. Problem is the stickiness lasts no more than 5K. Afterwards the compound gets hard as hell while rapidly wearing regardless driving style. Whether or not the condition's due to Chevrolet and/or GY misses the point, IMO. Unless ytour last name's Rousch, Childress or Henerick.
Have replaced every set of GY HP tires on my past & present Corvettes with Bridgestones since '96. For me replacing HP GY tires is a no brainer when they quickly wear out, replace with anything except GY. Period.
Member above states all C7s will have Michelins.
Only comment I have hearing this has to be: What took GM so long.
In all fairness & as a few others have already pointed out the GY compound's soft for superior traction. Problem is the stickiness lasts no more than 5K. Afterwards the compound gets hard as hell while rapidly wearing regardless driving style. Whether or not the condition's due to Chevrolet and/or GY misses the point, IMO. Unless ytour last name's Rousch, Childress or Henerick.
Have replaced every set of GY HP tires on my past & present Corvettes with Bridgestones since '96. For me replacing HP GY tires is a no brainer when they quickly wear out, replace with anything except GY. Period.
Member above states all C7s will have Michelins.
Only comment I have hearing this has to be: What took GM so long.
12-14-2012, 11:34 AM
#31
Burning Brakes
One's only recourse is to vote with their wallet. Many of us have as we refuse to be milked by GY. NOT talking about GY's passenger car or truck tires, they're a different animal altogether.
In all fairness & as a few others have already pointed out the GY compound's soft for superior traction. Problem is the stickiness lasts no more than 5K. Afterwards the compound gets hard as hell while rapidly wearing regardless driving style. Whether or not the condition's due to Chevrolet and/or GY misses the point, IMO. Unless ytour last name's Rousch, Childress or Henerick.
Have replaced every set of GY HP tires on my past & present Corvettes with Bridgestones since '96. For me replacing HP GY tires is a no brainer when they quickly wear out, replace with anything except GY. Period.
Member above states all C7s will have Michelins.
Only comment I have hearing this has to be: What took GM so long.
In all fairness & as a few others have already pointed out the GY compound's soft for superior traction. Problem is the stickiness lasts no more than 5K. Afterwards the compound gets hard as hell while rapidly wearing regardless driving style. Whether or not the condition's due to Chevrolet and/or GY misses the point, IMO. Unless ytour last name's Rousch, Childress or Henerick.
Have replaced every set of GY HP tires on my past & present Corvettes with Bridgestones since '96. For me replacing HP GY tires is a no brainer when they quickly wear out, replace with anything except GY. Period.
Member above states all C7s will have Michelins.
Only comment I have hearing this has to be: What took GM so long.
"Specified by Corvette engineers for over 30 years, Goodyear tires have been used to set up your Corvette's suspension for optimum handling and comfort. Proven #1 on the racetrack and on the street. These are all season compound and tread design for performance and safe traction in any weather."
12-14-2012, 11:35 AM
#32
Burning Brakes
Ya know, Goodyear might have designed the tires, but they designed them to GMs specifications, including how much they would cost, and how long they would last. So don't blame Goodyear for doing exactly what GM told them to do. GM qualifies everything that is supplied to them. They tested the Goodyear tires extensively before qualifying them and giving Goodyear a contract to supply them on the G/S knowing full well how long the tires would last, under both normal and severe use. They are summer performance tires. That means they were designed to be used in summer. They have a soft grabby compound in warm weather (not cold), that enables them to corner at higher than nomal G forces, but which also has low wear resistance (like yellow art gum erasers compared to pink ones which lasted longer). The car magazines then test these cars, and guess what? On a dry, smooth test track the G/S provides impressive cornering in their test reports. Joe/Jane Sixpack is impressed, and uses this and other meaningless information like "hand assembled engines" to pursuade him/her to pay premium dollars for the wide-bodied G/S which just happens to strongly resemble real high performance Vettes like the Z06 and ZR1, the real reason he/she Sixpack wants to own one. Did GM tell them the frigging tires would only last 8,000-12,000 miles? No. Did the buyers bother to check out the limitatations on these tires? No. Did GM bother to tell them their were no all-season runflats to replace them? No. Did buyers bother to check if all-season tires were available for the G/S? No. Well of course, nobody today is responsible for their own actions right? Gee then ir must be Goodyears fault for providing tires to GM specifications, and GMs fault for selling a car that met market demands. Gee, no one is at fault, a perfect resolution of any situation faced today.
12-14-2012, 11:51 AM
#33
Burning Brakes
12-14-2012, 12:06 PM
#34
Race Director
"Specified by Corvette engineers for over 30 years, Goodyear tires have been used to set up your Corvette's suspension for optimum handling and comfort. Proven #1 on the racetrack and on the street. These are all season compound and tread design for performance and safe traction in any weather."
The above quote was spun by marketing, apparently.
Chevrolet might'v done better listening to Corvette owner feedback, which it sure looks like they've done. Now. Finally.
Buy GYs Bill, your money, choose what you want.
I have.
12-14-2012, 12:11 PM
#35
Burning Brakes
what took GM so long? ...
"Specified by Corvette engineers for over 30 years, Goodyear tires have been used to set up your Corvette's suspension for optimum handling and comfort. Proven #1 on the racetrack and on the street. These are all season compound and tread design for performance and safe traction in any weather."
"Specified by Corvette engineers for over 30 years, Goodyear tires have been used to set up your Corvette's suspension for optimum handling and comfort. Proven #1 on the racetrack and on the street. These are all season compound and tread design for performance and safe traction in any weather."
12-14-2012, 12:25 PM
#36
Team Owner
But on my base 2005 Corvette Coupe I replaced the factory original GY RF tires with Continental Extreme DWS (Dry Wet Snow) all season tire which is the lowest cost brand name tire with longest treadwear rating & warranty as I don't drive on the track or drive aggressively all the time.
Alot more quiet ride now too.
There is also another tire by Continental which cost a little more and has a little less tredwear life rating. Extreme (DW) Dry and Wet. Don't know any more on this tire
Last edited by LS WON; 12-14-2012 at 12:31 PM.
12-14-2012, 02:09 PM
#37
Le Mans Master
12-14-2012, 02:33 PM
#38
Le Mans Master
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My local dealer has replaced tires on three different GS's in my Corvette club. First car a 11 GS conv 3,200 miles both fronts down to 3/32 GM replaced them for free. Second car 10 GS coupe 5,400 miles all four tires 2/32 GM replaced all for free. Third car 10 GS conv 4,100 miles fronts 3/32 GM replaced for free.
I have worked for the last 30 years at a used Corvette dealership and can tell you Goodyears starting with the Eagle GT's used on the 78-82's The VR's 84-87's ZR's 88-91, GSC's 92-96, F1's 97-04 and the C6's pure junk. Each style had problems.
I talked to Tadge at Corvettes@Carlisle and said don't used Goodyears on the C7. He said why? I said you guys know they have problem but won't fess up to it. His response was we invite all tires companies to a tire shoot out and pick what works the best. He also said if the car magazines give the car a bad review because of the tires would you still buy a Corvette. My response was those magazines hate Corvettes because the car is better than any of the imports at 1/2 the cost.
I have worked for the last 30 years at a used Corvette dealership and can tell you Goodyears starting with the Eagle GT's used on the 78-82's The VR's 84-87's ZR's 88-91, GSC's 92-96, F1's 97-04 and the C6's pure junk. Each style had problems.
I talked to Tadge at Corvettes@Carlisle and said don't used Goodyears on the C7. He said why? I said you guys know they have problem but won't fess up to it. His response was we invite all tires companies to a tire shoot out and pick what works the best. He also said if the car magazines give the car a bad review because of the tires would you still buy a Corvette. My response was those magazines hate Corvettes because the car is better than any of the imports at 1/2 the cost.
12-14-2012, 02:44 PM
#39
Le Mans Master
Update: Had front tires and alignment redone at aprox 7500 miles -GM said back tires were not worn enough to replace at that time.
2K miles later as par for the course the Run Craps on the rear are done.
GM Field Rep says now it's the way people drive these cars that is causing the tire wear
and they won't replace them. There is not a tire wear issue with them. I could barely contain my laughter!
2K miles later as par for the course the Run Craps on the rear are done.
GM Field Rep says now it's the way people drive these cars that is causing the tire wear
and they won't replace them. There is not a tire wear issue with them. I could barely contain my laughter!
12-14-2012, 02:49 PM
#40
Le Mans Master
My best friend is a Good Year store manager. He won't even buy Good Years for his own cars. The 2002 Convertible Vette that I sold him last year has Michelin A/S ZP run flats on it. He was the one who convinced me into buying those tires!
