[kpzen]

Originally Posted by cyneverdie

cant believe your g 3 s burst at 40 KMPH???????

They are Potenza RE88 not GIIIs.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Talking to the claims manager of an insurance company that handles a tire company's product-liability insurance world-wide can be scary!

There's far more than can go wrong in that rubber/steel combination than I ever want to know about.

[cyneverdie]

Originally Posted by blueraven316

Insurance companies are the same everywhere, that's how their business runs, and india is a lot better, if you dig into the insurance business in the US , you will be amazed on how they rip off consumers and get away with it and in some sectors even are responsible for the customer's death just to maximize profits.

oh buddy trust me i understand but in usa you can SUE SUE SUE

& to a man with money and energy to pursue something like this is easy

you can hire out labs and people to do tests :: independently ; in order to get the truth

[bblost]

quite Off-Topic, but the book/ movie Fight Club has the main character as a Auto Recall guy.
The way Chuck Pulhaunik writes his books, makes one kinda shiver.

[madan80]

It is scary- and more importantly frustrating that the tires burst in 900kms. Just hope things work out.

There are a lot of unknowns, so personally, dont know how much water this case holds.

[itzzme]

Originally Posted by emanuscript

Team:

Please read the below communique. I am planning to move consumer court. Could anyone help me on what else to do? Can I claim Insurance?

I cant get over the shock that a world renowned tire manufacturer is so insensitive and irresponsible in the event of a genuine mishap.

Regards,
Manu


Manu.

Is it possible for you to post pics of the subjected tyres?

[Shan2nu]

The RE88s are pretty tough. It survived two 30min sessions of non stop torture at the Chennai track, when me n wolf drove his car last year.

It's gonna be very diff for you to prove that the tyres were of bad quality.

Shan2nu

[emanuscript]

Team:

1. It is a Bridgestone Potenza 15"

I had written to Bridgestone Global Head quarters and some one from their Mumbai office and they told me that they want to reinspect the tires. I have told them that they can do it in my presence.

She also told me that the matter is in front of their highest authority in Japan. I do not know how true that is.

The most ridiculous thing in the entire episode was the Hyderabad Office offering me 25% discount as a "good will gesture". I declined and paid full amount for a new tire. So I am running without a spare.

I hope they close it before it reaches court. I plan to visit the consumer court on this Thursday.

My point is, there are technical reasoning and rulesets and standard responses if it happens for 1 tire - But when both your tires are burst in a single go - It is exception and a world renowned manufacturer should look at it as an exception. It was like you are somebody who is trying to save money for buying new tires and asking for replacement - which I have a problem with.

Dan/Thad/Cypher - some clarification for you:

1. It was not a puncture - It was a burst - of 2 tires in one go.
2. I have not provided with any evidence - I just told them the truth that there was rubble onthe road. If Brand New tires can't handle 4" rubbles (both the tires) on the road - Hello - Is this still India - then I need to migrate next to a formula 1 track city.
3. I went back and inspected the rubble - there was no left over tools on the road or hot tar, just rubbles.
4. The rickguy around the corner who helped me to go around to tire fixers mentioned "Is se toh acha hamara tire hai - kahi bhi chalta hai"

At the end of the day, I think all it takes is put yourself into the shoes of a customer who is stranded and he had two tires from your company which went flat - and you are supposed to be the great company that people talk about...

Aah - Its tiring, but I think I am gonna pursue it till the end.

Will keep you posted.

Regards,
Manu.

[emanuscript]

I have not taken the photos - Will do that today.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

@ Thad

I would strongly reccomend you taking up the case with HM (car manufacturers)

Ricky_63, thad never had any problems with his tyres. He is just a tyre manufacturer's insurer's claims manager. Now we know what you are mr.ginathom. LOL

Waiting for the snaps emanuscript.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Hmmm... yes, mistaken identity.

But no, I was never at the sharp end of insurance, underwriting or claims. I'd even say that I knew very little about the ins and outs of a very complex business. So mistaken assumption there too.

I was a systems manager, and although I had to keep the underlying databases going, I wasn't even familiar with the very complex workings of the underwriting- and claims- processing software that they supported. I was familiar with the accounts package and spent more time working with the accounts guys. But hey, you go to meetings, you hear the talk, you get to know at least a bit about how the industry thinks.

And the claims manager had a section of radial type balanced on top of his monitor, and was happy to lecture anyone who'd listen about what could fail, delaminate, blah blah blah. Dangerous things, those tires.

anyway, but I thought I'd better put you straight on this; I'd hate to have people thinking I was claims manager!!!!

And if the mods want to delete this side issue, that's certainly fine with me!

[kuttapan]

@Thad - I would like to know under what circumstances the tyre company accepted that the mistake was theirs and agreed to pay. Did they inspect the tyre and conclude that it was a manufacturing defect?

If that was the case, is there an independent authority who can look at a tyre and certify that it was faulty? In India, I mean.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Please guys.... I was probably stupid to make a throw-away comment about this just to illustrate corporate/insurance thinking in a very general way

I barely remember any more than what I have said, and even if I did I would have to remain bound to confidentiality on a for-ever basis.

Anyway, I don't remember any more details, but I guess it went to court and expert witnesses were involved. It was not in India; I have no knowledge about how these things work here.

If I could advise on matters of insurance I'd happily do so: I'm only qualified to advise on Unix operating systems. Not even that any more; I last worked in 2003 and have been studiously forgetting it all.

Sorry!

[DirtyDan]

1. It was not a puncture - It was a burst - of 2 tires in one go.

This actually could be taken just as much as evidence of a road hazzard as opposed to manufacturer defect. The possibility of 2 tires with defects blowing at the same time seems remote.

We have all been victimized by corporate greed and poor quality products at one time or another. But I have to tell you that I do not yet see how you can win based on what you have told us.

At any rate, good luck with it. Maybe you will get lucky.

[blueraven316]

Originally Posted by cyneverdie

oh buddy trust me i understand but in usa you can SUE SUE SUE

& to a man with money and energy to pursue something like this is easy

you can hire out labs and people to do tests :: independently ; in order to get the truth

Well you are right and spot on with the concept, and yes with respect to vehicle insurance claims etc you can do a lot out there and there are consumer protection laws which are very strict in the USA, but that was not what I was refering to. The concept was about giving an example that not everything is perfect in the USA, Healthcare industry and insurance is a huge scam in the USA.
Well if you have doubts on what I am telling you about, watch the documentary "Sicko".