A nice pair of shoes or a safe set of tyres?

A nice pair of shoes or a safe set of tyres?

40% of Gen Ys know the risks of driving on unsafe tyres but do it anyway

Auckland, Wednesday 15 July- A recent survey by consumer research company, Canstar Blue about Kiwis’ car tyre habits has unearthed some dangerous behaviours from our Gen Ys.

Gen Ys are taking more risks when it comes to their tyres, with 40% being aware of the risks of driving on incorrectly inflated or bald tyres, but doing it anyway, says Canstar New Zealand General Manager, Jose George.

“Close to a third of the younger generation are also more willing to fork out their hard earned cash on a great pair of shoes than they are on a good set of tyres (32%), showing just how easy it is to prioritise the things we want over the ‘boring’ things that can keep us safe.

“But when it is time to lock in a tyre purchase, New Zealanders are overwhelmingly (79%) in support of safety over price when deciding on which tyres to buy, even Gen Ys at 77%.

“This is most likely due to the fact that more than a third (36%) of Kiwis have been in/or have been fearful of, an accident when driving with old or worn tyres, making safety important.”

Wellingtonians (83%) and Aucklanders (78%) are the most safety conscious of the regions, checking the condition of their tyres before heading off on a long road trip.

Road-side assistance?

Close to three quarters of Kiwis feel confident that they can change a tyre on the side of the road if need be but just 67% of Gen Ys share that confidence. And Gen Ys are the generation most likely to have called road side assistance to change a car tyre for them (19%).

Women are also more likely to pick up their phones and call for help when they need to switch to the spare (21%) while men are more likely to do a DIY job.

How much do you know about tyres?

Gen Ys are the least knowledgeable when it comes to their car tyres, with 55% stating that they don’t know how to tell if they are getting a good deal or not compared to 35% of Baby Boomers who are more switched on to tyre bargains.

More than a quarter of the New Zealanders (27%) have purchased cheap, low quality tyres and regretted it, says George.

“This shows how important it is to be informed in the best ways to put safety first. You can visit sites like tyresafe.org for more advice.”

Parking debacles

Overall, Kiwis are not especially skilled at parallel parking as 56% admit to scratching their wheel rims while trying to slip into a parallel spot.

Wellingtonians (61%) are the most likely of the regions to have a spot of trouble with their parallel parking.

The survey asked respondents to rate their car tyre brand across seven categories:

1. Value for money

2. Warranty

3. Life of tyre

4. Handling

5. Noise

6. Quality of tyres

7. Overall satisfaction

This year, Bridgestone has walked away with the top honours for overall consumer satisfaction, achieving five stars in every category.

Value for money was the number one driver of satisfaction for car tyres customers (28%) and Bridgestone was the only brand to score five stars in this category, says George.

“Having your vehicle fitted with a good set of tyres plays an important role in the safety and performance of your vehicle.

“This is what consumers are receiving when they shop with Bridgestone - their focus on tyre safety and a constant goal to inform consumers how to get the most out of their tyres means that they can drive away with peace of mind.”

Car Tyres by region:

Auckland: Aucklanders are the least likely to feel confident that they can change a tyre on the side of the road if need be (68%), most likely to have called road side assistance to change a car tyre for them (21%), most likely to have driven on their spare because they couldn’t afford a new tyre (18%), most likely to know the risks of driving on incorrectly inflated/bald tyres but do it anyway (32%), most likely to be willing to spend more on a great pair of shoes than a great set of tyres (15%), most likely to say that safety is more important than price when buying tyres (82%) and most likely to not know if they are getting a good tyre deal or not (45%).

Waikato: Those from the Waikato are least likely to check the condition of their tyres before a long trip (71%), least likely (equal with Canterbury) to have driven on their spare because they couldn’t afford a new tyre (15%), least likely to be willing to spend more on a great pair of shoes than a great set of tyres (7%), most likely to have purchased, cheap low quality tyres and regretted it (37%), most likely to have been in/have been fearful of an accident when driving with old/worn tyres (40%) and least likely to have scratched their wheel rims trying to parallel park (47%).

Wellington: Wellingtonians are most likely to check the condition of their tyres before a long road trip (83%), least likely to know the risks of driving on incorrectly inflated/bald tyres but still do it anyway (24%) and most likely to have scratched their wheel rims trying to parallel park (61%).

Canterbury: Cantabrians are least likely (equal with Waikato) to have driven on their spare because they couldn’t afford a new tyre (15%).

Otago: Those from Otago are least likely to have purchased a cheap, low quality tyres and regretted it (23%) and least likely to be able to tell if they are getting a good tyre deal or not (35%).

Bay of Plenty: Those from the Bay of Plenty are most likely to feel confident that they can change a tyre on the side of the road of need be (80%), least likely to have called road side assistance to change a car tyre for them (11%), least likely to say that safety is more important than price when buying tyres (72%) and least likely to say that they have been in/ been fearful of an accident when driving with old/worn tyres (34%).

About the survey

Canstar Blue commissions respected professional market research agency Colmar Brunton Australia, to undertake research on our behalf using SSI NZ panel.

The outcomes reported here are the results from a survey of Kiwis have purchased car tyres in the last 18 months (not re-treads). In this case there were 869 people surveyed.

Age Groups:

Gen Y: 18-29

Gen X: 30-44

Baby Boomers: 45+

*This geographical breakdown outlines exceptions only.

ENDS

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