I know this post is somewhat old, but I have Goodyear Eagle LS2 tires on my GTP Convertible - 18 inch.
My wife and I just returned from a great 2860 mile trip in our new G6 GTP Convertible with 778 miles on the car when we left. We went from Seattle, WA, down I-5 to Bakersfield CA, across to Barstow CA, and on to Kingman, AZ, our final destination for 3 days.
Just before Mojave, CA, (I-40 east bound) we were traveling in the center lane next to the concrete barrier, doing oh 75-80, when I heard a fairly loud POP. I thought maybe something hit the side of the car, and then I heard a thump, thump, so I pulled off, and discovered a flat tire; well, a real flat tire with a hole in the sidewall about the size of a quarter. No problem right, just unload everything from the trunk, remove the “space saver” spare, jack, and change the tire, which I did, and go get a new one under warranty (less than 2000 miles on it).
So, with the spare on, we went to Mojave, CA, but it was too late, and the ONLY tire store was closed. Had to stay all night, and was told to go to another little town which had a tire store. So, first thing in the morning we went there, about 25 miles, and the guy there didn’t even know what an 18” tire was. So, off to Barstow, CA we head, still with spare on, about 70 miles. Get there, and the GoodYear, store is INDEPENDENTLY OWNED, and doesn’t do anything for GoodYear except carry their name and tires, but no 225/50x18 tires. He said to go to Victorville, CA about 35 miles (each way), to a GoodYear COMPANY Store, and there is a Goodyear Warehouse there also. So, with spare still on, off we go and get to the GoodYear store, and the manager was very helpful. All we wanted was another tire – right. Well, she had NONE, the warehouse had NONE, in fact no tire shop in town (a pretty good size city) had a 225/50x18, PERIOD. By this time, I was becoming somewhat frustrated, , so she gave me the directions to the GM/Pontiac dealer in town, and off we went. I was ready to demand they take a tire/wheel off a GTP and replace mine. As it turned out, they had 4 take offs from a GTP (bright wheel just like mine), that a customer had replaced wheels and tires, and they were willing to sell me one wheel and tire combination for $100.00, that’s right $100.00 (cheap). I said OK, didn’t have much choice, and they didn’t want to buy back my rim, so they broke the tire off and I kept the rim (yes, I made room for it in the trunk).
After all this, we wasted 1 night, and 8 hours of chasing after a tire which doesn’t exist.
As it turns out, this is a new tire size, GoodYear makes it for OE and does not make it for stock, at least until they start to wear out in a couple years.
Bridgestone is the only other manufacturer that makes that size. Beware, if you have 225/50x18 GoodYear tires on your GTP, handle them carefully .
I talked to the tire store that I have done business with for years, and he said these are really not a very good tire, with a low speed rating of T. He suggested replacing them with 245/45x18 tires with a Z performance rating. There are many manufactures of this tire size, and used on many cars as OE.
I have, just concluded talking with GoodYear, and they are going to try and verify that the tire was faulty by contacting the Pontiac Dealer in Victorville, CA. where the wheel/tire was replaced. If they verify it as faulty, I will get reimbursement of some kind. The person I talked with at GoodYear also said that since the tire had less than 2000 miles on it that quite likely she could arrange for some refund regardless.
Later,
