``We believe (Goodyear) even forecasted the demise of the small, independent dealer without telling us.'' Gaylan Gregory
Gregory Tire & Auto, Hurst, Texas, after he and 16 other Texas dealers sued Goodyear for selling to mass merchandisers
``Goodyear cannot be successful in the marketplace if it ignores the channels of distribution that are significant in North America. We need to sell our tires through new channels as well as existing channels.''
Sam Gibara
President & CEO, Goodyear
``(We) lost sight that (our) dealer network is what makes the company successful.''
Joe McCarthy
Senior vice president, sales and
marketing, Continental General Tire
``I've got 100 percent support of the dealers. Now if the board wants to fire me, they've got a real fight on their hands!''
Steve Cloward
President, Big O Tires Inc., during its tumultuous annual dealer meeting
``The tire industry faces five major challenges in product. . . fuel inefficiency, flats, noise, inadequate comfort and prices that are still too high.''
Francois Michelin
Managing partner, Groupe Michelin
``It is painfully clear if we as an industry do not do a better job of educating our employees and customers in proper tire mounting procedures, we are going to be in for some real trouble.''
Michael W. Berra
ARA president, on ``zipper'' ruptures
``(Timothy) McVeigh just pulled up and asked for directions. He proceeded down that way, toward the federal building. Thirty minutes later, the bomb went off.''
Mike Moroz
Johnny's Tire, Oklahoma City,
who gave directions to the accused bomber
``If (tire makers) were indeed colluding on pricing, they're doing a very poor job of it.''
David Garrity
Analyst, Smith Barney Harris Upham,
about the Justice Department's
antitrust probe of alleged pricefixing by U.S. tire makers