Nokian cheated on tire tests with custom-made ring

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

ccap41

Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
401
Location
Southern Illinois
"Tire maker Nokian Renkaat created custom versions of its products that performed better in comparison tests, according to Bloomberg citing a report from Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti. The paper made these claims based on internal emails and sources at the company.

Nokian CEO Ari Lehtoranta admitted to using custom tires in tests before 2014, which was also prior to him taking over as the corporation's boss. The Finnish newspaper alleged the deception began in 2005, according to Reuters. Lehtoranta claims the company has stopped giving out modified versions of its products for evaluations. ..." Read the rest at the link.

http://www.autoblog.com/2016/02/26/nokian-tire-test-cheat-report/
 
This must be the new thing for doing business in America....NOT...corporations have been cheating government regulations for decades.

One example...the phony "derivative swaps" that caused the housing bubble melt down in 2008.....100% total lies, Bernie Madoff, Enron, Firestone, VW, Takata, GM, Mitsubishi......the list is virtually a mile long

soon you will see advertisements..."We cheat better"
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Cheating is a common business practice in Europe.


yeah, and China, and Mexico, Brazil, United States and of course India.
 
Probably they all do to some extent, if they are supplying the tires for a test. I'm sure a manufacturer wouldn't just grab a random set off the rack anyways...
 
Tire emissions were 30 times less on the cheat versions?
grin.gif


Sad that the market is so competitive that good companies resort to such tactics to gain market share. Nokian makes good stuff, but the measurable difference in the worst tires to the best across all brands is far smaller these days than it was 30 years ago.
 
This is no different than GM's old (?) practice of spending extra time prepping cars to show executives. They'd pull one off the assembly line and have guys sit there to tweak fitment of panels and ensure it was actually better quality than what an average consumer would get. It's part of the reason why GM's executives didn't fully grasp why people thought their cars felt cheap....because they had never even seen an actual production model.
 
Car & Driver back in the late 60's reported that a Ford muscle car sent to them for a shoot out test came to them on a Hollman & Moody trailer. They built NASCAR Grand Nationals. Any resemblance between that and a car off the line was an accident.
 
I wonder how their "super premium pricing" in the USA holds after this. They do make good product but to ask such high prices it must be outstanding. It seems it is less outstanding than European tests make us believe.

Krzys

PS CR buys their tires from tire dealers. There are problems with tires that are not available yet, which manufacturers provide (test cycle is roughly 1 year at CR). I think CR retests tires when they become available.
 
Originally Posted By: krzyss
I wonder how their "super premium pricing" in the USA holds after this. They do make good product but to ask such high prices it must be outstanding. It seems it is less outstanding than European tests make us believe.

Krzys

PS CR buys their tires from tire dealers. There are problems with tires that are not available yet, which manufacturers provide (test cycle is roughly 1 year at CR). I think CR retests tires when they become available.

When I was buying tires for BMW, Nokian Hakka R2 255/55 R18 were $302, and Blizzak's DM-V2 were $156.
 
There's more cheating going on I think. Few weeks ago one large finnish car magazine bashed competing product. They don't usually comment anything about ongoing tyre tests. And now we got this leak, a revenge?

This competing product happens to be designed by people who resigned from Nokian, and started their own business. Nokian has sued them because of stealing trade secrets, or that's what they claim.

http://www.blackdonuts.com/

http://www.tuulilasi.fi/uutiset/kohutulo...petti-lupaukset
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: edyvw
When I was buying tires for BMW, Nokian Hakka R2 255/55 R18 were $302, and Blizzak's DM-V2 were $156.

That is a crazy price. In my size (235/60/18) they were about $200, so not that terrible, but still not cheap.

Discount Tire had some really good deals on it last year, but by that time I had already bought mine.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Why do the testing companies allow manufacturers to send in their products to them in the first place?


Testing companies that can be relied upon for their test results don't do that. Reader beware!
 
Originally Posted By: benjamming
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Why do the testing companies allow manufacturers to send in their products to them in the first place?


Testing companies that can be relied upon for their test results don't do that. Reader beware!
Like Consumer Reports, for example. Like them or hate them, at least they purchase everything they test at the same stores the general public does.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Why do the testing companies allow manufacturers to send in their products to them in the first place?

That is why more people trust Consumer Report, they bought everything from retail outlets, and most items shipped to home address of their employees.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
Toyota Apologizes for Cheating on Vehicle Testing
2 3 4
Replies
75
Views
6K
JHZR2
UG_Passat
  • Locked
Nokian shifting production out of Russia to Finland and USA
Replies
18
Views
3K
Astro14
dnewton3
carry insurance - rates of coverage and denials obscured
Replies
4
Views
1K
jhellwig
UG_Passat
  • Locked
Nokian produces its first test tire in US
2
Replies
25
Views
3K
edyvw
S
Michelin Introduces New "X-Ice Snow"
5 6 7
Replies
139
Views
34K
BillyHW
Back
Top Bottom