At 04:40 PM 05/11/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>So do tell...how does one spot a French country code?
>
Any competant tire store knows the codes. There are old codes and new
codes, more than one code current. If they say they don't know, big red
flag. Look elsewhere. Federal law requires every tire to be identified as
to the country of manufacture. Some, like Continental, spell it out in
molded rubber in addition, "Made in Germany". Michelins are code only,
AFAIK. Just take a look at any tire sidewall, at the small print. Lots of
letters and numbers there giving specific info other than the raised white
logo.

It's just like canned food. They have to know where they came from, which
particular plant, and month and year of production, in case a safety
problem is recognized and they must be recalled.

If you see a TUV approval on there, don't worry about anything but
appropriate size and weight rating for your vehicle. That's the highest
street spec in the world and they been tried and tested by the best,
regardless where they were made.

T.P. Stephens
San Juan Island, WA