Vehicle and Tire Changes Caused by CAFE Standards
By Joe Severns
August 9, 2010
Thirty-five years ago, the U.S. government enacted the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to improve the a...
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Tire-Destroying Drifters Raise Tire Hungry Crowds - and Opportunities
By Joe Severns
July 12, 2010
Clutch drops. Trail braking. Line. Feint. Tansou (speed attack) and Tsuiso (chase attack). Oversteer.
Oh, and tire smoke....
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Digital Revolution Makes Information Available Anytime, Anywhere
By Joe Severns
June 17, 2010
About two years ago, I made the big leap into the 21st century new media by buying an iPod.
At the time, I was driving about 1,000 miles per week – and I thought the novelty of listening to my album collection without havin...
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'Performance' Tires Are Everywhere: Do They Still Stand Out?
By Joe Severns
May 17, 2010
What is performance? A recent commercial by stalwart automaker
Mercedes-Benz asks the question – and then sets about answering it as
completely as 30 seconds of prime-time television can.
Sparing their hyperbole, arguably...
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Reassuring and Serving Customers Suffering From Sticker Shock
By Joe Severns
April 14, 2010
There was never a doubt in my mind that I would own a BMW one day. Call it fate, call it kismet, karma…whatever. I’ve had my eye ...
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Taking Stock: Be Ready with Performance Upgrade Options for 2010
By Scott Blair
December 15, 2009
Many times over the years, the automotive aftermarket has been given a platform that has largely contributed to a $35+ billion industry. This year, that car was the 2010 Camaro.
...
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Playing it Smart: Companies Adapt Wheel Trends in a Recovering Economy
By Scott Blair
November 23, 2009
The best thing about being at the bottom is that there is only one way to go: Up.
2009 has been a dismal year for the aftermarket industry, especially custom wheels. Manufacturers and distributors felt the downturn in 2008 and held off...
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R-Compound Tires Bring Dealers Recognition, Loyalty
By Denise Koeth
October 14, 2009
Imagine a niche tire segment with relatively low profit margins, fewer consumers and a low-volume product line. At first glance, this may not seem like something a sane tire dealer would want to consider, especially in today’s economy.
...
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Top Shop Honorees Share More Keys to Success
By Scott Blair
October 14, 2009
I have written this column for several years now, many times discussing various aspects of performance, whether it is tires, wheels or suspensions. And I’ve tried to focus on tangible items we can touch and measure, one against another, to der...
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Prep Work: How Dealers Can Get a Jump on ESC Requirements
By Scott Blair
August 15, 2009
Overall traffic fatalities reported in 2008 hit their lowest level since 1961.
The
U.S. Department of Transportation released this statement in July. They
went on to say, “that fatalities in the first three months of 2009
con...
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Track-Inspired: Racing Programs Help Dealers Make Real-World Recommendations
By Scott Blair
August 15, 2009
How many of us have heard how products designed for the street were developed on a race track?
Many
of the claims such as this are not much more than marketing hype. For
the tire industry though, we can truly say that our products t...
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Shifting Sizes: Keeping Up is Key as OEMs Roll Out New Models
By Scott Blair
July 15, 2009
Earlier this year, we spoke to a number of tire and wheel manufacturers to find out where the size trend is heading. What we found was while aftermarket wheel manufacturers are moving to smaller diameter wheels, OEMs are still pushing tire manufactur...
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Buildin' It Up - Part 2: Putting the Finishing Touches on a True Original
By Scott Blair
June 15, 2009
Last month, we began to walk through the process of putting a true original back on the street with custom wheels and new tires.
To pick up where we left off in May, Larry, the owner of the 1935 Chevy 3-Window coupe, had chosen BFGo...
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Buildin' It Up - Part 1: Putting a True Original Back on the Street Takes a Studied Approach
By Scott Blair
May 14, 2009
Passion [pash-uh n] – noun. Any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling.
That’s the definition of passion. In our world of tires and wheels, are you passionate about cars and trucks, or are they just utilitarian to you?...
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Forward Thinking: New Models Mean New Customization Options
By Scott Blair
April 14, 2009
Over the last few months, we discussed what industry experts and retailers are predicting for the near future. In light of those views, this month we’ll focus on several new vehicles that are heading our way.
As much as I love...
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Where to Next?: Part III: Performance Trends at the Dealer Level
By Scott Blair
March 13, 2009
The last two months have provided much insight into the UHP tires being produced and the subtle swing toward lightweight forged wheels at the OE level. Now, at the conclusion of our three-part series on the future of the UHP tire and custom wheel ...
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Where to Next?: Part II: Wheel Trends and Forecasts
By Scott Blair
February 12, 2009
Last month, we started a three-part series on the future of the tire and wheel industry. Tire manufacturers told us UHP demand is still rising and will continue to outpace other segments for the foreseeable future. The quest is now for the u...
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Where to Next?: Tire Trends and TPMS Forecasts for Changing Times
By Scott Blair
January 13, 2009
Where do we go from here? To find out, we begin a three-part series to see where tire and wheel manufacturers, along with retail dealers, believe the performance market is heading.
First up: tires. We have all questioned the prolife...
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Looking Ahead: SEMA Show Trends Point to Vehicle Customization Future
By Scott Blair
December 15, 2008
Last month, we ended the article with the prediction of a growing number of color and designs that allow for several years of production. Well, we hit it on the head. I haven’t seen that many color variations at the SEMA Show since the Tune...
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Smaller Demand: With Vehicle Downsizing, Large Wheels Are Tough to Sell
By Scott Blair
October 31, 2008
A few years ago, you could buy a 20-inch chrome-plated wheel from China for $125. Now that the Chinese government has reduced or removed subsidies to those wheel manufacturers and the U.S. dollar has lost value, those days are about gone.
...
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