2015 Tire Brand Study

The Tire Review Tire Brand Study – a compendium of how tire dealers feel the brands they regularly stock and sell perform in the market – continues this year. And now our data is presented over a three-year period so that you can get a better sense how your fellow tire dealers view the various consumer and medium truck tire brands.

In looking at the tighter spread of scores in the 22nd Tire Brand Study, we see that by and large tire producers and marketers appear to be better at meeting dealer expectations, and that those brands with more customer-friendly pricing are receiving more favorable grades.

On the Consumer Tire side, dealers continue to value product quality, a favorable adjustment policy, strong brand awareness, high fill rates and the ability to make a decent profit selling those tires.

On the Medium Truck Tire side, product quality and retreadability continue to top the list. But more and more dealers are taking an increasingly dim view of the fuel efficiency performance of familiar brands.

Tire Review’s Tire Brand Study is not a scientific research project; it measures dealer opinions and perceptions about the brands they regularly offer. In gathering data, dealers could not comment on brands they did not carry, and consumers and end-users were not polled. No tires were physically tested.

Tire Review collected and analyzed dealer responses from nearly 1,000 completed telephone surveys of retail and commercial tire dealers, and measures were taken to assure a fair sampling of dealers geographically and to limit the impact of large regional or national dealerships.

To be listed in these published results, a consumer tire brand had to receive at least 40 specific mentions and truck tire brands required at least 20 specific mentions. Dealers were asked to rate each brand of tires they carried on a 1 to 10 scale – 10 being highest – on a series of criteria. An aggregate overall score for each brand was calculated, averaging the results from each category.

Tire Review’s Brand Study results are available by contacting Kent Camino, research manager, at 330-670-1234 ext. 252, or by emailing [email protected].

Click here for the 2015 Tire Brand Study.

McCarthy Tire Service recently opened a new in-house commercial wheel refinishing facility. According to the company, the facility has the ability to refinish over 1,000 wheels per day and technicians will utilize equipment for inspection, surface preparation, pre-treatment, and automated coating techniques at the facility.

“We're thrilled to unveil this wheel refinishing facility,” John McCarthy Jr., president of McCarthy Tire Service said. “This investment reflects our dedication to providing our customers with unparalleled efficiency and a one-stop shop for all their commercial tire and wheel needs. By streamlining the refinishing process, we can help fleets minimize downtime and maximize productivity.”