December, 2014 Archives - Tire Review Magazine
The Lexus and the Olive Tree

I’m 27 years old and I’ve never lived in a world without the Internet. I got my first cell phone when I was 12 years old and I joined Facebook back when you had to have a college email address just to sign up. I promptly gave up Facebook in favor of Twitter when my

Soothing the Wild Beast

Basil is not known for blowing his own horn, but when a simple repair degenerates into an overhaul from hell, the soothing tones emanating from the lunchroom let the rest of us know that somebody is undergoing musical therapy. Basil calls it musical yin-yang. “So how long you been playing the clarinet, Basil?” “Yeah,” said

Solid/Live Axle Diagnostics

In 1963, almost every car manufactured in the U.S. had a solid rear axle. There were exceptions like the Corvette and Corvair. Today, pickup trucks and only a few light- to medium-duty SUVs/passenger vehicles still use solid rear axles. It’s not uncommon for a solid rear axle vehicle to go its entire life on one

Wheel Bearings & Wheel Speed Sensors

If you are replacing a wheel bearing on a late-model vehicle, you’ll be dealing with a wheel speed sensor. In the past decade, wheel speed sensors have been moving from differentials, axles and knuckles to inside or on the wheel bearing or hub unit. At this location, the sensors are more accurate and often more

ATV Tires: A Natural, Easy Profit Step for Tire Dealers

Tire dealers stand to gain additional profits from stocking, selling and servicing ATV tires. With a small number of SKUs, a general knowledge of the different ATV segments, and the equipment needed to service small tires, tire dealers are more than capable to address this tire segment and take business away from ATV dealers. In

Burt Brothers

Salt Lake City is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. The city features a backdrop of picturesque snow-capped ski mountains in the winter, and offers a variety of boating, hiking and off-roading activities during the warmer months. Brothers Wendel and Ron Burt are proud to call Salt Lake City their home. They’re active in the business,

Secret Shopping: A Tire Dealer’s Secret Weapon

Every time someone walks into your shop or calls your dealership they’re judging your business. Are your employees helpful? Polite? Knowledgeable? Are they taking care of the customer’s true needs? Is your store clean and well organized? Or does it look tired, filthy and disheveled? A failing grade from a consumer on any of these

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It’s Time to Get Hyper

There’s no doubt that consumers’ online activity has made a massive, lasting impact on marketing strategy. More than 2 billion consumers go online regularly, thanks to exponential growth in connectivity and devices like smartphones and tablets, according to a recent Google study entitled, “Brand Engagement in the Participation Age.” “Consumers have moved from leaning back,

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Ever Changing Tech

Tis the season when a person’s fancy turns to holiday cheer and thoughts of really cool Christmas gifts you crave this year. [Editor’s Note: You are likely reading this post-Christmas 2014 – perhaps a few days into 2015 – but it was Cyber Monday when I wrote this column. When you work on a monthly

Top 10 Goal Spurs Nexen Growth

The Heung-A Tire Co. was established in 1942 in what is now South Korea, and became that country’s very first tire manufacturer. The name today is Nexen Tire Corp., a Korean derivative of “next” and “century,” which constantly points the company in one direction – forward. With a marked goal of becoming a global Top

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Triangle Details U.S. JV, New Branding Strategy

Seeking to expand its operations in North America and establish itself as a true global brand, Shandong, China-based Triangle Group Co. announced a venture with Oriente Triangle Latin America, its Latin America marketer and distributor to offer the Triangle brand in the U.S. “A global brand is one that is perceived to reflect the same

P Zero All Season Plus Launch

Racing, according to Enrico Bertaggia, former champion driver and CEO of Dream Racing, isn’t always about the car. In fact, when the race is all said and done, it’s always been about the tires. Bertaggia made that remark to media and tire dealers while prepping them for a day of driving at the Las Vegas

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