Smart Thinking: Putting Your TPMS Issues on ‘Manual’ Brings Automatic Returns
It happens every Christmas. A child gets a new toy or gadget, and theadult is challenged to build it regardless of the disclaimer, “SomeAssembly Required.” Then, every “smart” adult does the samething – he or she pitches the instructions and tackles the task ontheir own, sans detailed guidance. In the past, a similar scenewas sometimes
Angled Approach: A Refresher Course on Slip Angles and Cornering Force
This time I’m going to present some basics about slip angles and how they affect you and your tire customer. Let’sbegin by considering a car going through a corner. As the carprogresses through the corner, there is centrifugal force acting on thecar (and its passengers), which tends to pull the car toward theoutside of the
Prep Work: How Dealers Can Get a Jump on ESC Requirements
Overall traffic fatalities reported in 2008 hit their lowest level since 1961. TheU.S. Department of Transportation released this statement in July. Theywent on to say, “that fatalities in the first three months of 2009continued to decrease. The fatality rate, which accounts for variableslike fewer miles traveled, also reached the lowest level ever recorded.” Asdifficult as
Track-Inspired: Racing Programs Help Dealers Make Real-World Recommendations
How many of us have heard how products designed for the street were developed on a race track? Manyof the claims such as this are not much more than marketing hype. Forthe tire industry though, we can truly say that our products translatedirectly from the raceway to the highway. I recently had anopportunity to drive
Automotive Lifts Just Keep Getting Better
Thewide, wide world of automotive lifts just keeps growing. One company wechecked lists five variations of its two-post symmetrical lift, withsharp photos and more information if you just clicked on the photo.This may sound “ho hum” today, but it certainly wasn’t a couple ofdecades ago. Now it takes only a click of the finger to
Technology Abounds in Modern Oil Filters
Initially,early automotive engine designs didn’t use any oil filtration. That wasokay in the days when oil was dumped every 500 to 1,000 miles, or ifthe engine burned or leaked enough oil during normal operation thatalmost constant replenishment with new oil compensated for anyaccumulated dirt.We’ve come a long way. Not only are allvehicles designed with an
Software Needed for Business Success
Therecan be little question in 2009 that every tire dealer in the countryhas some sort of computer system at the point-of-sale, the back officeor both. It’s almost impossible to run a tire business any other way,which has led tire dealers to making the obvious choice – tiredealer-oriented software. POS software will allow you to knowimmediately
Make the Best Use of Tire Storage Racks
Youmay not know this, but our industry is moving close to reaching the100,000-range of parts and tires being stocked on a regular basis, afact of life that will increase annually. The issue facing every tiredealer is how to store these products for quick access and safety fromdamage. If you’re a tire dealer with the need
5 Questions With – Masatoshi Komai
Masatoshi Komai was recently installed as the head of Nitto brand sales worldwide. A long-time Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. employee, Komai is now the general manager of sales department No. 5, a group totally dedicated to the Nitto brand – handling everything from market exploration to product development to production planning to marketing. Tomo
All in the Family: Running a Successful Family Business
Today the most commonly accepted meaning is that blood-related familymembers are to be considered more important than non-family members. Withfew exceptions, that seems to be the mantra for tire dealers who havestarted or inherited a family-owned business. While the “blood” happensto be a common bond, most involved agree that running the business withfamily has more
Private Brand Tires Still Offer Added Profits
Despite a shrinking market, fallout from an economic recession andtough price competition from overseas, the private brand tire segmentstill offers dealers the potential for added profits and exclusivity intheir own markets. The private brand segment has seen easierdays, to be sure, but it is still relevant in today’s marketplace. Withthe improved logistical capabilities of private
Twitiots & Me: When Old School Editor Goes New School, Bad Things Happen
Twitter I just don’t get. Fact is, the entire “social media” thing escapes me. It’s not media – there is no “news” involved – it’s just a bunch of people socializing…if you can even call it that. I’m an old-school guy. I still read newspapers – what few there are – and have a landline