May 2017 Archives - Tire Review Magazine
Proud to Be a Tire Dealer: Larry Sutton

Equipped with decades of experience in the rent-to-own industry, Larry Sutton is quietly revolutionizing the tire and wheel industry applying his business background across his RNR Tire Express & Custom Wheels stores.

Just One Hit: Wheel Hub Replacement

When a driver hits a pothole or curb hard enough, extreme forces are put onto the balls or rollers and races of the bearing. This can result in the formation of a very small mark on the surfaces.

Brake Hose Inspection Tips to Spot the Problem Before It’s Too Late

There is no recommended replacement interval for brake hoses. That’s because brake hose conditions will differ depending on the vehicle, driver, and environment. Inspection is the only way to spot a problem before a brake failure.

Belt Inspection Checklist

You might have only one chance to sell a customer a new serpentine belt. With belts lasting roughly 90,000 miles, proper inspection at the time of failure is critical not only for selling the belt, but also for ensuring add-on sales and better customer satisfaction.
These are the steps you should be performing on every car or truck that enters your shop.

The Proper Way to Diagnose and Reset TPMS Systems

The tire pressure monitoring system’s (TPMS) primary function is to make the driver aware of the state of tire pressure within the tires. Under normal system operations, the TPMS system will alert the driver when one or more affected tires PSI reading falls below 25% of the vehicle’s placard. When the tire sensor indicates “low tire pressure,” it sends a radio frequency (RF) signal of 315 or 433 MHz to the ECU on the vehicle that determines if the pressure is below the threshold, which then will indicate a TPMS symbol or position-specific display, depending on the vehicle.

Gold Dealers Sail into 2017

A board the Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, 640 tire dealers, their guests and Continental Tire the Americas staff took to the sea for the 2017 Gold Dealer Meeting. This year 334 Elite Gold Dealers, including 67 new dealers, qualified for the annual Gold Dealer trip by selling more than 2,000 units in 2016.

Coaching Up Your Talent: How Building a Strong Team is Essential to Success

My dad, John Kuhar, was a beloved manager who spent almost 40 years working for the same tire and rubber company. Even at age 85, he remains one of my strongest mentors and guides. I will always remember how early in my career, when I was faced with the uncharted territory of building a team and hiring people for the first time, his advice was simple: “Hire someone with the talent to someday surpass you, then train them to do just that.”

‘Steering’ Your Fleet Customers by Understanding Steer Tires

Tires represent the third largest operating cost for commercial trucking fleets – only payroll and fuel represent a larger expenditure. For a commercial tire dealer looking to be the go-to partner for fleets, it’s critical to help them protect this investment.

Going Vintage and Outfitting Classic Cars with Modern Tires

Summer is here. On any given weekend, you’ll find the proud owners of classic cars touring the countryside, parked at competitions, or showing off at cruise-in events. Thanks to the increasing numbers of classic car enthusiasts including Baby Boomers, this niche tire segment is growing.

End the Search: Find the Technicians Your Shop Needs

Across the country tire dealerships are experiencing empty bays and shops are even closing their doors due to simply not having enough auto repair technicians to get the job done. There are dozen of theories as to why shops can’t find, hire, and keep quality technicians. Some blame the millennial mindset, the aging workforce, and the cultural shift to denounce “dirty” auto jobs. Others attribute the shortage to tech schools not producing quality technicians. But it’s not the why this shortage is happening that is the most important point here. What you should be thinking about is how are you, the independent tire dealer, going to change this problem for your business? How are you going to proactively hire and develop technician talent that will help your business thrive? “Sometimes the most important thing is backing up and getting involved in their community and building some relationships with future techs as they’re growing and maturing rather than just putting all your attention on graduates or people looking for jobs,” says Jennifer Maher, CEO and executive director of TechForce Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to helping tech students with scholarships and grants, and creating tools for employers to hire and train techs. You have the ability to be a part of the change and bring in a new generation of successful technicians, you just have to get involved.

6 Vital Factors for Successful Sales Staff Training

There is no doubt that a well designed and effectively executed sales and customer service training program can dramatically improve the results of your tire and auto service business.

Why Being Great on the Phone is the Most Important Tool in Your Business Toolbox

There are many important tools that we use every day in our businesses. There are literally thousands of wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, diagnostic tools and heavy equipment that are used to repair vehicles. Add to that computers, calculators, pens, credit card machines and a host of other items used in selling and processing invoices and collecting payments from customers. All of these are vitally important to running a successful tire and service business.