Do you ever have trouble noticing the difference between low, medium and high heat when making dinner? I do. I mean, the directions say to start on high heat, then after ten minutes, bring to medium-high, then cover and simmer on low – what does simmer even mean? Because of these troubles, I almost never make a meal right. No wonder why my fast-food tab continues to pile up.
Let’s relate this to tires. Without telling your customers how to avoid low, medium and high levels of impact factors on their tire’s mileage, how will they know how to get the most out of their tires?
The long-term mileage performance of your customer’s tires depends on many factors. In this Tire Review Continental Tire video, we explain what those factors are and what you can do to prolong the life of their tires.
One factor that has a low-level impact on the long-term mileage performance of your customer’s tires is tire width.
Wide tires have a bigger contact patch with the road, which translates to lower ground pressure. While this reduces tire wear and increases the life of your tires, the handling behavior of the tire is also improved. That means, if your customers drive their car in a sporty or aggressive style, there will be some impact on their tire mileage.
If they want higher mileage from their tires, inform your customers to avoid driving or turning corners too aggressively and accelerating and decelerating too rapidly.
Some mid-level factors that affect tire mileage are more diverse and have more impact.
For example, the wear to front-wheel drive tires is increased by the steering forces exerted on the front axle – decreasing tire mileage. For rear-wheel drive vehicles, there is more balanced wear between tires on the front and rear axles. To avoid damage on your axles, recommend your customers get their tires rotated regularly – service visits are a perfect time.
While most roads are smooth and present nothing to worry about, rough and abrasive surfaces are another mid-level factor that can significantly reduce the mileage of your customer’s tires. Ask your customers if rough-surfaced roads are a regular part of their travels. If so, you may want to recommend a more durable tire, such as all-terrain tires, for their vehicle.
High-level factors that make a significant impact on the life and mileage of tires include the tread compound, driving style, engine power and more. When selling your customers a set of tires or giving them advice on getting the most out of them, it helps to highlight the particular strengths of your tire selection and see how it matches up to the driver’s preferences. That way, it won’t come as a surprise when their tires show signs of wear sooner than they thought if the driver does something they wouldn’t normally.
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