Technical Information: Can Stores Help?
During my 30-plus years of installing aftermarket parts, the disconnect between supplying technical information at the jobber level and installing the products he sells has become increasingly puzzling. Each year, the aftermarket spends millions of dollars replacing perfectly good fuel pumps, alternators, starters, batteries, ignition modules, computers and just about anything else associated with the
Get the Best Bang for Your Buck
Whether you’re purchasing parts for inventory, purchasing accessories or purchasing supplies of any kind, you are no doubt dealing with one or more vendors. Depending on the vendor you are dealing with, they may offer a discount for early payment, customarily known as a trade credit. The best return on your investment for whatever you
Product Spotlight: Shop Air Compressors
Air compressors are the heart – or maybe it’s better to say the lungs – of any tire shop. Not only have they traditionally provided compressed air to inflate tires, but they are the essential engine of the dozens of air-powered tools found in a typical tire and auto service center. There are seemingly as
Product Spotlight: Tire Dealer Software
There was a time when the term "dealer software" meant an accounting or simple point-of-sale application. Now, such software encompasses much more, from consolidating and seamlessly integrating back-office chores such as ordering and inventory management to tracking customer vehicle and service history. There are applications to facilitate e-commerce and scheduling and coordinate personalized e-mail marketing.
Product Spotlight: Shocks and Struts
As key parts of a vehicle’s suspension system, shocks and struts are responsible for smoothing out the bumps in the road that tires and wheels would otherwise jarringly transfer to the vehicle and its occupants. bays and lets a shop service more vehicles throughout the day. No special tools or equipment are needed, the company
Product Spotlight: Brakes and Friction Materials
Improved technology has made brakes and friction materials more durable and better performing. To avoid customer comebacks, tire dealers must take care to use quality parts matched to the correct application. applicable), which can make the job easier for installers and even help ensure a better fit. Advantage brake shoes include attached parking brake levers
Product Spotlight: Lifts
The features and benefits of automotive lifts keep improving. With so many options to choose from – two-post, four-post, scissor, in-ground, above ground, etc. – making a selection can require quite a bit of research.BendPak said its new XPR-9FS is a full-featured, two-post lift sporting a 113-inch column height and a maximum rise of six
Product Spotlight: Tire and Wheel Balancers
Tire and wheel balancers continue to become more sophisticated. Many now incorporate onboard LCD touch screens with easy-to-understand graphics and step-by-step instructions to help even inexperienced tire technicians properly perform each procedure. unbalance detection. These sensors are extremely sensitive and offer superior long-term stability. LED rolling wheel indicators show weight positions as the wheel rolls
Product Spotlight: TPMS Tools
The Tire Industry Association estimates that there are more than 50 million vehicles equipped with TPMS already on America’s roadways, making TPMS service one of the fastest-growing business opportunities for tire dealers. However, with more than 150 SKUs of TPMS sensors fitted to vehicles in North America, it can be a challenge to maintain sensor
Explore Tire Siping For Added Opportunities
Tire siping is a process in which thousands of razor-thin slits are cut into a tire tread. New tires often include sipes in their design, but some tire dealers also offer to put these slices in customers’ tires on demand. Why? The answer is simple: because siping can improve a tire’s traction in snow and
Choose Auto Service Jacks to Lift, not Support
Car jacks – the floor or garage type – are indispensable tools for any auto service shop, and the same care should be taken in shopping for them as for any other lift. There is always a risk of serious injury from using the wrong jack for the task, or using the correct one improperly.
Sophistication of Alignment Racks is Growing
Proper wheel alignment is a safety matter as well as a potential revenue stream for the independent tire dealer. The past few years have seen major advances in automating the alignment process, with improved sensors, enhanced software functions and “3-D” capability – where the system creates a color, three-dimensional model of the vehicle, then measures