Date:         Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:48:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Nunya Business <bulletheadx@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Nunya Business <bulletheadx@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Local tire dealers and Tire Rack / online tires; was: Re: JUST
              BRAKES franchise warning!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Tire Rack had a local shop listed as their 'mounting' rep, which surprised
me considering the business enviroment of this small desert town. I asked
the owner why that worked for him and he said he has a small enough margin
on the tires that after storage costs and labor (handling, etc) it didn't
really make any practical difference. He said he made his real money on the
services- $15 for mounting, balancing and disposal. At $75 for the five
tires over about 20 minutes he could see a potential gross of $225 an hour
against his shop rate of $85 an hour. He has four tire guys that pretty much
stay busy all day long from my observation. The big chain guys might feel
like they have a liabiltiy or insurance issue that prevents them from
servicing somebody elses' tires, or they just have a poor business policy.
The local owners generally like the cash, however several of the other shops
in town wouldn't mount the TR tires.

Some time later I was talking to a guy that I've known for a number of years
that opened his own shop a few years ago. I asked him if he would do the
Tire Rack tires and he basically said 'I don't turn away business'. He gets
$7.50 for a M&B, $3 for disposal if you leave the tires. I was mostly going
to him anyway so now he gets all my biz.

Some people run over dollars to save pennies, others know how to figure out
where the real money is.

Cya,
Robert

On 10/18/07, TC <trclark@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> > why do all break houses try and just rake ya threw the coals these
> days..
> pisses me off
> > they act like we dont under stand our vans.. this list is built on
> friendship/knowledge..
> > something money cant buy.. :)
> >
> > I wont name the place i needed to use, since i have no where to work on
> the van at this time
> > but i wont go back..
> /me looks up figures must be close to Friday, so I have good winter tires
> but the other are getting need of replacement
> so for various reasons I have opted to go 15" so I call around to get
> pricing on 215/65R15 locally
> I am just blown away why canadian  dealers like kal-tire, BigO, discount
> tire etc want 2X for a tire
> i can buy at tirerack.com, discounttire.com tireeasy.com etc
> So I then ask em how much to mount balance well 2 of the 3 above local
> franchise operators
> WONT mount/balance new tire because I did not buy from them !!!!
> Unbelieveable since they cant get their GIANT margins outta me they think
> they gonna force me to buy from them
> by denying simple service bizzzre biz tactics
>
> nb. and if they are really getting shafted by their distributor then the
> should take out their frustration on the distributor
> not piss me off tell no service unless you buy my over prices tires
>
> /rant over
>