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Tire Repair Legislation: What’s right, what’s wrong?

Joe Marconi
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Gary A Community Regular

Gary A

Posted
Posted

I can't stand when the government has to step in and try to solve every little stupid problem. We always like to blame our leaders, government, politicians for the problems in our country but until individuals and families and business owners get in order we will continue down this path we've been on. I mean come on give me a break we need laws to tell us how to fix a tire right?

Tires Too Collaborator

Tires Too

Posted
Posted

I hate to have another government mandate but I think we, as an industry, share some of the blame. The tire industry trade groups, TIA and others, have for years endorsed that a proper tire repair requires the removal of the tire from the vehicle, dismounting the tire from the rim, inspecting and repairing from the inside of the tire. This can not be done profitably when we try and compete with the guy down the street that is willing to throw a plug in it for $5.00. When you look at some of the multimillion dollar judgements that have been handed out over the last few years for improper tire repairs, it makes it a lot easier to say "NO" to a customer who wants a $5.00 repair. We have not done plug repairs for 15+ years. Have we "lost" some tire repair business to the guy down the street - yes. Do I sleep better at night knowing we are doing proper repairs - YES. Most customers, and the ones we want to keep, understand that we are trying to keep them safe on the road. We take a little time to educate them as to why we repair the tire the way we do and it goes a long way to build a trusting relationship with them.

  • 5 months later...
Junior Collaborator

Junior

Posted
Posted

I have very mixed feelings about the need for legislation. I've done quite a bit of research when I first heard about this and I was unable to find any statistics on the number of injuries or deaths or even accidents due to improper tire repair. We patch from in inside on most repairs but if there is a puncture right in the center of the tread and the tire has never gone to low I'll still plug it. We've never seen a failure in 36 years.

 

By the way Joe, the NY Bill number is 09683

 

I don't mind charging more for tire repairs. What do you guys charge for dismounting and repairing from the inside?

Type S Zero Apprentice

Type S Zero

Posted
Posted

i've never had a comeback with a plug,

though on my car hauler with 80psi tires, the plug gets out slowly while driving (still gets me through the day).

 

so i go plugs on small car tire punctures, patch-plugs on trucks and high performance cars

Tires Too Collaborator

Tires Too

Posted
Posted
  On 10/4/2012 at 2:32 AM, Type S Zero said:

i've never had a comeback with a plug,

though on my car hauler with 80psi tires, the plug gets out slowly while driving (still gets me through the day).

 

so i go plugs on small car tire punctures, patch-plugs on trucks and high performance cars

Type S Zero,

Take a minute and google tire repair lawsuits. It is shocking to see some of the settlements involved in tire repair lawsuits. If you do not follow industry standards in repairing tires you are leaving yourself open to some major exposure. A plug is not a proper repair. We charge $25 to do a patch/plug repair.

Russ

Junior Collaborator

Junior

Posted
Posted
  On 10/4/2012 at 12:48 PM, Joe Marconi said:

I don't dissagree it's not worth that much, but at that point, sell a tire. It becomes a point of what value the customer sees in the repair vs a new tire. If we all got 50 bucks for a major tire repair, we may end up doing less repairs and sell more tires? The consumer may not see the value in the repair if the price is too high, even though we may be able to justify the cost.

 

I hope I am explaining my self clearly....

 

I agree, we charge $34, more for low profile tires & light truck tires. We find that most people are ok with it when they see whats involved. We do still plug tires though if we feel the tire is a good candidate for a plug. If the tire is worn we recommend replacement. If this becomes law we will surely sell more tires. After all, that's why the RMA is lobbying for this in the first place isn't it.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.

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