Seeks insurance info
My husband and I own a used tire store and obtaining business liability, building and property insurance has become a real issue for us.
I would appreciate any information, advice, suggestions or referrals your readers could provide.
Perhaps the tire industry associations offer some type of group insurance that meets our need.
I think this would be a challenging topic for Tire Business to address.
Patricia Saylors
Manager
Tire Dogs Inc.
Lacey, Wash.
Tire labels annoying
I may be pushing the envelope on pettiness here, but why can't manufacturers provide a tire label that comes off in less than 20 pieces?
Perhaps using a substance other than Crazy Glue might be in order.
Jim Spadola
Owner
Discount Tire
Hackettstown, N.J.
Are tire makers listening?
Chuck Slaybaugh's opinion column suggesting tire makers can make more money selling to independents than mass merchandisers was well said. (See ``Dealers key to makers' profitability,'' Feb. 26 issue.)
Now, if the tire manufacturers will just recognize this.
Jeff Tucker
Triple T Tire
Dyersburg, Tenn.
Unfair pricing practices
Regarding the lawsuit filed by Atlanta's DeKalb Tire Co. against Michelin North America Inc., Goodyear also should be held responsible for the pricing situation it has failed to address with independent dealers across the U.S.
Not only is pricing a problem, but also such issues as fill rates and the number of units that must be purchased in order to remain a Goodyear dealership.
Dealers affiliated with Goodyear for 20 or more years are losing out because they can't afford to purchase as many units as their dealer agreement requires.
It's also a crime that dealers can buy Goodyear tires from a non-direct source at 15 to 20 percent below Akron's direct pricing.
Richard Lane
President
A&E Tire
Wheat, Ill.
DeKalb lawsuit applauded
Every independent tire dealer in America should stand up and applaud Mr. Ray Bennett of DeKalb Tire Co.
Not just the small dealers either, because at one time Mr. Bennett, with his six stores, would have been considered a big dealer.
And the way things are going, the definition of big is going to be different tomorrow than it is today.
The tire manufacturers don't really care who they hurt or how many lives they disrupt-just how many tires they can put in the pipeline.
Ron Brutt
President
Brutt Tire & Auto Center
McKees Rocks, Pa.
Editor's note: Since the two above letters were written, the pricing dispute between DeKalb Tire Co. Inc. and Michelin North America has been settled out of court with Michelin's acquisition of Mr. Bennett's Atlanta-based tire dealership.