Chinese tire duties justified
I see some major retailers crying the blue's about tariffs and proposed duties on Chinese passenger and light truck tire imports, while the quality tire dealerships are still selling name-brand tires and making a profit!
The complaint in the Aug. 31 issue of Tire Business by California tire retailer ATV Inc.—which does business as American Tire Depot—that the company would have to layoff 20 percent of it's work force is a farce. People still need to buy tires and the demand is not going away—only the “cheap” tires.
What about the American factory workers who would be employed to make those tires rather than a worker from some foreign country? I really have to laugh at their concern for the American worker with their comments.
I don't think Internet and mail order tire retailer Tire Rack (www.tirerack.com) has had a problem growing over the years and they don't sell cheap tires.
How long before we start seeing problems with these cheap tires? Who will be held accountable? Certainly not the Chinese tire manufacturers! Has the Ford Explorer/Firestone tire recall been so long ago that people have forgotten? There are just so many reasons not to buy tires from China.
Christopher Theurich
Owner
Tire World of Corning L.L.C.
Corning, N.Y.
Foreign-made tires good
We own a tire shop in Florida, and in the past 12 years in which we have been operating, we have seen and sold better quality foreign-made tires for less money.
These tires were just as good if not better than the tires made in the U.S.
The U.S. tire companies have out-priced themselves in the past years. We have also encountered big tire companies that want to pick and choose whom they sell tires to.
Tina L. Byers
Owner
P&T Tires
Palatka, Fla.
Selling nitrogen
Jay Lighter, owner and president of Pompano Beach, Fla.-based NitroFill Inc., seems to have a new take on an old joke.
In an interview in the Aug. 3 issue of Tire Business, Mr. Lighter said that “even though nitrogen never wears out, we send each customer back to their NitroFill dealer each year to purchase another service. By repurging and servicing the customer's tires again, they enjoy greater purity and a more intensive annual inspection.”
In other words, we are going to charge to change the summer air for winter air.
Please thank him for me! I will post this article in my waiting room for all of my customers to see. This man and any others who think this way just give the rest of us a bad name.
Frankly, I am surprised that Crain Communications Inc. would print such a damning interview. Tell Mr. Lighter that I see my customers every 5,000 miles when we rotate their tires for free. Works like a charm!
Dave Hamad
Owner
Dave's Tires, Wheels & Auto Service Inc.
Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Now they're crying
Well, now the tire manufacturers that created the problem are complaining about possible duties on Chinese-made passenger and light truck tires.
But it's too late to turn back the clock.
I now see the U.S. manufacturers of tire components are complaining about Chinese imported materials. Let's find out who is buying these components—not who is making them.
I think when all is told, we'll see that we need the Chinese tires.
Carl Koester
President
TAF Management Inc./The TireJobs Co.
Frederick, Md.