Staff Writer

Michelin CrossClimate2: The Only Tire You’ll Ever Need?

By the TireShop IQ Editorial Team • 9 min read If you’ve been anywhere near a car forum or tire review site lately, you’ve noticed one name keeps coming up: the Michelin CrossClimate2. Over 5,600 reviews on Michelin’s own site, with 91% of buyers saying they’d

Managers Corner

Part 3: The Hidden Profit Centers Most Tire Dealers Ignore

Series: Building a Profitable Tire Shop Model Most tire shops are sitting on money they don’t know they have. Not in a new piece of equipment. Not in a marketing campaign. Not in adding a bay or hiring another tech. It’s already there — in the cars that are

We Tested the Falken Wildpeak AT4W — Here’s the Honest Truth

By the TireShop IQ Editorial Team • 10 min read If you’ve spent more than five minutes researching all-terrain tires online, you’ve probably already come across the Falken Wildpeak AT4W. It shows up on forums, it gets recommended in Facebook groups, and it seems to pop up whenever

Managers Corner

Part 2: Pricing With Confidence

Series: Building a Profitable Tire Shop Model There’s a moment most tire shop owners know well. A customer calls for a price, you give them one, they say “I’ll think about it,” and you never hear from them again. So next time, you go a little lower. And

Recon Grappler A/T: Aggressive Looks. Surprisingly Civilized.

For drivers who want a true all-terrain daily-driver tire — one that looks right at home on a lifted 4×4 yet doesn’t punish you on the highway — the Nitto Recon Grappler A/T continues to carve out a niche. Balancing rugged capability with quiet road manners and

Managers Corner

Part 1 - Building a Profitable Tire Shop Model

Why Getting Busier Won’t Automatically Make You More Profitable Let me start with a question. Have you ever had your busiest month of the year… and still wondered where the money went? The lot was full. The bays were full. The phone wouldn’t stop ringing. But when you

Managers Corner

Are Prepaid Service Packages a Smart Customer Retention Tool?

Customer retention has become one of the most talked-about challenges in the tire and automotive service industry. Acquisition costs are rising, competition is tighter, and customers have more choices than ever. In that environment, many shops are revisiting a familiar idea with a modern twist: prepaid service packages. You’

Managers Corner

Part 3: Leadership, Burnout, and Why Good People Leave Anyway

Most tire shop owners don’t lose good employees overnight. They lose them slowly. A great technician starts disengaging. A strong sales advisor stops pushing. A promising manager becomes reactive instead of proactive. Then one day, they give notice — and everyone says, “I didn’t see that coming.” In reality,

Managers Corner

Part 2: Attracting & Retaining Top Talent in Tire Shops

Part 2: The First 90 Days Decide Everything Most tire shop owners think turnover happens at six months or a year. In reality, the decision to stay or leave is usually made in the first 30–90 days. This is where good technicians disengage. Where sales advisors get frustrated. Where

Managers Corner

Attracting & Retaining Top Talent in Tire Shops

Part 1: Fix the Foundation Before You Blame the Labor Market If you ask most tire shop owners why they can’t find or keep good people, you’ll hear the same answers: * “Nobody wants to work anymore.” * “Good techs are impossible to find.” * “Salespeople don’t stick around.” * “Managers

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3: A Deep Dive Into the New Benchmark in All-Terrain Tires

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3: A Deep Dive Into the New Benchmark in All-Terrain Tires This week we’re spotlighting one of the most talked-about tires in the all-terrain segment: the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3. It’s the successor to the long-running KO2,

Toyo Open Country R/T Pro Review: A True Hybrid for Drivers Who Refuse to Compromise

The rugged-terrain category continues to grow, and Toyo Tires has doubled down with the Open Country R/T Pro — a tire designed to live comfortably between an aggressive all-terrain and a full mud-terrain. For drivers who want a tougher look, stronger off-road performance, and real durability

Sales Training

Is “EV Tire Technology” Real or Just Marketing?

Electric vehicles aren’t simply another propulsion type. They are heavier, quieter, and produce immediate torque in a way internal combustion vehicles do not. That combination puts very specific demands on tires — which is why so many manufacturers now market “EV-specific tires.” But is this real engineering… or clever

Marketing

Evergreen Marketing for Tire Shops: The Work That Pays You Back for Years

One of the biggest frustrations I hear from tire shop owners is this: “We tried marketing… it worked for a bit… then it stopped.” That usually means the shop relied on campaign-based marketing instead of evergreen marketing. Evergreen marketing isn’t flashy. It doesn’t depend on seasons, rebates,

Managers Corner

Should Your Shop Offer Lifetime Alignments? Pros, Cons & How to Structure It

What exactly is a “lifetime alignment”? In most markets, a lifetime alignment means: * The customer pays a higher one-time fee than a standard alignment * In return, they can come back for free checks and re-alignments for as long as they own that vehicle (within the program’s terms

Managers Corner

The Rebound of the Independent Tire Shop: Will 2026 Mark a Comeback?

For the past decade, the tire and automotive service industry has watched consolidation at a historic scale. Large national chains, private equity groups, and mega-brands have aggressively bought out local tire shops—sometimes dozens at a time—hoping to capture market share, streamline operations, and build national loyalty. But

Managers Corner

When Winter Doesn’t Show Up: How Tire Shops Can Thrive Beyond the Seasonal Changeover

For decades, the snow belt has enjoyed a predictable rhythm. Late Q3 and Q4 meant one thing: money season—snow tire sales, stud installs, and a parking lot full of seasonal changeovers. But over the past 10 years, that rhythm has been disrupted. Weather patterns have shifted. Snow is arriving

Dunlop Tires: the comeback brand nobody should ignore

Dunlop is one of those names that feels older than the industry itself—because in a way, it is. Yet depending on what country you’re in (and what decade you’re talking about), “Dunlop” has meant different owners, different strategies, and very different product focus. So let’s do

Marketing Featured

Why High-Quality Google Reviews Matter More Than Ever for Tire Shops

Think about the last time you searched for a local business. You probably Googled it, glanced at the star rating, scrolled through a few recent reviews, and made a decision in under a minute. Your customers are doing the exact same thing. For most tire shops today, Google reviews are

Managers Corner

Client Advisory Boards: The Untapped Growth Engine for Tire Shops & Auto Repair Shops

How to Attract Bigger Fleets, Farms, Dairies & High-Value Accounts by Listening Better Than Your Competitors Most tire shops and automotive service centers want more fleet business. They want the farms, dairies, municipalities, delivery companies, trades fleets, and commercial accounts that bring in stable, repeatable revenue—year after year.

Sales Training

Good, Better, Best: How Tiered Tire Options Boost Premium Sell-Out & Customer Loyalty

For years, front-counter salespeople across the country have heard the same opening line from customers: “I just need the cheapest tires you’ve got.” It’s a reflex, not a well-informed decision. Most customers have no idea what a “cheap tire” really means for safety, longevity, or long-

Marketing

How Tire Shops Can Engage Their Community During the Holiday Season

Building loyalty, goodwill, and long-term business—one small tradition at a time. The holiday season is more than a busy shopping period. In most communities, it’s a time of connection, nostalgia, and giving back. For independent tire dealers, this creates a unique opportunity: position your shop not just

Marketing

3 Organic Marketing Ideas Tire Shops Can Use Right Now (Free or Almost Free)

Most independent tire dealers don’t have a full-time marketing department. In fact, most rely on word-of-mouth, repeat customers, and whatever their point-of-sale system happens to email out. But the reality is this: you don’t need a massive budget to drive more traffic and

Tire Fundamentals

Run-Flat Tires: What They Are, How They Work & How to Sell Their Value

Run-flat tires continue to be a point of confusion for both customers and frontline sales teams. Some drivers arrive convinced they “must” have run-flats because that’s what came on the vehicle. Others show up frustrated with the price, the ride quality, or unclear expectations. As a front-

Sales Training

Understanding Tire Speed Ratings: Why They Matter and How to Explain Them to Customers

When customers walk into your store, they usually aren’t thinking about speed ratings. They’re thinking about price, safety, and whether the tire will last. But as a salesman, understanding—and explaining—tire speed ratings is a small detail that can build big credibility. This is one of those