November 04, 2009
Road trip!
After 2,665 miles, I discovered two things: Selling tires isn’t a recession-proof business, and dealers know how to survive and thrive
By: Bob Ulrich
In the months that followed
By the end of the season, the Cincinnati Reds had a losing record. How successful was the Bob Sumerel ticket promotion?
Rob Wildman, territory manager for Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., said the five-state dealer campaign proved more successful this year than last year, despite the economy.
“It did help the consumer make the buying decision. Did people come in because of it? No, but it definitely helped us.”
In August, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Florida was 10.7%, a little higher than in June. The unemployment rate for the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice region was 11.9%.
Business at Lanning Tire Sales “is about the same,” says Steve Lanning. Business is good for two or three days, and then it goes right back to where it was. When that happens, it’s so empty “you can shoot a cannon through the store.”
As for me, I had to have the oil and oil filter changed on the 2007 Saturn Vue as part of the deal with my wife, Tris. I had a number of choices as to when to have it done.
The owner’s manual hinted that it should be changed every 3,000 miles but was not definitive. On many new vehicles, the factory recommended interval is anywhere from 7,500 to 10,000 miles.
Tris always has her oil changed every 6,000 miles.
The choice was an easy one. When her car reached the 6,000-mile mark, I paid $21.05 for the oil change, officially ending my road trip. ■
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