Just slightly more than half of American drivers have done a tire pressure check in the past month, compared to 70 percent last year. People are more inclined to wash their cars than monitor the tire pressure.
Provide superior service Aside from the obvious public safety aspects, you can gain customer good will and confidence by providing consumer-oriented educational materials - along with obtaining the proper monitoring equipment for your shop, says Robert Kochie, product manager for OTC, a division of SPX Corp. "Customers expect repair shops to stay abreast of the latest technologies to service and troubleshoot their vehicles," Kochie says. "Turning away business because you're not equipped with the proper tools will not make your business more profitable."Marketing Opportunities AheadRobert Kochie, product manager for OTC, a division of SPX Corp., suggests the following action steps to maximize tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) business:* Deliver a personalized mailer to your local customer base. They're inexpensive and effective.
* Include TPMS information in your advertising.
* Distribute fliers and leaflets around your town to educate people about proper tire pressure and TPMS. The average consumer is not aware of the benefits attributed to proper tire maintenance, let alone the TPMS mandate that will affect all new car buyers.
* Prepare a fact sheet of frequently asked questions for your customers, and include this with their receipt printout.
* Ask local businesses that share your concerns to post information in their windows.
* Hand out fliers to your local community council, car rental establishments, high schools and community college campuses - anywhere that is visible and frequented in your market.
The company believes that increasing capabilities and efficiencies in your bays while reducing liability in TPMS servicing will quickly pay for the required equipment; pricing for the monitors ranges from $399 to $599.
"If you don't have a tool, your competitor will - and bottom line, your shop will lose business," Kochie says.
Before any service is administered in a shop, the sensors on all four tires should be checked for operation and confirmed as functioning properly. Kochie suggests that a TPMS precheck be conducted with the vehicle's owner present. The customer can thus observe that a sensor is faulty and approve its immediate replacement.
"Otherwise, the customer could claim you broke it, and your shop ends up paying for the new sensor," says Kochie.
The costs of repairing these systems when they are attached to vehicles involved in a crash can differ based on the severity of the wreck.
"It touches three different categories," says Pat Pierce, director of marketing for OTC/SPX diagnostic products. Stressing that his figures are just estimates, Pierce says that when a wheel assembly appears to be damaged, it can take 15 to 30 minutes to ascertain which components are in need of replacing and what actually needs to be done.
With the sensors, the costs and prices can vary depending on the technology and brands being used, the type of vehicle and other issues that may come up, Pierce says, estimating that most sensors range from $100 to $250 per wheel. The hardware also comes into play; Pierce says most TPMS tire stems can be replaced for about $25 each.
* As of the 2008 model-year, all new cars will be equipped with a TPMS that will alert drivers when tire pressure drops 25 percent.
* Tires may have a wheel-mounted sensor inside them.
* Each sensor is designed to transmit pressure and temperature information to the vehicle's computer.
* A display on the dashboard alerts the driver of a low tire pressure situation or if a system malfunction occurs.
* These sensors can wear out or be damaged.
* Emphasize that your technicians are trained to service TPMS.
* Servicing a TPMS-equipped vehicle is a premium service and may require additional time.
* Research suggests that most consumers are concerned about proper tire inflation. With more than 650 million vehicles in use worldwide, this is cause for concern.
* Wheel alignment should be checked periodically and tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles to ensure even tire wear. To check tire tread, insert a penny headfirst into your tire tread groove. If you can see all of President Lincoln's head, it's time for a new tire.
"This guidance aims to reflect the 'real-world' need of today's shop owners and technicians by increasing productivity and safety in the service bay," says Kochie. "With the expanding complexity of today's automotive systems, including an ever-increasing range of mandatory industry standards and safety guidelines, the modern technician must stay one step ahead of the game."
In 2005, after five years of continued debate over the measure's language, a final rule was approved stating that as of Sept. 1, 2007, all new passenger vehicles, trucks and light buses are required to have a sensor-based TPMS.
"The rule recognizes TPMS as an essential, underlying tire monitoring technology that helps alert drivers when one or more tires are under-inflated 25 percent below the vehicle manufacturer's recommended inflation pressure," says Kochie. "As an added safety feature, drivers are alerted by the TPMS when a low tire pressure symbol illuminates on the front console of their vehicle. Because operating a vehicle on an under-inflated tire causes overheating and can lead to tire failure, the final rule sets a new motor vehicle safety standard, intended to help drivers get smart about proper tire maintenance."
Proper tire maintenance will also help improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Kochie observes. According to figures from the Canadian government, proper tire maintenance can improve car efficiency to the tune of two "free" weeks of gas a year. And because the tires will last longer, this points to a cost savings of one or two new sets of tires over the life of the vehicle.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average person who drives 12,000 miles a year on under-inflated tires uses about 144 extra gallons of gas, at a cost of $300 to $500.
Each time one of those gallons of gas is burned, an estimated 20 lbs. of carbon dioxide are added to the atmosphere as the carbons in the gas are released and combined with the oxygen in the air - a vehicle running on soft tires is contributing as much as 1.5 extra tons of greenhouse gases to the environment each year.
- Donald B. Shea
president and CEO, RMA
"Low tire pressure is a safety concern," says Donald B. Shea, RMA president and CEO. "Our most recent survey suggests that when gas prices began to drop last fall, so did drivers' attention to their tires. Motorists need to understand that tire pressure is more than just saving a couple of dollars at the pump."
Driver complacency may grow as mandatory TPMS takes hold; the survey results indicate that more than two-thirds of drivers said that they would be less concerned with regular tire maintenance if their vehicle were equipped with TPMS.
Some 40 percent of the survey respondents said that if their vehicle were equipped with a TPMS, they would either never check tire pressure (16 percent) or would only check tire pressure if they saw the dashboard warning light (24 percent).
Nearly seven in 10 drivers wash their vehicle every month, but barely more than half check tire pressure monthly.
"Tire pressure monitors are not a replacement for using a tire gauge every month," says Shea. "Since tire pressure monitors only issue a warning after a significant drop in tire pressure, motorists are risking tire damage by ignoring regular maintenance."
"The gateway to safe and reliable tires fundamentally begins with TPMS education," says Kochie. Several studies show that the majority of cars on U.S. roads are operating on tires inflated to only 80 percent of capacity. Kochie urges technicians to advise their customers to check their tire pressure monthly, if not more frequently.
The correct air pressure that comes with new vehicles can be found either in the owner's manual or inside the driver-side door. To ensure tires are properly inflated, measure the tire pressure of each tire, including the spare, with an accurate tire gauge once a month.
The RMA survey found that 45 percent of drivers wrongly believe that the correct inflation pressure is printed on the tire sidewall. Another 15 percent do not know where to find the correct pressure.
