M VB: What environmental technologies are impacting your business? Jim: We’re seeing more and more hybrids. We’re not seeing electric vehicles. The emissions today are so tight. We used to breathe so much exhaust in the shop. We used to go home smelling like exhaust. Bob: The industry is changing gradually but continuously. That makes them more expensive to maintain.
Jim Wade mounts a tire at Mankato Oil & Tire. preventive maintenance. Jim: People comment all the time that we don’t sell anything they don’t need. They tell people they can trust us. That’s the overriding thing for every job that comes in. Bob: We teach every tech to treat every car as if it’s their family’s car. What would you do if this car were your mother’s? We have good employees. They’re doing the work. Jim works closely with them. They look at him as a father. Jim’s philosophy is “Chances are it’s something simple, but broke. Let’s start there.” We missed the boat when we didn’t install a mike under the counter, because every customer comes in and imitates the sound their car is making. It would be fun to record and listen. Jim: That “Car Talk” show, we live that all day.
30 • MAY 2013 • MN Valley Business
MVB: How have tire technologies advanced? Jim: Tires used to last 14-17,000 miles. That 17,000 miles was a selling point. Now we’re selling 90,000-mile tires. Bob: The technology is incredible: fuelefficient radials, less rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency. Flat tires can run without air for 500 miles at 50 mph. In the ‘70s, everybody had snow tires because we didn’t have front-wheel drive. Then we thought there was no more need for snow tires. Now people are starting to find out that’s no longer the
case. Jim: Tire pressure management systems. That’s really changing the industry. The car can tell you if the tire is losing air. Since 2008, that’s been a huge safety feature. Bob: It’s saved thousands of lives and fuel. It takes a lot more energy to roll a tire that’s half-flat. MVB: Do you get along? Jim: We spend more time with each other all day than we do with our spouses. Bob: When we first merged, we had different ways of doing business. It wasn’t extreme differences. We have the same philosophy. MV