AMERICAN WHEEL & TIRE
‘I want the customer experience to be perfect’ SERVICE IS KING AT AMERICAN WHEEL & TIRE By Mike Manges
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here’s always something neat going on here,” says Mike Gust, owner of American Wheel & Tire, a high performance (HP)/ ultra-high performance (UHP) tire and wheel retailer in Houston, Texas. “We have a lot of fun!” Making sure customers share in that excitement is a priority at the singlestore, 14-bay dealership, which Gust founded in 1985. However, there’s more to American Wheel & Tire’s success than enthusiasm. Gust credits the dealership’s success to a variety of factors. “It’s our level of knowledge,” he says. “It’s having been in business for 38 years. It’s the family feel we have. “I also think it has something to do with the amount of inventory we hold. We can do things right away. And our integrity is second to none. We stand behind everything we do. “We try to make our customers as happy as we can. And I think that’s what has kept us going in the right direction.” As a result, drivers of all income levels and vehicles — from Rolls Royces and Bentleys to more mainstream SUVs and pickup trucks — continue to reward Gust and his team with repeat business.
Something for everyone
How did American Wheel & Tire, which started as a used tire store, develop into a “go-to” destination for HP/UHP tires, custom wheels and vehicle modifications? Through hard work, jumping on opportunities and staying ahead of the curve, says Gust. “When we started our store, I used to go around the corner to a (wheel retailer) and buy a set of wheels for $399,
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“We try to make our customers as happy as we can,” says Mike Gust, owner of American Wheel & Tire in Houston, Texas. “And I think that’s what has kept us going in the right direction.” PHOTO: AMERICAN WHEEL & TIRE
which was their retail price. And then I would sell the same set for $499. It got to the point where I was doing 10 sets a month.” Gust, just two years out of high school at the time, soon found a bigger, more reliable wheel vendor. “They gave me a credit line of $2,500,” he recalls. “I’ll never forget that!” He decided to “get into the tire business” in a bigger way. “We grew from there. We started doing plus-size tire and wheel fitments around 1994.” More complex vehicle modifications — like lift kit installations — followed. As the market evolved, the expertise of Gust and his team grew. And their customer base multiplied.
American Wheel & Tire continues to install HP/UHP tires and wheels on a good number of sedans. But the company is now working on more light trucks and SUVs. “We do a lot of Range Rovers. We’ve done some Porsche Cayennes.” On the car side, “we do a lot of Mercedes-Benz models. We do a lot of Teslas.” The average tire/wheel package ticket — including installation — at Gust’s dealership now comes to around $5,000. “A lot depends on the brand of tires and wheels customers go with,” he explains. American Wheel & Tire offers a variety of tire and wheel brands at different price points. Performance Handbook 2023
4/5/23 9:45 AM
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