MOUNT VERNON – When it comes time to buying new tires, consumers should follow the engineering, not the marketing, said Chad Kiefer, president of Smetzer’s Tire Center in Mount Vernon.
It’s the tire’s engineering, after all, that will get you through the snow and ice of Ohio winters and allow you to stop your car faster to avoid accidents.
“The fundamentals of a tire are never going to change,” Kiefer told the Mount Vernon News. “The marketing can make it seem flashier and prettier and sound like the latest and greatest.”
“It’s just a tire,” Kiefer quoted some people’s opinion. But it’s much more complicated.
“Every rubber molecule reacts differently,” he said. “More natural rubber stays more flexible under colder temperatures. Synthetic is cheaper and you can save money, but it hardens up faster under cold temperatures.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, twice as many Americans are driving regularly compared to the beginning of the pandemic last year, the Hankook Tire Gauge Index recently reported in a news release. According to the survey, 66% of Americans are now driving at least a few times per week, compared with just 31% in April 2020.
Most of the tires Smetzer’s sells are Michelin, which can take a beating on the roads and hold up well, Kiefer said.
Although Michelin tires have a reputation for being expensive, they are available at different price points. The Tier 1 tires are more expensive and have the latest technology. The earlier versions are still very good tires, but at a lower price.
“You still get the Michelin quality,” he said. “It’s like buying an iPhone 5 instead of the iPhone 11.”
At Smetzer’s, sales representatives are not paid on commission.
“If your tire can last longer, we’ll rotate your tires, check the air and see you next month, because you don’t need new tires yet,” Kiefer said.
Rotating tires is important for extending tire life, he noted. A good rule of thumb is to rotate the tires at every oil change.
It’s important to have your vehicle’s alignment checked as well.
“It doesn’t cost anything,” Kiefer said. “It provides peace of mind.”
Smetzer’s, a family-owned business, was launched in Wooster 64 years ago and opened a location in Mount Vernon approximately 18 months ago, although previously it sold tires wholesale in Mount Vernon for many years.
Smetzer’s Tires
1069 Newark Road
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
(740) 830-6097
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
Saturdays: 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Closed Sundays
Website: smetzertire.com
