OAKHURST – The owners of a Sullivan’s Tire Pros have some tips for area drivers that could help families stay safe this holiday season.
Mike and Diane Sullivan have owned the familiar shop, located at 40126 Highway 49, for more than 11 years. Last May, they changed their franchise affiliation, but say their core values and standards of customer service remain the same.“Our franchise with ‘Big O’ was up,” says Mike Sullivan, referring to the old name and operation of what is now Sullivan’s Tire Pros. “It was a 10-year franchise and for a variety of reasons we joined the Tire Pro System. It gave us a lot of flexibility to do the types of things that we wanted to do on a local basis.”
The transition to Tire Pros was fairly seamless, according to Sullivan.
“We have customers that have traded with us for a long period of time and they’ll still walk in today and they won’t even really know about the change. All of our people remain the same,” says the Coarsegold resident.
Besides tire sales, a large percentage of the Sullivan’s business is auto repair.
“We have four ASC certified mechanics,” Sullivan explains, referring to the Automotive Service Council (ASC). “It’s a very stringent testing process and it’s recognized in the industry as such, so all our technicians are ASC certified.” In addition to top-level certification, most of the technicians and staff at Sullivan’s have worked there long-term.
Tire Pros is owned by the largest distributor of tires in the world, and the new affiliation enables the business to contribute to community organizations in satisfying ways, according to Sullivan. They are supportive of many local organizations, including both Oakhurst Rotaries and the Boys & Girls Club, along with events like the Loggers’ Jamboree in North Fork and the Elegant Auction which benefits the park in Oakhurst.
In keeping with the spirit of giving, the Sullivans have some automotive advice for mountain residents.
Regular Maintenance and Repair
The Tire-Pros owner recommends consumers take a proactive approach to maintenance and repair, to get the greatest reliability at the lowest cost of lifetime operation from their vehicle.
“At this time of year, make sure you’re ready for winter,” he continues. “Have your coolant tested. Have your battery checked and tested to make sure that it’s in good operating condition and that it’s clean, so it doesn’t fail you when we get a cold spell.”
The onset of winter is a good time to replace windshield wipers as needed, says Sullivan, adding “Make sure all of your lights are operating correctly and that your oil has been changed on a reasonable basis.”
Check Tire Treads, Air and Rotate
“The better the tire, the better your stopping performance is going to be,” reports Sullivan, reminding drivers that good tires are proven to enhance road safety, especially in wet weather.
“Air in tires should be checked every month, particularly this time of year, because for every 10-degree drop in temperature, your tire can lose pressure internally,” he says. “A tire is semi-permeable, so when it gets hot out, that air heats up and it expands, and when it gets cold, it contracts. So a tire is going to be losing air, potentially, during the course of a month, whether the car is being driven or not.
“It’s suggested that you rotate your tires every 5,000 miles to prevent a tread wear pattern from developing,” explains Sullivan. “You have a tread wear pattern develop, and then you rotate the tire. People sometimes think that it will even itself out, and it won’t. Engineers call it indelible wear.”
Customers with questions are encouraged to call Mike and Diane Sullivan at (559) 683-5900
