Hot Rods Coker Tire, Investment Group takes Control

Corky is retaining ownership of that aspect of the business.

 

When I needed new tires for my 1950 Chevy 3100, I looked at Coker, but bought tires made by STA. This is Specially Tires of America. I bought 6.50-16 bias plys. They mounted easily, I didn’t balance them, the truck only runs about 45, but they drive great.


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Better to be glad someone is keeping it going. Corky could have just sold off the equipment for ten cents on the dollar and then go and play with all the toys he has accumulated.

 

No, I've always had great luck as well.

But I also mount my own tires 90% of the time. How you put them on the rim (centered) makes a big difference.

 

I do not agree the Bias Bias has been a force here for quite some time long before the announcement of changes in ownership.

When I think of Kawasaki I think of the Japanese Vintage Hotrod movement and how seriously they take it. Japan gets it and takes quality very seriously...

I remain optimistic...and to those that enjoy Radials...please do.

 

No sir, I have had 4 sets of Bias plys from Coker and had absolutely no problems at all. HRP

 

You can ad me to this list as well, never have had a problem with anything that I have bought from Cokers!

 

Wade Kawasaki has been with Coker since 2014...I congratulate Wade and wish Corky all the best in his retirement.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.hot...a-chairman-coker-president-wade-kawasaki/amp/

https://www.rubbernews.com/article/...take-ownership-of-company?X-IgnoreUserAgent=1

 

I have had at least 5 sets of tires from them, all radials, and never had one problem. You cant blame Corky for taking his chips off the table. If the new owners dont run it well, they will have pissed away their investment. Time, and only time, will tell.

 

I see no reason to ever buy tires from coker... unless they make tires for vintage fat tire bicycles.

 

The most important detail missing from the article is the financial details of the transaction. If it's heavily leveraged with lots of debt, then it's destined for the same fate as Toys R Us or other similar companies.


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I know that Ryan has an MBA but I didn’t know that there were so many HAMB’ers that were versed in acquisitions. Quite frankly, I thought that Corky would run for Marsha Blackburn’s congressional seat when she moved up to win Bob Corker’s senate seat. Add me to the list of satisfied Coker customers for the past 30 years.

 

All the Coker tires Iv'e bought have been fine

 

There are several other manufacturers of Bias plys in the Marketplace but Coker has an extensive offering to the Vintage Market in a very diversified way...in fact I believe like no other.

 

Maybe they can branch out, and get into the basketball market.

 

I've always had good luck with them! Ordering some for my 35 wires soon. Hope they do well

 

Never owned any tires from them but have installed them for others. No issues
Any questions were answered quickly.
Sometimes I think people believe an old technology product should act like new technology
Bias is used for a look. You live with the issues it presents. Like dealing with a severely chopped coupe at a red ligjt

 

I got two sets for my 39 from them wore out first set. Never any problems. Very happy

 

It doesn't require a MBA for any reasonably intelligent observer of corporate buy-outs to think it is reason to be concerned about survivability. That said, the buy out of Mr Coker is not surprising. Corky Coker has been a Master Showman and Promoter that parlayed his Dad's business into the successful marketing company it has become.

That Mr Coker would 'cash in his chips' makes perfect sense for a guy who has chosen retirement four years ago and had the good judgement to hire a capable CEO to run the place. And, having proven his ability, the CEO was in a position to make the buy-out bankable.

I am surprised that several HAMBER's are belatedly heaping such high praise on Coker tires. Reports here and among people I know have long given me pause about buying their tires unless I was prepared to risk some issues surfacing. Reports of customer service responsiveness have varied from excellent to very poor. Some of that variance might be attributable to the buyer as much as the seller.

As others have said here, the future will tell the story. Given the changing demographics mentioned in the press release (and often discussed on this forum), the company will face challenges and no doubt evolve and (attempt) to adapt. It IS a niche market and that has both advantages and disadvantages. Here's hoping Mr. Kawasaki and Co. will be successful in their pursuit.

 

No they should license specialized shaving, balancing and mounting centers across the nations they market and improve where improvement is Warranted and with successful businesses this is a neverending strategy.

It's alright to dream...a little...

 

It depends on the investment group how the business goes. The company I'm leased to with my truck was bought out by an investment guy, Don Daske, a couple of years ago, it is still pretty much the same as it was before the buyout, in many ways it's better as they have more capital to improve things with. The guy must have known his stuff, since he got us, he's bought several more companies and now is the largest open deck {flatbed} carrier company in the USA. All the companies he bought still operate under their original names as "A Daske Company". If the one that got Coker manage the investment and put capital in for improvements, their products and market coverage should get better, but if they just bought it to squeeze the profits out and then sell the remainder, it may end up on the out of business list.

 

Not surprising! Approx. 5 yrs. or so ago, a very reputable source told me that they had sent a bunch of molds overseas to have tires made cheaper and then sent back for packaging. This is perhaps why the company has flourished financially, but quality has diminished.

 

The future is in muscle cars.....just ask the N.S.R.A. The cool looking skinny tires could quite easily be phased out. Firestone could easily back out. Especially with the many complaints and returns. It really depends on why there was a buy out......could go either way. Hope there aren't bean counters calling the shots.

 

Hear me now, and listen to me later,GirlieMan

 

Special quality control for HAMB moderators?

 

I bought 3 round and 1 square bias ply Coker tires. I called about the square one and even though it was their tire they wouldn't stand behind it because I didn't purchase directly from them. So I contacted the dealer in southern California that I bought them from. They paid for the shipping back so they could examine it. They found it defective and sent me a new one. So I guess indirectly Coker stood behind it providing the dealer was able to get Coker to replace and reimburse them.

 

Have you actually ever bought something from Coker and had an issue or do you just like to jump on the bandwagon every time one of these threads come up?

 

I have never bought from them but hope this does not become another situation like Sears.

 

wishing them the best, Corky Coker has been one of my heros of the industry. In the past I have had many sets of Coker tires with great results and am running a set of Stones bias as we speak. Best wishes

 

An honest question. No, I have never purchased anything from Coker. And, while I appreciate their efforts, there are just too many variable stories about quality control for me to really be comfortable about trusting my safety to them. Probably fine, but, maybe not.. That being said, this particular bandwagon is not about Coker products as much as it is about the deleterious effects of corporate takeovers, As for that, if the only people who were allowed to comment on a thread were those with actual first hand knowledge of the issue, the HAMB would be a very thin message board, and a lot less fun. How many Coker tires would you need to have purchased to qualify to comment? 1 set, 25 sets, 100 sets? Best.