Hot Rods Coker Tire, Investment Group takes Control

These buyouts and their buyers are not really interested in the product. They are interested in buying a company that is undervalued (in their opinion) and making money on the sale later of said company.

Holley is a perfect example of that type of transaction.

 

I received a gift certificate from my children for xmas. Certificate is good for only one year. I don't have a need for any of their products in the near future. I called to have them return the monies to my kids and they did so with no problems, and a thank you for being a past customer!

 

Actually, either the number of customers has gone down, or the tires are getting better, because the number of complaints about Coker Tires seems to have gone down the last few years! Maybe Wade Kawasaki in putting some new energy into the daily operations that Corky didn't have time for.

 

I just hope they can make Round tires. Something Corky just could not do.

 

The reason that complaints have gone down is that a lot of people will never use Coker tires again! I won't!

 

Well the firestones I had on my 32 were great if you wanted the shakes I just hated spending that much money to shave most of it off I wonder how much of it will go to China it seems like the trend ! I have diamond backs on my 48 caddy ! but some cars need bias tires I hope they improve and continue making them

 

You know a nightmare is a dream?

 

All part of doing business... companies get bought, sold, merged, and acquired. I wouldn't worry too much about stocking up on tires... if there's a demand, someone will step up and produce the goods. The market is somewhat limited and that impacts competition to improve quality and drive down costs...

 

I agree , but I have a feeling that businesses and manufacturers made it a habit to jump the step " improve quality" and go directly to the step " drive down costs" to quench the last cent of profit out for their shareholders and top management. I guess that is the way to go if you want to play big. Not my way , I rather keep my business selffinanced, self- invested , my employees all take part in every decision concerning quality, investment ,Research /Development and education. We dont grow fast, 5-7% a year, but healty . Why should I ask a shareholder what he thinks when he gives a rats ass about anything but his profits? Most businesses have enough experienced, down to earth employees who are in touch with what is going on every day. But often decisions are made where no practical experience or logical thinking is required. I honestly think that capitalism maybe coming to an end. Kind of frightening , but overdue.

 

Without delving heavily into politics and financial stuff, an investment group as owner can be bad news because their only incentive is profit and there's little to stop them from gutting the company and running it into the ground, as has happened with a number of retail chains in the last ten years. This because certain reforms made to prevent the sort of financial gambling that goes on were eliminated in the past.

That the group includes Coker people could be a sign they're dedicated to this company and not just a group who buys anything to wring profits from.

 

I had a set of Coker Classic Radials on the 1941` Plymouth Coupe for about 5yrs and about 6000miles without any problems, and would purchase another set .....apart from the cost here in Oz...........andyd

 

The issue of Coker tires has been beaten to death over several different times. The bottom line is that it's about 50/50 with some people having good results and some bad results. You shouldn't have to lay out over a grand for a set of tires and rely on "luck" to get a good set. At 12,000 miles, all four tires on my car were unsafe and unusable. Even with pictures and talking to their reps, Coker basically said "too bad", you got a bad set. Not a good way to run a business.

 

I really doubt either of you guys just ordered thru normal channels.......but I am willing to bet you have at least one contact there and ordered through that person......doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that 'special handling' could easily follow those orders.

 

Like Moriarity, I don't know anyone at Coker and bought my tires through their website. I have ran their "bias" tires in the past and have a set of their big whitewall radials on my '51 Olds. No problems as of yet...

 

I would agree that at least some of the problems complained about are due to that.......

 

Morarity, ABSOLUTLY NOT! all four tires with what looked like a severe under inflation wear issue! Checked the pressure with THREE pressure gauges and kept at Coker recommended 35 PSI. Upped the pressure to 40 PSI and still abnormal wear. Went up to 45 PSI and it was like driving on steel tires. There is no doubt that I had defective tires. I won't go into what I was told by a Coker rep.

 

Any discussion of tire problems should start with the month and year they were purchased, and the date when they were first driven on. The " I had a set and they were terrible" isn't very helpful to someone who is looking to buy some new tires, NOW, if they were purchased 15 years ago. Just saying.....

 

Yes, I now have B.F. Goodrich tires, same size, same inflation rate and at 15,000 miles, they show no wear what so ever. As I said, there is no doubt about it, those tires were defective.

 

Reading the hot rod article with new President Wade Kawasaki I see a few big positives that I think bode well:

1. He's been in the car parts games his whole career.

2. He is Sema president which means he is contact able by Many people who use and sell coker products, and accountability makes for sensible choices.

3. They are making new product lines. And yes while they are aimed squarely at the period correct muscle car era not hotrods, that means new investment.

This particular buyout does not read like many investment group situations.

 

I think you are making the same point(s) that I was trying to make, just longer...

Let's hope that capitalism doesn't come to an end... if it does you can forget about quality for a reasonable price, or any price for that matter.

Worst case scenario is that all classic tire companies go out of business and we're stuck using modern radial tires with black walls out for a retro look!