Strathclyde Tyres Blog

We are delighted to report that, in a recent survey, over 90% of our customers stated that they were ‘highly satisfied’ with the service they received from Strathclyde. This was in respect of tyres purchased, MOT and other services provided by our staff at Strathclyde Tyres across our branches in Scotland.

This was complemented with other positive feedback received on our services in our key locations in Johnstone, Coatbridge, Kilmarnock and Leven. 98.5% of customers, for instance, stated that we had provided a professional service. A large majority also reported that our staff were customer-friendly (97%), efficient (94%), value-for-money (93.5%) and reliable (94%).

Women-Drivers.com has released its 2011 report showing the top US car brands as rated by women.

The US company tracks thousands of consumer reviews each year, checking women’s purchasing and browsing experiences at new car dealerships. The figures are revealing as, while women now account for over half of all car purchases, they influence and initiate up to 80% of them, says the firm.

Continental has won a coveted tyre test from monthly car magazine, evo, the tyre company has announced. The ContiSportContact3 took top spot in this year’s performance tyre test, announced in the February edition of the title.

For its third year, the evo performance tyre test highlights exceptional performance across areas such as wet and dry handling, aquaplaning and braking. Seen within the motoring industry as a stamp of approval for the best performance tyre, evo described Continental’s win as "an impressively complete performance”.

Goodyear Dunlop have announced that four of the most popular winter tyre patterns in their range have been awarded a Best Buy stamp of approval from the influential consumer magazine, Which?

The four tyres picking up a prestigious recommendation from the leading magazine are the Goodyear UltraGrip 8 (195/65 R15), Goodyear UltraGrip 7+ (205/55 R16), Dunlop SP Winter Response (175/65 R14T) (see image), and the Dunlop SP WinterSport 3D (185/65 R15).

Four in ten motorists say they will use the car less in 2012 if the costs associated with driving continue to rise, according to AXA's motoring census of 2011. One in 13 say that they have already been forced to stop.

Almost half (44%) admit they enjoy driving less than they used to, largely down to the cost (68%). This is striking in comparison to 2010 figures, when cost clearly had less impact on motorists' habits (just 38% admitted they enjoyed driving less than they used to, and 38% blamed the cost).

Motorists in the UK will spend 58 working weeks, or more than a year, of their lives not moving in traffic on their daily commute, according to a new study by Continental Tyres.

This adds up to over 100 million lost working days every year for the more than 18 million workers who commute by car.

Brendan Tracey receives his award at the recent Truckpoint roadshow for Outstanding PPK Fleet Service Provision from Greg Ward, Commercial Sales Director for Bridgestone UK:-

UK motorists are ignoring the safety and performance benefits of winter tyres, despite forecasts that the weather is to get colder, according to Mondial Assistance. In a survey by the roadside assistance expert, 66% of motorists said they would not be fitting winter tyres - 46% because the tyres cost too much money.

Mondial Assistance warns motorists to consider the safety risks they expose themselves, passengers and pedestrians to, by failing to prepare their vehicles for driving on snow and ice. It urges them to follow the example set across much of Europe, where winter tyres are standard practice even in countries with similar climates to the UK.

A new survey has found that drivers are not taking basic precautions to help them cope with bad weather, despite falling temperatures and the onset of wintry conditions.

The poll carried out for Garmin, the sat nav manufacturer, found that an overwhelming number of young drivers (18 – 24 year-olds) said they’re not prepared for winter driving (57%) despite planning to cover the most miles over the Christmas period visiting friends and family. The rest of the population fared a little better, but overall just over one third of motorists still confessed to being ill-prepared (34%).

New research reveals that 43% of ‘designated’ drivers do not believe that the alcohol contained in popular Christmas puddings counts towards their drink-drive limit and almost three quarters (72%) do not ask their host about the alcohol content.

The study, by esure car insurance, found that an average serving of Christmas pudding contains almost half a unit of alcohol, while many popular seasonal favourites contain up to 0.88 per serving.

One in seven (14.6%) of British motorists say that they will not replace the tyres on their cars until they fail an MOT or are flagged as illegal by a garage during a service, according to a new survey by VanRental.co.uk.

A further 47.8% use their car's tyres right down to the legal limit of 1.6mm before they replace them, ignoring tyre safety advice, which shows that braking distances increase steadily once tread depth gets below 3mm.

Sixty-two percent of young male novice drivers think they are more skilful than the average driver, according to the Institute of Advanced Motoring’s latest report, 'The fast and the curious: young people’s attitudes to driver training'. Only 32% of young women drivers say the same.

Young novice drivers are the highest risk group on our roads, and male drivers between 17-29 are more than twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured as young female drivers, says the road safety charity. Thirty percent of car occupant fatalities are drivers aged 17-24, or passengers of a driver aged 17-24, yet this age group makes up only eight percent of all driving licence holders.

Johnstone Fitter, Lee Baxter, recently passed his City & Guilds Car & Van Course. 

Here he is receiving his certificate from Andrew Macnair, Financial Controller.

Craig Jack, Kilmarnock fitter recently passed his City & Guilds Car & Van Course.  

Here he is receiving his certificate from Andrew Macnair, Financial Controller.

Brian Black, MOT tester at Coatbridge Depot, has a brother who was diagnosed in June 2011 with Multiple System Atrophy, a degenerative neurological disease. 

He was trying to raise funds for a downstairs bedroom and wetroom to be built for him.

David Greechan a fitter at  Coatbridge Depot has recently passed his IMI Roadside Breakdown Course.

Here he receives his certificate from Willie Elliott, Sales Manager.

Barry McCready a fitter at Coatbridge Depot has recently passed his IMI Roadside Breakdown Course. 

Here he receives his certificate from Willie Elliott, Sales Manager.

Strathclyde Tyres recently attended the HiQ Franchise Annual Conference 2011. Below are some pictures from the event.

Kevin Wallace - HIQ Leven Manager receiving a welcome bottle of bubbly from Peter Tye, Retail Director of Goodyear HIQ at the Conference:-

Drivers in Scotland are more likely to have bought winter tyres this year than drivers elsewhere in the UK. According to new AA Populus Poll figures, 11% of drivers in Scotland have purchased winter tyres, with eight percent of North East drivers following suit.

The study, which polled 18,183 AA members, found that overall four percent of drivers have bought winter tyres, up from three percent of drivers last year.

A study of Indiana drivers shows heightened risk of serious injury and death for men 45 and older driving on snow and ice, women driving on rain-slick highways, and younger men driving on dry roadways.

The study, by researchers at Purdue University, Indiana, reveals that men younger than 45 showed a 21% higher likelihood of severe injury while driving on dry roads than on wet roads, and a 72% higher likelihood of severe injury on a dry road than on snowy and icy roads.