As CEO of Discount Tire, Dean Muglia oversees the largest independent tire dealership in the U.S. With 1,100 total stores, Discount Tire is known for its traditional, “tires-only” model, but “I think you will see us experiment with other services more,” Muglia recently told MTD.
The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based chain - which was founded by 2014 MTD Tire Dealer of the Year Bruce Halle - recently began selling and installing windshield wipers at its locations. “We recognize the world is changing fast and so are the needs of our customers,” says Muglia, who has been with Discount Tire for more than 30 years and in his current role since January 2020.
In this MTD exclusive - Muglia’s first interview with a tire industry publication - he discusses why “nothing is off the table” when it comes to adding other services. He also discusses new and future markets for Discount Tire, the dealership’s ongoing investment in technology, how it’s preparing for electric vehicles and more.
MTD: Discount Tire maintains the largest footprint of any independent tire dealership in the United States and continues to add stores in new markets. Has it become increasingly challenging to maintain Discount Tire’s value proposition as growth continues?
Muglia: We’re at 1,100 stores now and we’ve actually ventured into our 36th state, which is pretty exciting. We now operate in Pennsylvania. That’s a nice entrance into the East Coast market, which we’re really focusing on. When I think about our value proposition and consistency throughout the chain since 1960, when Bruce Halle started the company, we’ve worked tirelessly to provide a consistent experience and even more so over the years, the focus on ‘customer obsession’ has increased within the company. I think a big part of what makes us so successful is our people. We’re still a family-run company, we’re people-first and we have a very strong culture.
MTD: You mentioned Pennsylvania as a new market. Has the company entered any other new markets during the past 12 months?
Muglia: I’m sure there have been markets in existing states. We’re targeting St. Louis, Mo., later this year. You’ll see some stores pop up in St. Louis.
MTD: When you move into a new area, you have to recruit people. Where do you find good employees to perform tire service and also work the sales counter?
Muglia: When we go to a new market, we’ll ask people who might be interested in living in that market because we want to staff some of the more senior positions with existing employees. It’s a way for them to grow and move up in the company. So we will typically staff stores in new markets with people from other markets and they will begin recruiting to fill out their staff. We don’t need ASE-certified technicians, so I think that also helps.
It hasn’t been easy. This is a tight (labor) market. But we’ve been managing through it.
MTD: Discount Tire has made significant investments in its fleet service business. What opportunities do you see in that segment?
Muglia: We’ve always been in the fleet business. It’s just never been a very big push on our part. It almost grew out of necessity. But I would say that stepping back and looking at fleets today, we felt we were under-represented in that space.
MTD: Discount Tire has never been shy about investing in technology, as exemplified recently by the roll-out of your mobile tread depth check system.
Muglia: That’s really part of our focus on that end-to-end, omni experience - starting with the online investments we’ve made, enhancing our website and leveraging Treadwell, which is our proprietary tool and big data initiative that can hone in on customers’ true needs, based on what they drive, where they drive and how they drive.
We also leverage that tool in all of our stores. Then that transitions into our customers investing in booking a time and coming to our stores. And we’re leveraging tools like the tread depth readers to capture (tire) data more accurately. It also makes it easier for our people. Instead of pen and paper, they now have a digital device in the palm of their hand that they can use to capture tread depth data.
MTD: Among its competitors, Discount Tire has remained unique in that it has stayed true to its original format of tire installation-only and has not ventured into auto service. Do you foresee a time when this could change?
Muglia: I think you will see us experiment with other services more. We recognize the world is changing fast and so are the needs of our customers. There may be some services that we choose to offer in our stores and there may be other services we may choose to partner on, depending on the needs of our customers.
MTD: There’s a big push to accelerate the electrification of vehicles and that will have an impact on tire design and construction. What impact will electric vehicles have on independent tire dealerships? How is Discount Tire preparing for the all-electric future that people believe will materialize at some point?
Muglia: We see electrification coming fast and autonomous vehicles probably a fast-follow after that. It’s going to change the landscape of the automotive industry. We don’t offer a full suite of (auto repair) services so we can be selective on those services that we do offer. Electrification is one area we can look at in terms of additional offerings. Certainly windshield wiper blades are something vehicles of the future will need. We’re taking the needs of consumers today and tomorrow into consideration.
MTD: What can we expect to see from Discount Tire during the second half of 2021?
Muglia: With store growth, we traditionally target 50 new locations each year.
During the pandemic, we slowed down a little, but we’ve restarted our engines and are moving at full speed. We’re looking at modernizing our stores a little bit more, including some of the interiors. We’re looking at replacing traditional signage with digital options. And we’re really focused on keeping each customer safe. I think you’ll continue to see how Discount Tire evolves in how we look and how we go to market.
MTD: What's your take on the current state of the retail tire market?
Muglia: I would say it's generally positive. We're seeing vaccinations continue to roll out. We're seeing states and economies reopen. There's a lot of stimulus in the market right now from the government. People want to get out and do road trips. We're starting to see gas consumption return to more traditional levels. There are a lot of positives. Now there are certainly some headwinds. Supply chain constraints are a bit of a headwind - getting product from overseas - but we're managing through that.
But overall, we see the second half of the year to be pretty strong for our industry. We're pretty excited.
About Discount Tire
Discount Tire, based in Scottsdale, is a leading independent retailer of tires and wheels. Founded in 1960 by Bruce Halle, the company serves customers at more than 1,100 stores in 37 states. The company does business under the trade name Discount Tire in most of the U.S. and America's Tire in parts of California. Discount Tire acquired Tire Rack, a direct-to-consumer tire retailer and distributor, in 2021. Treadwell, Discount Tire's proprietary online tire-buying guide uses decades of data and individual driving habits to recommend the right tires for each driver's unique needs. Discount Tire... Read More
Discount Tire, based in Scottsdale, is a leading independent retailer of tires and wheels. Founded in 1960 by Bruce Halle, the company serves customers at more than 1,100 stores in 37 states.
The company does business under the trade name Discount Tire in most of the U.S. and America's Tire in parts of California. Discount Tire acquired Tire Rack, a direct-to-consumer tire retailer and distributor, in 2021. Treadwell, Discount Tire's proprietary online tire-buying guide uses decades of data and individual driving habits to recommend the right tires for each driver's unique needs. Discount Tire is a primary sponsor of the No. 2 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series Read Less
Discount Tire Company Stats
IndustryRetailing
Founded1960
HeadquartersScottsdale, Arizona
CountryUnited States
CEODean Muglia
Employees26,620
Select year
Revenue
$6.3B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$5.2B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$5.2B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$4.8B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$4.4B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$4.3B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$4.2B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$4B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$3.9B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$3.7B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Revenue
$3B
Sources
FactSet; Forbes.
Related People & Companies
View ProfileView ProfileView ProfileMar 27, 2023
“There was the Uvalde, Texas shooting,” Roberts said. “There was Sandy Hook, Parkland, there were all of these school shootings and yes, I think as a nation we are tired of these."
Mar 26, 2023
It's common practice to offer perks to employees to get them talking about the brand.
That leads us to this next example, which is unique because it offers perks to people in an industry, rather than just to the employees of a company.
Mar 10, 2023
Otrium provided a safe space for designers to sell their extra, previous-season merchandise at up to 70% off without diluting brand identity.
Mar 8, 2023
Judges seem unconvinced by SEC contention that futures are less susceptible to manipulation than the spot market. A win could let Grayscale convert the trust to an ETF.
Mar 8, 2023
The winning overall team in this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona was hammered by sanctioning body IMSA on Wednesday for major rules infractions.
Feb 24, 2023
Forged by a couple of passionate powderhounds from Utah, GearDryer is committed to making wet gear a wring of the past.
Feb 24, 2023
IndyCar teams can use an alternate tire on a short oval for the first time in 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Teams will follow the same rules as road and street circuits, with mandatory use of a new set of the alternate tire compound during the race.
Feb 21, 2023
With parent companies limited to three brands in our top 300 Customer Experience All-Stars lists, these are the companies that would have had more than three, led by Apple (9) and several companies with 6.
Feb 16, 2023
If approved, the gene therapy Roctavian will likely launch at a list price of ~$2.
5 million. But experts anticipate considerable discounts in most instances of sales, as many hemophilia A patients will have the product administered in a 340B-eligible treatment center, at a 340B discounted price.
Feb 6, 2023
Grantor trusts are the foundation of much of modern estate planning. A consequence of grantor trust status is you must pay the income tax on trust income. Is that burden becoming bothersome?
Feb 3, 2023
The airline has cited onboard and pre-order shopping as a “less important service” for its customers as one reason why it has decided to discontinue retail sales.
Jan 24, 2023
A growing body of research by scientists worldwide is tracking the effects of this overlooked source of automotive pollution that’s been linked to a decimation of coho salmon in the Pacific Northwest and may threaten other fish species.
Jan 10, 2023
This is a key difference between convertible debt and a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE).
Dec 26, 2022
The weather has played funny tricks these past weeks with retail business.
Dec 23, 2022
This holiday season, in the face of acute burnout and care commitments blown aside by economic headwinds, moms don’t need corporate holiday gifts: they need the institutions meant to protect them to see them as the backbone of the economy.
Nov 22, 2022
There are a lot of risks involved, and it's important to understand what you're getting into before you invest any money.
If you like sports driving or often use high-speed tracks, then when purchasing new tires, you should definitely take into account their maximum operating speed and load.
The maximum service speed is determined based on the manufacturer's laboratory measurements in test mode and indicates that the tire is capable of maintaining this speed for 10 minutes.
In most cases, the tire index includes two parameters - permissible load index and permissible speed index . This index is usually denoted as follows: 100Q, where the first, numeric part 100 is the index of the permissible load on the wheel, and the second, the letter Q is the speed index. In a specific case, 100 means that the maximum load on one wheel will be 800 kg, that is, this tire can be used on a car with a maximum curb weight of not more than 3,200 kg (800 x 4). Q - means that the permissible speed for this tire is 160 km / h.
The load and speed index is indicated on each tire, they are located behind the tire size and load index designations, for example, 195/65 R15 91T.
The higher the speed index, the softer the tire rubber, which improves traction but accelerates tire wear.
So, we can say that a tire with a W speed index will wear out faster than a tire with an S speed index. The speed index and load parameters do not indicate the maximum driving speed or load, they mean the speed and load at which the tire will retain its characteristics.
| Speed index | Max speed (km/h) | Speed index | speed3) ( | speed3) ( | speed3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | 80 | Q | 160 | ||
| G | 90 | R | 170 | ||
| J | 100 | S | 180 | ||
| K | 110 | T | 190 | ||
| L | 120 | H | 210 | ||
| M | 130 | V(VR) | 240 | ||
| N | 140 | W(ZR) | 270 | ||
| P | 150 | Y(ZR) | 300 |
| ID | kg | ID | kg | ID | kg | ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 190 | 70 | 335 | 90 | 600 | 110 | 1060 |
| 51 | 195 | 71 | 345 | 91 | 615 | 111 | 9003 4|
| 52 | 200 | 72 | 355 | 92 | 630 | 112 | 1120 |
| 53 | 206 | 73 | 365 | 93 | 650 | 113 | 9003 4|
| 54 | 212 | 74 | 375 | 94 | 670 | 114 | |
| 55 | 218 | 75 | 387 | 95 | 690 | 115 | 1215 |
| 56 | 224 | 76 | 400 | 96 | 710 | 116 | 9003 4|
| 57 | 230 | 77 | 412 | ||||
| 58 | 236 | 78 | 4250035 | ||||
| 59 | 243 | 79 | 437 | 99 | 775 | 119 | 9003 4|
| 60 | 250 | 80 | 450 | 100 | 800 | 120 | 9003|
| 61 | 257 | 81 | 462 | 101 | 825 | 121 | 14003|
| 62 | 265 | 82 | 475 | 102 | 850 | 122 | 1500 |
| 63 | 272 | 83 | 487 | ||||
| 64 | 280 | 84 | 500 | 104 | 900 | 124 | 9003|
| 65 | 290 | 85 | 515 | 105 | 925 | 125 | 1650 |
| 66 | 300 | 86 | 530 | 106 | 950 | 126 | 9003|
| 67 | 307 | 87 | 545 | 107 | 975 | 127 | 9003|
| 68 | 315 | 88 | 560 | 108 | 1000 | 128 | 48003|
| 69 | 325 | 89 | 580 | 109 | 1030 | 129 | 185 |
Please note a few things:
- Tires marked ZR - designed for speeds in excess of 240 km/h.
- Tires marked V together with a load index, for example 91V, are designed for speeds exceeding 210 km/h to 240 km/h. This load index is specified for a speed of 210 km/h. The load must be reduced by 3% for each increase in speed by 10 km/h up to 240 km/h).
- Tires marked W together with a load index, for example 100W, are designed for speeds exceeding 240 km/h to 270 km/h. This load index is specified for a speed of 240 km/h. The load must be reduced by 5% for every 10 km/h speed increase up to 270 km/h.
- Tires marked with speed index W may have an additional ZR marking.
- Tires marked Y together with a load index, e.g. 95Y are designed for speeds exceeding 270 km/h up to 300 km/h. This load index is specified for a speed of 270 km/h. The load must be reduced by 5% for every 10 km/h speed increase up to 300 km/h.
We will buy any quantity.1 We will buy from 1 tire (and disk). Preliminary assessment via WhatsApp, bring it yourself, we will give you a higher price than other companies offered you!
There is a mutual settlement (Trade-In) - your used ones with an additional payment for new tires of all popular brands.
If you need the maximum price for your tires, rims - leave it with us for a commission, we will do pre-sale preparation, check, blacken the tires, fix the rims and, if necessary, paint (powder coating). We will put it on the trading floor and online platforms.
Communication with buyers from 8-00 to 21-00 seven days a week, selling at a price on the site or offered by you.
We have been working for more than 20 years, we know all the subtleties of this work, our integrity is confirmed by thousands of our customers from whom we bought tires, wheels, we buy more than 1000 tires monthly. Reviews on the cards and on the company's website give us the right to say that we are the best in this business!
For a preliminary assessment through messengers, take pictures of your tires and wheels, as shown in the example.
You can also use the ransom valuation calculator. It will show the average cost at which we redeem.
Detailed information on the redemption of tires and the redemption, exchange of disks.
1. Will you definitely pay more than other companies?
Yes, we guarantee that if you come to us yourself, we will give you a higher price than other companies offered you. You can show the correspondence or send it to us in advance. We have been on the market for over 20 years and have created the best service for buying and selling tires and wheels.
2. Do you buy complete wheels?
We buy tires, rims and complete wheels./cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3332326/Screen_Shot_2015-01-23_at_9.25.08_AM.0.png)
Including 1 tire, rim or wheel. If you have, for example, 3 or 5 tires, then we will buy everything if they are serviceable!
3. What condition should the tires or rims be in?
Tires must be free of bulges and sidewall repairs. Discs without metal destruction and welding traces. Submit your photos and we'll tell you.
4. On a commission, how does it happen and what is it?
You give us your tires, rims or complete wheels under the contract, we do everything to sell them at the highest possible price.
5. Where are you located if I want to bring myself?
We have 4 branches, we work from 8-00 to 21-00 seven days a week, drive to the nearest one to you:
| m. Tushinskaya +7 (495) 223-38-43 ext. 1 Camping passage, 1. | m. Sh. Enthusiasts +7 (495) 223-38-43 ext. 3 Burakova, 27, building 3.  |
