WHEELING & DEALING TIRE STORE CHAIN GETS STRATEGIC OFFER ROLLING.

Byline: Suzie St. John Staff Writer

Competition is getting so intense in the $21 billion-a-year tire industry that a major player is offering free auto service with the purchase of a couple of new wheels.

For life. Yours, not the car's.

That's what Burbank-based Winston Tires is doing via ads promising four free oil changes a year with the purchase of two tires made by Michelin, BF Goodrich or Uniroyal. (Goodrich's All Terrain TA models are excluded.)

The math works out in favor of consumers who snap up the deal before it expires at month's end.

The oil changes typically cost about $19.95, so the price of two tires could be recouped in about three years.

Todd Linscott, Winston's vice president of marketing and advertising, said this is the first time the company has offered lifetime oil changes. ``We wanted to be a little different, and this sets us apart from the other companies out there.''

Previous promotions at the company, which has 213 stores in California and Arizona, included discounted tire prices and free ski lift passes with a Michelin purchase.

Analyst Jackie Fernandez, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Deloitte & Touche, said Winston's offer makes financial sense for the company. Since Winston is already paying for workers to staff its shops, the oil changes can be done quickly and inexpensively.

``So it's a minimal cost to the retailer,'' she said. ``Also, they may get some add-on work like alignments, so it's to their benefit to build up a loyal customer following.''

Even though the free oil change seems to be a good deal, service is not to be scoffed at, either.

``In the past, service was not always a huge issue, but in the last two to four years, it's something consumers are looking for,'' she said. ``Low prices aren't everything, especially in the automotive business, where consumer knowledge is a little less (than in other areas.)''

The only constant among the nearly 40,000 tire stores in the U.S. is the package that comes with your tire purchase. Balancing and valve stems are extra, and almost everyone offers free inspections and rotations.

Tire shops are also facing competition from many new car dealerships, which offer post-purchase services, some for free, in the battle for market share and customer loyalty.

At Century West BMW in Universal City, general sales manager Richard Romero said he thinks customer service has become more important. There have been several instances where customers came to the dealership after first going to a mass merchant.

``What we've found is people who go (to a mass merchant) end up coming here because the tires are not put through the right specs. With us, every single lug nut is turned by hand,'' Romero said.

Independent tire store owner Hank Goldberg said he's a proponent of service but doesn't put much stock in promotions.

He's used a simple formula to keep his business rolling for nearly five decades.

``People want two things: They want you to be honest and tell the truth and they want good, quality service,'' said Goldberg, who owns and operates Hank's Tire Service Inc. in Woodland Hills.

What they won't find at Hank's are promotions or special events, which cuts against the norm in this crowded field.

``With us, you're in and out in 20 minutes.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Steve Goldberg talks with Penny Nep about rims and tires at Hank's Tire Service Inc. in Woodland Hills.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) no caption (stacks of tires)