In addition to Houston, RimTyme is opening new company-owned stores in Indiana and Ohio in the first quarter of 2009, and just opened a new franchised store in Louisiana.

Photo RTO Online

Johnny Clark, District Manager, RimTyme.

RimTyme currently operates 13 franchised locations and nine company-owned stores in nine states—Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Washington, Oklahoma and Kentucky, with two news stores scheduled to open in Indiana an Ohio later this quarter.

RimTyme's Vice President of Operations, Tim Hogan, said RimTyme has an aggressive growth plan. In addition to Houston, RimTyme is opening new company-owned stores in Indiana and Ohio in the first quarter of 2009, and just opened a new franchised store in Louisiana. "We're seeing a great deal of interest in the RimTyme concept from potential franchisees," Hogan said, "and for that reason we are offering very attractive franchise financing packages and one of the best franchisee-support programs available anywhere. We plan to be the hottest and fastest-growing wheel-and-tire company in America."

See video interview with Tim Hogan, Vice President Operations, RimTyme.

All the RimTyme stores in Houston feature spacious showrooms, comfortable customer lounges with HD TVs and refreshments, and fully equipped, state-of-the art service bays. Each store is stocked with more than 800 custom wheels and tires in inventory, ready for on-the-spot, while-you-wait installation.

"No other store in the Houston area can match RimTyme's selection of 16" to 24" wheels and tires in-stock. A customer can be ready to roll for as little as $100 down with one of our lease-purchase plans or 90-days cash," said Johnny Clark, RimTyme's district manager. "In addition, if for some reason we can't achieve our 'Ride Today' promise, we give the customer a $50 credit on their new wheels."

Clark stressed RimTyme's unique range of payment options and no-credit-check policy. "We offer our customers a variety of payment plans including cash, credit, 90-days-cash and flexible lease-purchase options," Clark added. "We have payment plans available for consumers who want their wheels and tires today, but don't necessarily have all the cash up-front. And since people are a lot more hesitant to say 'charge it' these days, RimTyme gives them lease-purchase options that fit their budgets."

Clark said RimTyme also includes many services for free that other stores often charge extra for, such as free installation, free lifetime balancing and rotation on new tires, and free lugs, locks and stems. RimTyme also offers nitrogen fill for tire inflation, a service also used by NASCAR for longer rim and tire life, increased fuel efficiency and safety, and less fluctuation in tire pressure. Nitrogen-inflated tires maintain their pressure as much as four times longer than air, and a RimTyme a nitrogen-fill is good for the life of the tires –if tire pressure decreases, RimTyme will refill the tire with nitrogen for free.

"RimTyme also offers a 'Best Deal Guarantee that others simply can't beat," Clark said. "If one of our customers finds a better out-the-door deal on the same in-stock wheels, tires and services, we will meet or beat that competitor's deal. We believe in earning our customers' business, and our all-inclusive services and guarantee proves that," Clark added.