Zolman Tire supports our community.

Here are just some of the organizations Zolman Tire supports to make our community a better place.

Bud Zolman and his wife Diane were newly married in 1963 when he started with the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company as an office and credit manager in Bloomington, Indiana. He held that position for several years before transferring to his own store to manage in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

It wasn’t long before Bud Zolman had the opportunity to be transferred again, this time to Indianapolis, Indiana. At the same time, his district manager, Ray Monteith, decided to open a store of his own in Warsaw, Indiana, and made an offer to Zolman. Bud made the decision to work with Ray, and subsequently became a partner. The two entrepreneurs eventually expanded their operations into several other stores.

In 1978 Ray offered Bud the opportunity to sell out in Warsaw and open his own store in Mishawaka. Bud and Diane, with three grade school age children, thought that the “Michiana” area had more to offer their family. That first year was very tough for the Zolmans. The prime interest rate had skyrocketed to 21%. Worse yet, Firestone had just announced the recall of its Firestone 500 tire. Zolman couldn’t sell a single Firestone 500 in stock. All of Zolmans current customers received FREE tires because of the recall, so he would not be seeing them for a few years. Recovery from these disasters took several years.

Still, Zolman and his staff persevered and made the business work. Hard work, honest business practices, treating customers as friends (they are!), and quality products and services has built a strong foundation for the next chapter for Zolman Tire.

In 1992 Bud’s son Nate, graduated from college with a business degree and started to work in the family business. Nate was no stranger to hard work or the high demands of business, having grown up “with” the family business. Nate played hide and seek in the stacks of thousands of tires with his friends and sisters. Nate swept floors, cleaned bathrooms, changed tires, changed oil, and did every job that no one else wanted to do. It paid off.

May of 1995, Nate headed up Zolman Tires first expansion store in Granger, Indiana. It was an instant success. Nate Zolman ran that store for two years until in 1997 when a friendly competitor called and wanted to sell out his store. In August of 1997, a third location opened on Edison Road in Mishawaka. At the same time, another “friendly” negotiation for acquisition was in the works. In December of 1997, the fourth Zolman Tire opened on State Road 23 by the University of Notre Dame.

In 1999 Zolman Tire bought out a partner in Niles, Michigan upping the total store count to five. It was a very short and aggressive timeline that has paid off for our customers, employees, and organization.

Zolman Tire offers a full line of tire brands including Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, Goodyear, Dunlop, Michelin, BF Goodrich, Uniroyal, Yokohama, Mastercraft and has access to any brand available. Zolman Tire offers a Price Match Guarantee on any tire product.

Zolman Tire is known for its Complete Auto Service and Repairs, completed by its A.S.E. Certified Auto Mechanics. Zolman Tire uses quality brand-name products with a Nationwide Warranty and proven track record.

Zolman Tire is always looking for opportunities to expand, and service more customers the correct and honest way. Zolman Tire will not compromise its hard-earned reputation of trustworthiness already established with their customers.

In May of 2004, Zolman Tire expanded into its sixth retail-tire and full auto service location in downtown South Bend, buying out a friendly competitor (Ross's Tire Service) with a fantastic reputation for taking care of the customer and fair and honest business practices. Bob & Dick Ross and all employees were retained and are a perfect fit within the Zolman Tire Organization.

July of 2004 Zolman Tire expanded its wholesale distribution division by acquiring another friendly wholesale competitor and moving operations to Niles, Michigan.  All employees were retained and customers quickly realized the benefits of great customer service, daily deliveries, and over 10 brand names of tires with extremely competitive prices.

#1) Zolman Tire (Complete Auto Service Centers) provides a wide variety of products and services. Brand-name TIRES that you know and trust like... Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, Goodyear, Dunlop, Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, Mastercraft and has access to most available brands.

#2) Zolman's has always offered PRICE Match Guarantee on any tire product along with a FREE alignment check with any tire purchase...a service not offered by the so called “big chain” stores; they don't offer the knowledge or service because they do not employ highly-trained (and/or) Skilled Automotive Technicians.

#3) Zolman Tire rotates and balances tires for FREE (tires purchased from Zolman)

#4) Zolman offers Road Hazard Warranty (FREE replacement if damaged beyond repair).

#5) Zolman has 6 locations in Michiana for QUICK and CONVENIENT service

#6) Zolman's REPUTATION of fair, honest, and professional business practices… for over 25yrs!

#7) Zolman inspects your vehicle for NEEDED repairs or services (preventing future breakdowns) and helps with budgeting auto repair expenses.

#8) Zolman Tire was Nominated as favorite Auto Repair/Tire Store/Oil Change in the 2003, 2004, 2005 Reader's Choice Awards for South Bend Tribune.

#9) Zolman Tire offers COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR for foreign and domestic vehicles, employing only A.S.E. Certified Auto Technicians who are trained and tested, with proven track records. ALL MAKES...ALL MODELS...ALL SERVICES

#10) Zolman has 6 locations with over 60 bays serviced by qualified, Certified, and trusted employees.

#11) Zolman offers Shuttle service (pre-arranged) for customer convenience.

#12) Zolman uses brand name, professional grade auto parts with national warranties and proven quality, including NAPA, AC Delco, Interstate, MOOG, Champion, and many more.

#13) Efficient Service Centers offering vehicle inspections and repairs completed quickly, correctly, and competitively priced, with same-day service.

#14) Alignments, brakes, shocks, struts, steering & suspension, tune-ups, electrical repairs including alternators, batteries, power windows & locks, oil changes, transmission repairs, engine repairs and replacement, heating and air conditioning (excludes body work).

#15)Zolman Tire wholesales tires to other tire retailers, car dealer, and repair shops.

#16)Zolman Tire offers a Commercial Service Department, servicing tires and equipment repair for some of the areas largest accounts and...semi tractor and trailer tires, dump truck tires, loader tires, earth-mover tires, agriculture farm tires, boat trailer tires, lawn and garden tires, and ATV tires.

#17) Zolman Tire offers ROADSIDE service calls for Commercial Accounts.

Community service is a responsibility embraced by Zolman Tire. Local churches, schools (academic and sports), age group sports such as little leagues and soccer for boys & girls, Big brothers Big sisters, Rotary, Salvation Army, The Center for the Homeless , Angle of Hope, FOP, Firefighters, Hospice, Corvilla, Gymnastics Michiana, Ivy Tech Automotive Technology Scholarship, and many other local organizations.

Zolman Tire is a member-in-good standing with the Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, TIA (Tire Industry Association), ITDRA (Indiana Tire Dealers & Re-treaders Association).