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As a shop owner, you have the ability to tune into your shop’s performance metrics, employees’ bandwidth, and overall profit margins with a few clicks.

Lucas Underwood and David Roman, hosts of the ASOG podcast, recently sat down with Tekmetric CEO Sunil Patel at the Vision Hi-Tech Training and Expo in Kansas City, Kansas.

Sunil shared some key insights into facing challenges, embracing change, streamlining processes, prioritizing customers, and the power of “always starting with why.”

Note: the following answers have been condensed for clarity.

On Facing Challenges and Handling Stress

ASOG: We spoke with PJ Leslie (Tekmetric’s Business Development Director) recently, and he was talking to us about your ability to take anything that comes your way and overcome it.

PJ shared with us that no matter the circumstance, you’re always able to say, “We’re going to get through this, and we’re going to make something from it.”

You created an amazing thing despite the adversity that you’ve faced. How were you able to do that?

Patel: My wife and I went through some hard times with our daughter, Brianna, about a year ago.

And what I told my wife during that time was, “You know what? I’m ready to face this challenge.

We’re going to find the best doctor we can find and the best solution for her. And Brianna will live life one day at a time.

We’re not going to think about the future, we’re going to live life today.”

Since that day it’s been almost ten months and everything has been great. She’s doing beautifully.

A key component to handling stress is delegation.

You’ve got to let go of some of your responsibilities no matter how unnerving it is. Remind yourself that you can continue to keep your momentum on your shop, business, and goals by delegating.

That’s why you have a team—so you can tackle and conquer each task that comes your way.

On Embracing Change and Switching Gears

ASOG: You’ve gone from being a physician to a police officer to an auto repair shop owner, and now you’re the co-founder and CEO of Tekmetric. What made you want to go from physician to shop owner?

Was there a rock bottom for you? Was there a point where you decided, “I don’t want to be a physician any longer?”

Patel: I was fortunate that I never hit rock bottom. I’ve always tried to live in the moment. And I’m always intrigued by learning new things. With that being said, it took me going from industry to industry to learn the skills that helped form Tekmetric.

Let’s say you set a goal for yourself to go to the gym more often.

Now, if you don’t want to go to the gym, then you will keep training your mind to make sure that gym is just not your thing. It’s not until you have a breakthrough that you are able to change your mindset.

You have to train your reticular activating system (RAS), a network of nerve pathways located in the brain stem that mediates overall behavior, so that going to the gym becomes a positive activity.

Along with reminding yourself that you want to go to the gym, write down when you want to make the change and why.

Let’s say this is your goal, 'In March 2023, I will feel great, I will look great, my clothes will fit me better, and I can hear my family and friends saying ‘You’ve done a fantastic job.'

You have to recognize and reframe each limiting belief that is preventing you from achieving your end goal. An example of a limiting belief would be something along the lines of, "Ah, I’ve had a long day, I can just go to the gym tomorrow.' You have to reframe it to, 'I’ve had a long day, time to finish strong with a trip to the gym.'

You have to be very intentional. You truly have to want to reach the finish line.

This concept goes for shop owners, too. If you’re wanting to expand your shop, you’ll need to change the way you’re running your business. You can do that with shop management software.

Tekmetric is pleased to announce that our co-founder Sunil Patel has been selected by Houston Business Journal as one of Houston’s Fifty Most Admired CEOs of 2020.

“I want to thank Houston Business Journal’s Publisher Bob Charlet, Editor-in-Chief Giselle Greenwood, and the entire HBJ staff for including me on this year’s list,” says Sunil.

Most of all, I want to thank my awesome team at Tekmetric. A CEO can’t be successful without the feedback and support of their team. Our team works hard every day to meet the needs of thousands of shop owners across North America. Our mission is to empower shop owners to make their business successful for them, their teams, and their guests. Shop owners deserve to be admired CEOs, too.

Visit Houston Business Journal to see a full list of 2020’s Most Admired CEO Finalists

At Tekmetric, we’ve been busy creating the most requested feature by users: true two-way texting. We’re excited to announce that this November, you and your guests will be able to communicate with each other in a seamless, hassle-free way.

Send and Receive Texts Directly in Tekmetric

Once your shop sets up two-way texting within Tekmetric, your team and customers will be able to have instant, harmonious digital conversations.

On your end, the Tekmessage interface will have a similar look and feel to social media messaging services (such as Facebook Messenger).

Your customers, however, will see the conversations as regular text messages on their phones.

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To use Tekmessage, simply click the messaging icon in the top right corner of your shop’s header within Tekmetric. Doing so will open the Tekmessage sidebar, where you’ll be able to see a full list of conversations with guests, send and receive texts, and search conversations.

Remember spring and summer of 2020? A lot of us are probably trying to forget and move forward, and we feel you. It was a scary time period for everyone, including the automotive repair industry.

Last April, auto shop owners were wondering, are my customers going to come into the shop? If people stay inside, are they going to drive less? If they drive less, are they still going to come into the shop as frequently? What if other industries are affected, and people have less money for repairs?

We were nervous like everyone else. But anyone who knows Tekmetric knows that we’re committed to driving the auto repair industry forward; we wanted to answer these questions and put Auto Repair Professionals’ minds at ease.

We also wanted to enable shops to not only endure the pandemic but also grow and come out stronger than ever before.

Strength in Numbers

If there’s one thing that makes us feel confident, empowered, and like we know what’s going on, it’s numbers. (Tracking shop performance and providing insights is kind of our thing).

We’ve seen the power of metrics in shops across America, and we know that customers, service advisors, technicians, and the entire auto repair industry benefit when auto shop owners can make informed decisions.

So we launched the TM-500 Index. The TM-500 tracks the Average Repair Order and Car Count of five hundred auto repair shops located across the United States. But data don’t mean squat if it ain’t easy to read. The TM-500 let’s users sort data by time and region so they can quickly explore trends.

Want to know the ARO and Car Count between the months of June and November of 2020? Simply set the time period “by month,” and the TM-500 will generate an easy-to-read graph.

Want to know if shops in midwest states had a higher or lower Car Count than southwest states last summer? Simply set the time period you want to observe, and hover over different regions on a map of the United States to learn how they performed.

Just as the Tekmetric system for auto repair shop management gives shop owners better insights into their shops, the TM-500 gives Auto Repair Professionals better insights into their industry.

But knowing is only half the battle.

A Catalyst for Digital Transformation

The auto repair industry has lagged behind almost every other service industry in how we utilize technology. Almost anyone with a smartphone can order a pizza, sushi, enchiladas, or any other food they want and track it while it’s being delivered to their door.

Meanwhile, someone paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a new transmission still has to go in-person and deal with a half-legible piece of paper that feels greasier than the pizza and enchiladas put together!

But we get it. People are sometimes reluctant to change. For many auto shop owners, however, the COVID-19 pandemic was the “now or never” moment to fully digitize their shops.

In 2020, Tekmetric prioritized the rollout of several features we had been working on to help shops provide their customers with the experience they’ve come to expect in almost every other part of their lives. In April of 2020, we rolled out Text-to-Pay, allowing shops to invoice and collect payment via text message.

In November of 2020, we rolled out True Two-Way Texting to make it easy for service advisors and customers to communicate throughout the entire repair process.

Combined, these two features enabled Tekmetric users to provide a completely touchless experience to their customers without sacrificing the quality of their work or customer service.

Much like in other industries, customers who bring their cars in for repairs appreciate the extra service and transparency of a more enhanced, digitally assisted customer experience.

As we watched many shops grow by using Tekmessage and Tekmerchant, we kept an eye on the overall performance of the TM-500. We were able to see when shops began to bounce back in summer after an early slump, and developed other understandings about where the industry was headed.

Over time, we have added new metrics to the TM-500 such as state-by-state Labor Margin, Parts Margin, Effective Labor Rate, and Car Count to gain a more complete picture of these high-performing shops.

What Have We Learned Since the Onset of the Pandemic?

When making conclusions about where the industry is going, we like to be informed by both quantitative and qualitative data.

The numbers give us a factual look at what’s gone up or down, and talking to people in the industry helps us make correlations between how certain behaviors, processes, and principles affect these trends.

Between the data we gathered from the TM-500 and the feedback we were able to gather from talking to auto shop owners, here’s what we have learned.

When he set off to create Tekmetric, founder and CEO Sunil Patel had an ace up his sleeve: experience running his independent auto repair shop.

Running a repair shop is the background of everything we do. It's that partnership between Tekmetric and the auto repair shops that leverage the platform daily that enable us to build the absolute best tool for the job: running an independent auto repair shop.

So we set out on a mission to deepen our connection with our customers and understand each shop's unique challenges and wins by visiting as many customers as possible.

We wanted to understand the unique challenges and victories each shop faces, to truly deepen our connection with you. The results? It blew us away. Your stories, your shops and your teams are the heart of what we do. You inspire us every day to provide the best solutions for the independent auto repair industry.

Tekmetric's Customer Obsession

Whether your shop is general repair, like brakes, fluids and check engine lights, or a specialized business focused on older European cars, there’s one thing that’s always the same: the amazing, critical work your shop does to get people back on the road!

And it’s your amazing shops that use Tekmetric that make all this possible. Our customers' valuable feedback is what helps us develop a better platform, and the proof is in the pudding.

Just look at all the awards we’ve been winning because of our users, like you!

What We Hear from Independent Auto Repair Shops

No one knows what it takes to run an independent auto repair shop better than the teams that rely on Tekmetric to power their operations.

Here's what we heard from shops and why they love Tekmetric:

Tekmetric's ease of use and simplicity in running your shop

‍Everything you need to run your shop is organized, tracked, and maintained in one tool.

Whether you're a shop owner peaking into real-time performance reports or analyzing shop trends, a general manager ensuring cars flow quickly and efficiently through your shops, a service advisor supporting customers, or even a technician fixing cars, Tekmetric can help your shop operate like a well-oiled inline 6.

Tekmetric empowers shop to grow and reach their next level

‍We constantly hear how shop owners have leveraged Tekmetric to grow their business in ways they never expected.

Whether that means opening and managing multiple locations, simply adding a few new bays moving into a larger location, or even expanding your operations to service more customers, Tekmetric's simplicity and complete control over your shop makes it easy to track, plan, and grow.

Tekmetric's commitment to transparency and communication

Because we're so customer-obsessed, we're always here to help! As a cloud-based solution, Tekmetric helps run your shop by doing a lot of the operational "heavy lifting," so to speak.

Not only do we provide the right tools for the job, but we're here to partner with your shop. Our support doesn't end, and we're always a quick message or phone call away, anytime you need support!

Our Commitment to Shops Like Yours

Because we're here to help your great shop get even better, we're always open to hearing how we can make Tekmetric even better! 

Want to see Tekmetric in action? Book a demo today to see how you can revolutionize your shop operations.

Tekmetric is really excited to join the show, connect with the amazing professionals who rely on Tekmetric, and maybe even meet a few of you who haven't made the switch yet!

There's something special brewing too for the 31st, and it's not just Halloween

Not convinced? Here are six reasons you absolutely need to see us at SEMA and AAPEX, whether you're a long-time fan (we'd love to say hi!) or maybe a little curious about what we're up to.

1. Our Revolutionary Feature Announcement

Something big is brewing. On October 31st, at 10am in Booth #11789 at SEMA. Be among the first to experience the groundbreaking feature from Tekmetric.

We're gonna be releasing something "wicked smart."‍

2. Win a Driving Experience

Who doesn't love a good game of Mario Kart? It's not just for the kids! And if you're fast enough on a Switch, you can bring your skills to a real racetrack.

Come by, rev up your controllers, and race to win a Lamborghini Huracan driving experience from Speed Vegas, on us! We'll even cover your flight and hotel to get you to the track!

3. Q&A With the Tekmetric Team

Have any questions for us? Here’s your chance to get some one-on-one face time with our team. We’re here to guide you through any concerns you may have, and if you’re curious how Tekmetric works we can walk you through it with a live demo!

And for you dedicated Tekmetric users, we’re all ears for you to share any valuable recommendations you’ve got cooking. Now’s your chance to be heard!

4. Check Out the MoFO Truck In Person!

Pardon our French, but you're gonna wanna see this MoFO in person.

Witness how Max-Bilt, a current customer, has used Tekmetric to transform a FedEx truck into an insane mobile office for one of their valued customers. Check 'em out on instagram!

5. Visit Joe's Garage

And if you're bored of hearing us talk about Tekmetric, come check us out in action in Joe's Garage.

Watch as Andy Bizub and team use Tekmetric to manage their entire repair process in-action! They'll be working on repairing a used car to donate to veterans after the show.

6. Collect Exclusive Swag

Honestly, though, we know what you want. Don't miss the chance to pick up some awesome SEMA exclusive swag we got in the works! We think you'll love it.

HOUSTON – October 31, 2023 – Tekmetric, industry leading automotive repair shop management system, has released Smart Jobs, the industry’s first smart job building feature that quickly builds jobs in just one click to help streamline the creation of repair orders. In just one click, shops can quickly build an estimate with parts and labor, check on-hand inventory levels and shop at preferred vendors right in Tekmetric. This revolutionary feature enables service advisors to focus on customer service while simultaneously reducing workload.

"When it comes to running an independent auto repair business, efficiency is paramount," said Sunil Patel, CEO of Tekmetric. "With Smart Jobs, shops have the opportunity to respond to customer needs quickly and accurately, saving time and hassle for everyone. This is a game-changer for our industry, and we are confident that it will revolutionize the way shops operate and deliver customer service."

With one click in Tekmetric, service advisors can now build a job based on the vehicle selected, and Tekmetric will automatically:

● Create a job title

● Add the relevant labor line and apply a labor matrix

● Add the necessary parts, filters and fluids and apply a parts matrix

● Check inventory for all parts, then fetch them from your favorite vendors if not in stock

● Apply a locked package price to the entire job

● Apply any necessary fees

In addition to building repair orders more efficiently, Smart Jobs also accelerates the parts ordering process. Not only can the feature automatically apply the correct quantity of parts, filters and fluids to the repair, but it also shops for out-of-stock items and prepares an order within Tekmetric. For quick jobs, like cabin air filters, Smart Jobs has been able to save approximately one minute per job, adding up quickly throughout the day. Smart Jobs can also help new employees to begin building jobs faster. This can lead to improved productivity and reduced errors, helping employees to produce high-quality work earlier in their training.

Smart Jobs will be available to Tekmetric customers in 2024. To request pricing or schedule a demo visit https://www.tekmetric.com/feature/smart-jobs.

About Tekmetric

Tekmetric, a Houston-based auto repair technology company, offers a cloud-based platform that enables auto repair shop owners to enhance productivity and increase profitability through its streamlined workflow management processes. Designed by a former shop owner, Tekmetric’s platform drives shop efficiency through real-time data, a customizable user interface and customer-centric communication tools. Since its launch in 2016, Tekmetric has disrupted the industry with its robust fully-integrated system, developed with an emphasis on customer transparency and user collaboration. For more information, visit www.tekmetric.com.

Our team loved our experience at the recent Vision conference - it’s always awesome to swap stories and gain valuable insights into the daily hurdles and opportunities you encounter!

Through our conversations, a common theme emerged: the need for streamlined processes and enhanced customer communication.

Shop owners expressed their desire for tools that simplify management, improve technician productivity, and ultimately elevate the customer experience.

This year, we're committed to addressing these needs head-on. Tons of new feature rollouts coming this year (including a mobile app!) that will focus on exactly that - you ask, we deliver!

At Tekmetric, we're more than just a software provider – we're your partner in success.

Every day, by every measure, we're here to help you transform your shop, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and achieve your goals.

Together, let's embrace the future of auto repair — it’s already here.

Thank you to all who connected with us at Vision!

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Legal Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional financial advice. Please reference section179.org and a professional accountant for advice on financial planning and filing taxes.  

As 2020 comes to an end, you might be thinking about all of this year's expenses and wondering what you might be able to write off on your taxes. You may even be considering whether or not to make a big purchase, weighing the tax deductions you could get if you bought it this year versus next.

Is it worth buying that new lift before the year ends? Or should you put it off until 2021?

What is Section 179?

Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows business owners to write off the entire cost of a piece of equipment, renovations, or other assets in the first year instead of writing off an asset a little bit at a time over a five, seven, fifteen, or thirty-nine year period. To give an example, if a shop owner buys a new tire machine, they could either write off the taxes over a seven-year period, or they can use Section 179 to get the entire deduction in the first year.

What Type of Costs Qualify for Section 179?

• Tangible business property, including machinery and equipment
• Leasehold improvements
• Computer software*

*Is Tekmetric Eligible for Section 179?

Generally speaking, off-the-shelf computer software that has been purchased outright is eligible for Section 179. Because Tekmetric is a web-based software and does not make users sign a contract, it is not eligible for section 179, but it does qualify for a standard tax deduction.

Smart partnerships can change your business for the better. They can streamline processes, reduce costs, boost profits, bring your auto repair shop to a wider audience, and help you grow by leaps and bounds. On the other hand, not all partnerships are worth pursuing.

If your partnership is not a two-way street, you may be getting taken advantage of.

Generally, there are three types of partnership situations:

1. Mutually beneficial: everybody wins
2. Lopsided: One partner wins, the other loses
3. Mutually harmful: Both partners are worse off

A mutually beneficial partnership is the only one worth pursuing and keeping. But sometimes it can be challenging to know exactly what kind of arrangement you might find yourself in with any given partnership. The best way to mitigate any risk of entering or staying in a harmful partnership is to consider all sides of the arrangement and assess the partnership as a whole.

To assess all aspects of your current partnerships, or to determine whether or not a partnership you’re considering will be mutually beneficial, Tekmetric has put together an Auto Repair Partnership Accountability Self Assessment.

Here's how to use this assessment:

The assessment questions are in bold text below. They are thought-provoking questions you may want to ask yourself about the partnership.

Below the questions, we included typical answers or responses you may have. Remember, some questions are more open-ended than others, so the answers might not always be a clear “yes” or “no”.

The "Guidance" section provides helpful tips and deeper thoughts to help you think through certain aspects of your partnership.

We hope these guiding questions help you grow your business and enter strong, sustainable relationships with accountable and trustworthy partners.

Partnership Self Assessment

1. What type of partnership are you assessing?

• Shop Management System Vendor
• Parts Supplier Program
• Marketing Partner
• Another shop
• Non-profit
• Investors / Finance
• Legal Partner
• Technology Partner
• Other

Guidance: Assess the scope of your partnership. Some partnerships are limited, focusing on a very specific aspect of a product or service. Others, such as a merger or acquisition, can dramatically change your business.

Tek-Tip: Date before you marry.

If a partnership has the potential to be a major game-changer, take the time to enter it properly, form a stable foundation, and build it up from there. If you start on the same page with mutual trust, you can grow at a pace that is healthy for everyone.

If you don’t see the partnership growing beyond a limited scope, you may want to reassess the relationship and ask yourself whether or not it is worth it.

2. Is the partnership essential? If so, what makes it essential? Does it improve a process, help sell to customers, decrease workload, cut costs, bring needed financing, etc.?

Yes or No

Guidance: If the partnership is essential to your business, it’s that much more important to make sure it’s mutually beneficial. Otherwise, you may find yourself dependent on a partnership that may not always be there for you and need to pursue other options.

If the partnership isn’t essential, consider why you would keep the partnership or enter it in the first place.

If the partnership hinders your ability to do something essential, reevaluate how you can either adjust the relationship, end it, or replace it.

3. On a scale of 1 to 10, to what extent do you trust your potential partner? Does the partnership help address a weakness or enhance a strength?

1 = No Trust 10 = Full Trust

Guidance: You really should be able to mark a 10 without hesitation if at all possible. There’s no such thing as partial trust. Either your partner is committed to your success or they are not a good fit.

4. Does the partnership help address a weakness or enhance a strength?

Areas of strengths or weaknesses may include: Organization, speed, outreach, sales, cash flow, accounting, human resources, management, measurement, data analysis, process, network, assets, brand image, technical ability, ethics, revenue, lead generation, morale, product diversity, risk, etc.

Guidance: If the partnership helps you make up for a weakness or further bolsters a strength, then the partnership may be beneficial.

Tek-Tip: Keep an eye on your metrics!

Partnerships should grow your ARO, Car Count, GP$ and other essential bottom line statistics.

5. Are you free to choose your preferred tools and software under the partnership?

Yes or No

It’s important to not be limited by a partnership. If your partner is forcing you to use a specific tool that you don’t want to use or to buy something that you don’t need, the partnership may be parasitic and to the detriment of your business.

Tek-Tip: Negotiate, if needed.

You don’t have to accept a partnership offer at face value. If you’re offered something that looks good save for a limiting aspect or two, try asking for a compromise. A good partner will usually accommodate you.

6. How well does your partner communicate?

Consider all options below.

My partner is:

• Proactive (reaches out to me before I have to call them)
• Responsive when there is a problem or issue
• Inquisitive and asks questions that clarify or help get to the bottom of a challenge
• Thoughtful and honors my time
• Flexible and willing to communicate on my preferred channels or adapt to my schedule.

Guidance: Communication is key to a healthy, mutually beneficial partnership. Clear, open communication builds trust, keeps projects on task, ensures completion of goals, and maximizes everybody’s strengths.

Tek-Tip: Set up a good process and cadence for communication.

Getting on the same page when it comes to when and how different stakeholders communicate can help unify all members of the partnership so that they can act as one single team.

Consider setting up:

• Regular standing meetings
• Preferred communication channels tailored to specific needs and goals
• Project management systems and processes

7. Do you and your potential partner have shared goals related to customer success, innovation, growth, margins, etc.?

Think about your shared goals. It would be even better if you jot them down.

Guidance: You can only measure a goal if it is clearly outlined. For instance, "Increase customers per month by 30% in the next 12 months".

Tek-Tip: Use SMART goals.

Make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based.  (For more info, read Peter Druck’s "The Practice of Management").

8. Is your contract overly restrictive or overly lax?

What limitations are placed on your business due to the contract?

What parts of the contract seem too abstract, open-ended, or loose to protect you?

Guidance: Have your mentor, accountant, and/or lawyer look over the contract.

Tek-Tip: Get assurances.

An accountant or other financial partner should be able to look you in the eye and say they are confident that the partnership will make you money.

A legal partner should be able to look you in the eye and say that they would be confident defending from your side of the contract in court. Get their blessings before signing.

9. All things considered, do you feel like this partnership is mutually beneficial or benefits one partner more than the other?

Consider the following.

This partnership is:

• Mutually beneficial
• Disadvantageous for my business
• Disadvantageous for my partner

Guidance: Your partnership should be mutually beneficial. If this assessment has called into question whether the partnership may be disadvantageous or hurt either you or your partner, it may be time for a serious conversation about altering or ending the relationship.

Summary

Be wise with your partnership choices. We’re always looking for ways to both help our partners and discover new capabilities through partnerships with other companies. Our partnerships have led us to offer shop owners more through integrations with marketing companies, parts suppliers, labor guides, and other trustworthy auto repair solutions.

To see some of our partners and integrations, check out our Integrations Page.

Are you looking for a shop management system partner? We’d love to work with you towards a mutually beneficial relationship with your auto repair shop business.

‍Standing on the grid of the Indy 500 with 250,000 people around you and 33 cars on the grid—there’s nothing like it.

At the age of 13 I was working on semi-trucks. And when I turned 18, I opened up my first shop in the U.K. It was mobile; just me and a set of tools. 

In 1996, I got a call from Newport Beach, California that said “we need you to be a crew chief for the Indy Lights Team.” 

With no hesitation, I said yes. I was the crew chief for a two-car team for about a year. 

After moving from the U.K. to the U.S., I hopped around a bit. I lived in Oregon, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. I went from being a crew chief to replacing rear tires and fixing exotics. 

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In 1999, I worked my first Indy 500 race. And let me tell you: standing on the grid of the Indy 500 with 250,000 people around you and 33 cars on the grid—there’s nothing like it. 

As you’re waiting for the car to drive up, your adrenaline will start pumping. Everyone is in their position, and you’re in charge of changing the outside rear tire.

Formula One guys can do it in 2 to 2.5 seconds because they have a group of 20 individuals, but when you’re the only one on a tire, and everyone’s counting on you, you do it in 5 to 7 seconds.

I remember they put a heart rate monitor on me when I was changing tires at the Long Beach Grand Prix. My heart rate went from 180 to 230 during that wheel change.