• Detroit Free Press, Wednesday, July 9, 2008 12:30 PM

The only hint that Ford owns Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers -- which service all makes and models -- is that they are likely to be at or near a Ford dealership. But faced with slumping new-vehicle sales and declining warranty work (a consequence of higher-quality vehicles), Quick Lane is becoming an increasingly important venture for Ford and its dealers.

In the past four years, Ford has doubled the number of Quick Lane centers nationwide -- to 500 -- and last month it opened more than two dozen stores through its existing network of more than 4,000 Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers. Because Ford has now reached a critical mass of Quick Lane stores in some markets -- such as Phoenix, Denver, Tampa and Atlanta -- it can now market the brand regionally, says Tom Suttles, Ford's Quick Lane business manager.

The draw for the new brand is the packaging and execution, Suttles says. The Quick Lane concept is similar to that of a Belle Tire, Jiffy Lube, Midas or even Wal-Mart, which is equipping most of its new stores with a Tire & Lube Express center. Consumers have generally disliked getting their car serviced at dealerships, where they have often had to make appointments and face long waits, among other aggravations, according to Suttles.

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