Need your tire repaired? In this article we will show you where to find your local tire repair shop, share insight on how the tire repair near me works, go over warranty basics, and address some common questions regarding servicing of tires. Its critical to understand that not all punctures and tire damage are repairable. Even if a tire is plugged or patched and it’s done inproperly, it can result in an accident. Lets get started with finding your nearest tire repair shop..
Map of Tire Repair Near Me
If you are searching for “Tire Repair Near Me” or “Tire Service Near Me”, see below for locations…
Does Your Tire Have a Warranty?
Different brands of tires have different warranty lengths and issues that are covered. There are multiple types of tire warranties including mileage (also known as tread life), limited road hazard, workmanship and materials, and uniformity. If you are in need of a tire repair then likely you need to find out if your tires are covered by limited road hazard or a workmanship warranty. If you have a nail in your tire, you are not going to be covered.
What is a Limited Road Hazard Warranty
Some brands offer this kind of warranty. It can cover your tires for one year after the purchase date or the first 2/32nds of tread life. This style of warranty covers damages caused by a pot hole or some other type of road hazard. The trick of it all is that the tire must be deemed unrepairable for you to make a claim on the warranty.
What is a Workmanship Warranty
This covers you for 5 to 6 years from the purchase date and protects you against defects caused by the manufacturing process. To be eligible, a tire must have an unusual condition not caused by a lack of maintenance or some type of issue with your vehicle.
Making a Warranty Claim
To make a tire warranty claim you need to make sure you have your original receipt and performed the following:
- Routine Tire rotation according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
- Properly inflation levels. Under or over inflation can void the warranty.
- Regular alignments. Wheel misalignment can void the warranty.
Other Guarantees
Depending on where you purchased your tires originally they may repair your tire free of charge for the life of the tire. Certain wholesale clubs like BJ’s and Costco, but the trick is they need to perform the tire repair. That’s not helpful if its not the closest tire service near you.
At the local tire service near me, they will ask you about a warranty if your tire may be covered. Not all repair shops do this, so you should know off hand if you have coverage.
The repairable area is only on the tread
What Can Be Repaired and When Should You Opt For Replacement
The key to a flat tire repair is where is the repair needed, how big is the area affected, and what condition is the tire in now (tread and age).
For a fix to occur the issue must be in a repairable area, which is in the tread. If the issue occurs on the sidewall or shoulder, then the issue should not be fixed. Instead you should replace the tire. Some places will perform a patch or a plug outside of the repairable area, but the truth is, that is not safe and it can put you in harms way. Any reputable shop will not agree to performing an unsafe repair.
If you have a puncture bigger than 1/4 of an inch, you need to replace the tire. A repair on a hole that large is not safe.
Don’t repair bald tires or old tires. If your tread is already under 2/32 of an inch, there is no sense repairing. You need new tires anyway. Additionally even if you have good tread and the tire is 6 years older or more, you should replace it and not repair it. This is because of when dry rot starts setting in.
While Punctures are the most common causes of flat tires it may also be due to damage to the valve stem, the tire getting excessive road rub, ripping of rubber, the tire and the rim separating due to impact, excessive wear and tear. Most of these are difficult or impossible to address with a repair. A tire with worn out tread for example, can’t be fixed and needs to be replaced.
Whats The Difference Between a Patch and a Plug?
In tire repair terms, you typically here two options, patch or plug. Here is the difference and why you might select one over the other.
Tire Patch
Patch – More Expensive and Time Consuming, but Better Quality
The recommended tire repair technique and is a bit more labor intensive for the repair tech. When a patch gets done, they fully take the tire off the rim and then use a die grinder to clean up a 2-inch diameter around so the puncture can give the patch enough an area to create a bond with. The tire technician then takes a patch and pushes it from the inside of the tire linear to the outside of the tire. Then it gets sealed and has to sit to dry.
Generally this is your safest option and is considered to last longer than a plug.
Tire Plug
Plug – Cheap, Applied Quickly, and Less Dependable
A plug is fast to complete and cheap and doesn’t require your tire to be taken off the rim or even unmounted. It is considered a stop gap measure more than a permanent solution. Plugs are best used if you have a nail puncture that’s causing your tire to lose air. After the nail or object gets extracted, a plug is pushed into the tire to stop the air leak. Old school plugging was more like a band-aid fix, but now they vulcanize to the tire for more stability. You should never plug a tire if the puncture is on the sidewall or the puncture is on an angle.
While plugs have improved, these should be considered temporary fixes and patches are the recommended tire repair fix.
Plug and Patch Combo
Plugs are effective solutions, but patches are always recommended because they are more secure. The patch/plug combination is the safest choice for a tire fix.
How Long Will a Tire Repair Last?
There are multiple factors that affect the ability for it to hold up. Things that will affect the life of the repair are the quality of the repair, the type and size of damage you repaired, the current condition of the tire, and your driving style.
If a repair is done correctly you should expect it to last the life of the tire even if you are fixing brand new tires. In other words you should be able to get 30k to 40K miles on a properly repaired tire with a patch plug combo or expect it to hold up more than 7 years. This is typical of the plug or the patch done properly together from the inside with a good vulcanizing agent. A plug alone should get you about 25K miles.
How Much Does Tire Repair Shop Near Me Charge?
A flat tire repair is probably not gonna set you back as bad as you may think, its more time consuming than expensive. On average if the puncture is in the tread area a tire fix is gonna run you between $10 and $20. Some places will do the repair for free if you purchased the tire at their shop. Technically plugs will be a few bucks cheaper then patches, but plugs are stop gaps and your tire may need to be patched later anyway. The tire repair near me doesn’t charge for labor, they only charge for the fix…this is how your local shop most likely operates as well.
If the puncture is in the sidewall, chances are they will recommend you buy a new tire. The sidewall of the tire is crucial to the overall structure and stability of the tire. A sidewall repair is gonna cost a few bucks more because the tire needs to be dismounted and both the inner and outer sidewall need repair. Most places charge around $30 for a sidewall repair.
Not every tire that is flat needs a repair. If you bring it in for a repair because your tire is flat, you may need some air and that’s it. If your tire is short on PSI, most tire repair shops will inflate your tire and send you on your way. Often they will do this for free.
Mobile Tire Repair Near Me Options
If you are stuck somewhere there are also options for mobile tire repair services. Similar to a tow truck, they will dispatch a help vehicle to you to provide roadside assistance. These services will come and either change a flat, plug a tire, or replace it wherever the vehicle. Most places operate a 24/7 fix a flat service, but you can also have them come to your home or job just for the convenience having them fix the tire for you at home. Typically these services start at $25 just to show up and then charge you based on mileage and your needs.
Can I Trust The Tire Repair Service Near Me?
So your local auto repair shop is telling you that you need a new tire and you are wondering if they are just trying to up sell you. That is a common practice that you need to be aware of. The best thing to do is arm yourself with information before you have them look at your tire.
Here are some things you should know about your tires so you can make an informed decision before opting for a new tire:
- How big was the puncture. Over 1/4 of an inch, you should replace the tire
- How much tread is left on the tire. Less than 3/32 of an inch its almost bald and should be replaced
- Is the tire more than 6 years old. NHTSA recommends replacing tires at six years
- Where was the puncture. Is it in a repairable area or is it in the sidewall.
If for example you know its a small nail in the tread area, your tires are 2 years old, and they recommend replacing the tire, ask them why. Being armed with information will help make sure your local tire repair nearby won’t take advantage of you. Some places will tell you to replace your tires before necessary, charge you a disposal fee, patch your tire after you leave, and then sell it as a used tire.
Can You Repair a Tire Yourself?
DIY plugging or patching is totally possible if you are confident in what you are doing. Plugging a tire is actually pretty simple and you can get a plug kit pretty cheap on Amazon. All you need to do is find the puncture and put it in the plug. Patching a tire is also in expensive, but its much more involved because your tire needs to be uninstalled, removed from the rim, patched, sealed, and then completely put back on. For more info you can read our review of the 5 best tire repair kits.
Most Tire companies like Cooper Tires, don’t recommend fixing tires yourself for safety reasons.
What To Consider If You Need To Replace The Tire
Replacing the tire you have some options to go new or used, which both have their pros and cons. I would recommend getting familiar with some basic tire guidelines, before you decide. New tires will offer the most traction, fancy warranties, but come at a premium price. Used tires are less safe but are affordable. There are certain situations like replacing tires at the end of a lease or only replacing one tire where going used makes sense.
If you go in for a repair and you local tire shop or auto repair says you need a new tire, inquire about if they sell used tires. Not all places do, but if money is a concern, you can see if it’s an option. Before you buy a used tire there are some things you should know about evaluating their condition first. There aren’t many government regulations regarding used tires so some places don;t care if they sell you something unsafe for your vehicle.
Tire Repair Near Me – Wrap Up
When its time to get your tire repaired, there is a lot to think about and consider. Where to go, is it under warranty, patch or plug, how much will it cost, and what if I need new tires. Most repairs for plugs and patches are pretty affordable. The X factor is truly where is the puncture on the tread or the sidewall. Don’t have repairs performed that are outside of the tread area, just replace the tire it is much safer. That’s what I have learned from the tire repair near me.