When to Repair a Tire and When to Replace It

A nail in your tire isn't always bad news. A lot of flats can be fixed for a fraction of the cost of a new tire. But not every one should be, and the difference matters when you're back at highway speed.

When a tire can be repaired

If the puncture is in the tread area, smaller than a quarter inch, and the tire hasn't been driven on flat, it's usually a good candidate for repair. The right way to do it is to take the tire off the wheel, patch it from the inside, and rebalance it. An outside-only plug is a temporary fix at best.

When it has to be replaced

A puncture in the sidewall or near the shoulder can't be safely repaired, no matter what. The same goes for a tire that's been run flat, has a gash, or is already down to the wear bars. In those cases a patch just hides a problem that will come back at the worst time.

How we decide

When you bring a tire in, we pull it off the wheel and look at it inside and out before we tell you anything. If it's safe to fix, we fix it. If it isn't, we'll show you why and talk through new and used options. We'd rather keep a good tire on the road than sell you four you didn't need.

Got a slow leak or a nail you've been airing up around? Bring it by the shop on South Oates Street and we'll take a look.