At Beiler's Auto Repair Inc. we value the safety of our customers above all else. We want to ensure that you get to where you're going every time with a reliable and safe vehicle. A major problem area for the cars and trucks that come into Beiler's Auto Repair Inc., are tires. Your tires are your connection to the road, and without them doing their job properly, all the handling development and safety testing that went into your car may not keep you safe. Here is some basic information on your tires and how to know when the time has come for replacements.
Why are old or bad tires dangerous?
As stated above, your tires are an extremely important component of your car or truck. If you've ever been out of control in a vehicle, you'll know how scary being a powerless passenger inside a two ton metal box can be. Driving on tires that are too old, improperly inflated, out of balance, or not suited to weather conditions can spell disaster for your safe journey. Your tires were designed with a very specific task in mind. Using them improperly can have sudden and catastrophic consequences.
Signs your tires need air
This issue can be fairly simple to spot. If your tire seems to be wider at the part which contacts the road, they probably need to be topped up with air. Driving on under-inflated tires wears them out faster due to uneven pressure on the sidewall and can lead to full-on flats and even end up shredding the tire off the wheel! Low tire pressure ruins your vehicle's fuel economy. If you've ever ridden a bicycle with under-inflated tires you know how much extra effort you have to put in to get moving and stay rolling. On the flip side of this, driving with too much air in your tires is also unsafe. While it's unlikely that hitting a large pothole would cause the tire to burst (remember they're built to last for thousands of miles) having too much air pressure in a tire reduces the size of the contact patch, or the area where rubber meets road. This can lead to less grip and control over your vehicle. Every tire manufacturer prints the correct tire pressure on the side of their tires, so it's easy to find out the perfect pressure for your ride.
Signs your tires are out of tread
As with having over-inflated tires, a lack of tread can lead to less control and worse handling for your car or truck. Your tires' tread patterns help them to hold the road as well as channeling mud and water away from the areas that need to do the gripping. Without enough tread depth, your car can ride up on top of water on the road and cause you a complete loss of control. There are a few common methods of measuring tread depth, such as using a penny to gauge whether or not it's time to replace your tires, but we recommend coming into Beiler's Auto Repair Inc. in Sarasota, FL for a professional opinion on the matter. Not all tires are created equal and must be replaced at different times.
Signs your tires are damaged
Signs that your tires are damaged can come from a few sources. A visual inspection can catch potential problems before they become major issues such as nails or rocks embedded in the tread grooves. Always remember that there's a great deal of pressure contained within your tires. If you see any gashes, bubbles or hear the hiss of air escaping it's best to stay away from that tire and enlist the help of a professional. Believe us, you don't want a tire exploding anywhere near you.
You can sometimes feel tire damage while driving. If your car begins to make strange noises as it goes down the road or the handling suddenly becomes worse you should pull over as soon as it's safe. Driving on a flat is a bad idea, and can often lead to more severe damage to your vehicle.
What can and cannot be repaired
Tires are expensive and we take any opportunity we can to repair them safely and save you money. Small punctures can often be plugged and patched (it should always be both!) but sometimes the tire's day is done. If the puncture is on the outer edge of the tire (outside the tread) it's probably unsafe to repair. The same goes for a tire that's been driven on while flat. In this case the sidewall has become weakened and the tire is no longer safe. As with recommended pressures, each manufacturer has guides for what can and what can't be repaired.
At Beiler's Auto Repair Inc., customer safety is our number one priority. We hope you'll be a little safer with this information. If you'd like to talk about whether your tires may need inspection or replacement, call us at 941-377-0141 or visit us at 5820A Palmer Blvd in Sarasota, FL. Happy travels!
We offer most major brands of tires. These are a few of our preferred brands.
To learn more about our Tire services, call us at 941-377-0141 or request a quote by clicking below:
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what our customers say
I am absolutely helpless when it comes to cars. But after taking my car to the service department of the dealership I got it from multiple times over 2 years, I was fed up. I'd been bringing it to them for regular 5k oil changes, and repeatedly told them that the engine (or so I thought) was incredibly loud, and the steering column rattled when breaking. The slip indicator light came on randomly. I was ignored every time, and made to wait ridiculous hours for minor things, like changing a tire. So I found this place based off the great reviews across all platforms, and I am SO happy I did. I couldn't find anyone who would fit me in the week I called, and most places weren't open after Hurricane Ian. But they were! The owner, Danny, answered the phone himself and was so nice and efficient about booking me an appointment just two days away. I even had a concern with one of my lights that he looked at for free that same day in case he needed to order a part. Every time I have come in, Danny has either been in the office or on call to come in. Stand up guy, refreshing to see a service place that has management that cares. I came in to drop off, and the Service Advisor, Chris, listened to my concerns and noticed a "clunk" when turning that even I hadn't really noticed all that often, as well as excessive play in the wheel. This had been noticed previously by my prior mechanic, but had been brushed off as "No big deal." She said it shouldn't matter if I'd been driving it with that for this long. Meanwhile, Chris offered to run diagnostics, and I was desperate to have someone tell me what was wrong, so I agreed. Turns out, there was a LOT wrong! The serpentine belt, the pinion (where the noise was coming from!), the battery, all things any real mechanic should have spotted. My prior mechanic made no effort to inform me of how dangerous my car was, or that any of these things could have been a problem. And they diagnosed this ALL without me having remembered to tell them about the indicator light. When I asked for pictures, they were able to bring the parts to me and show me the damage first hand! Wow! Driving out of that lot felt like I had bought a new car, it handled so differently. Better than it did when I bought it. I'm furious at my previous mechanic (Toyota of Pinellas Park, be ashamed!) for putting my life and the stability of my car at risk. The repairs weren't cheap, but I consulted with my dad (a prior race car mechanic) and he agreed they were giving me a fair price for labor and parts. They also offered multiple financing options, and went to great lengths to make sure I could afford these repairs to make my car safe again. Danny came back in just to help me get my financing settled. Oh, and the decorations in the lobby were so nice. Not your standard run down mechanic lobby. Anyway, tldr: Go here! Their service was so good, Chris, Danny, Mic, and everyone else at the shop were so nice and put up with my rambling and freaking out and constant calling, and they WILL fix your car even if no one else could figure it out! With a 2 day turnaround, no less! I'll be back in 5k!
The staff at Beilers took good care of me a couple weeks ago. They got me in quickly and replaced my battery. Chris took good care of me. He made the extra effort to come out to my car and let me know if my light comes back on, give him a call. I highly recommend Beilers!
These guys are 'straight shooter's,' and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Fair pricing. Honest. They even provide for (possibly) a loaner (when available). I could go on and on. They're been around for decades. They're smart guys who function well as a team. They're what exactly you're trying to find, at least as it relates to auto repair. Hopefully this nice post will get me a small discount of some sort on my next tune up(?). <-----Just kidding! Thank you(s) all (again)!!
