Independent auto repair shops the place to go for new tires

Question: When I need tires, shouldn't I look for a place like Pep Boys, Sears, Sam's Club that offers me the best deal? After all, tires are tires, aren't they?

Answer: Actually, there's a lot more to it than mounting any old tire on your car. And we have examples to prove it.

But first, consider this: Your tires are the only things on your car that contact the road. They alone—or almost alone—keep you moving down the road safely when it's wet, snowy or icy, and they work with your brakes to ensure you stop when you need to. And in all weather conditions, they help create a smooth ride.

Because of this, your vehicle needs tires that perform well with your driving habits, on your vehicle and in your climate. That’s where an independent auto repair shop stands out above the crowd of discount tire shops. Here’s an example: If you're going to keep your car for another three years and you put 15,000 miles a year on it, we would recommend a 60,000-mile tire so the tire is still good when you sell the car or trade it in. If you buy a 45,000-mile tire, you'll have to replace the tires before you sell or trade the car.

Another example: A lot of performance tires are also directional (they have a specific directional tread). While they perform very well, they also can get very noisy. We had a customer with a Lexus ES300, typically a very, very quiet and smooth-riding car. The tires on her car were performance/directional. When we test drove it, the car sounded like a Cessna. It was very loud going down the road, and the tires were only one or two years old. At CARS, we would not recommend that type of tire for a Lexus.

Independent auto repair shops are more experienced and we get to know the clients so we can recommend tires based on your needs—not what's on sale this month. We try to best suit your needs. You might not know much about a tire or the tire that's currently on your car, and a mass marketer might sell you a tire that doesn't fit your needs. We spend a lot of time asking you questions before we make a recommendation. We're going to recommend something based on your needs, not ours.

We also know about the products we're selling. We're not just putting a tire on your car to get rid of tire inventory, like those other stores do. Having a tire inventory can translate into tires that may not be as fresh. Tires are all date coded, so you can tell when they've been sitting around too long. We don't have a tire inventory. We buy our tires from a major supplier and we check the codes to ensure they're not old.

Installation is key, too. Our ASE-Certified technicians take the time to properly install the new tires, including cleaning the rims properly, installing tire valves carefully and balancing the wheels properly. It doesn't matter how good your tires are if they aren't installed correctly. That attention to detail improves the performance and longevity of tires.

If you buy a set of four tires at CARS of America, you'll also receive free lifetime tire rotations, free tire repairs and a free annual wheel alignment inspection, all of which help ensure you maximize the life and mileage of your new tires.

And don't forget: When you need those new tires, you can use our free loaners, ask us to pick up and deliver your vehicle, or take a ride in our courtesy shuttle.

Brian Blohm is the Service Manager and Managing Partner - Operations for CARS of America in Glenview. He is an ASE-Certified Automotive Service Technician and ASE-Certified Service Advisor with more than 25 years of automotive experience. A graduate of Triton College with an associate's degree in Automotive Technology, he has continued his training and education with the Automotive Training Institute and RL O'Connor. You can reach Brian via email at brianb@carsofamericainc.com or by phone at (847) 961-4363.