| When a customer
enters our office and says, "I need a tire plugged", our
standard answer is "We don't plug tires, we patch them".
What is the
difference? Plugs are a temporary repair,
and should by no means be the standard method of
repairing tires for any shop. Patches are permanent
repairs, and when a tire is patched, the tire is
completely removed from the wheel, allowing the repair
tech to see the condition of the inner liner. If the
condition of the liner has been compromised from being
driven on, the tire is ruined. When a tire is just
plugged, it is never removed from the wheel; therefore,
the tire tech would not be able to see the condition of
the liner; also, plugs can leak, causing the tire to
go flat once again, which results in inconvenience and
additional cost to the customer.
What should you do if
you get a flat tire on the road? If you have
AAA, by all means, call
them.
AAA will either put
your spare on for you or tow your vehicle to a repair
facility.
Onstar offers roadside assistance
also if you are a subscriber. If you have to put the spare tire on yourself,
pull off to the side of the road as far as possible
(safely). If you have no other choice but to drive on
the flat tire, go to the nearest repair facility and let
them know that the tire was driven on while flat, and request a
patch repair or new tire -- if you do end up with a plug
as a tire repair, get the plug replaced with a patch as
soon as you can.
~ For
more information on tire care and safety, visit
www.safercar.gov ~
     
Hervey's Tire Company ~
22 Union Street Rochester NH 03867 ~ (603) 332-5420
Website design by Tanya Hervey
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