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Is there anything more poetic than the allure of the open road? Scenery flashing by as the endless miles of the highway unfurl before, picturesque villages chanced upon almost by accident, the squeal of rubber and protesting metal as tires that should have been replaced months before lose their grip on a treacherous mountain turn…

Melodrama aside, properly maintained tires can save your life. Although tire rotation as part of a regular preventative maintenance plan can dramatically help to extend tire life, the fact remains that at some point you will have to replace your tires.

There’s an old saying that you have to spend money to make money. In the case of maintaining your vehicle, it’s really more of a case of spending money to save money. Paradoxical? Perhaps, but it’s the truth.

Driving on old, worn tires drains the cash from your bank account in two ways. First, a tire that is near the end of it’s life doesn’t hold air as well as a new tire does. This means burning more gas than you would normally have to. Second, worn down treads mean less grip, and that means your brakes have to work harder than is optimal. This results in having to replace brake pads before their proper time.

Rather than costing money, knowing when to purchase new tires may actually help you to conserve your cash flow. Knowing exactly when to buy can help with this.

There is no simple formula when it comes to making this decision. You could take the car’s mileage and use it to figure out when you should need new tires, but this is not always a good indicator. Different drivers have different driving habits, and this may lead to unusual wear patterns on the tread. It’s better to use indicators that are not so linked to time or distance driven.

One of the most common clues that your vehicle is due for new tires is when handling changes for the worse. It can actually be a very minor difference, but if it is a vehicle you drive often you won’t have any trouble noticing. If steering takes more effort than it used to, or if driving through even shallow puddles starts your car hydroplaning, then it is probably time for new tires.

Another good way to tell is by periodically examining the Treadwear Indicator (TWI) bumps located in the bottom of the tread. Look for small raised lumps in the bottom of the treads. They can often be found by looking for a TWI marking on the tire where the tread and sidewall meet.

If the TWI bumps are below the tread across the whole width of the tire, then you are probably OK for the time being, assuming you haven’t noticed any steering or handling problems. However, if the TWI indicators are flush with the surface of the tire, even on only one part of the tread, then it’s definitely time for new tires.

When it comes to maintaining your vehicle, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And it’s usually less expensive.

The Goodyear Guy is the friendly face of Goodyear Canada…And now he blogs, not just any old blog mind you, nope - this one’s a doozy. So if the ‘behind-the-scenes’ secrets of Goodyear Canada and their favourite spokeperson appeal to your curiosity check it out! Save $100 on your next set of Goodyear tires? Grab your digital rebate coupon today.

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When it comes to car repair, most of us are totally clueless. Even if we took auto shop in high school, vehicle design and technology changes so fast that it seems like the only people who can keep up are professionals and extremely dedicated hobbyists.

However, there is at least one quick fix that every motorist, regardless of occupation, age, or gender should be able to perform, and that is how to change a flat tire.

Preparedness is the key when it comes to quickly and safely changing a flat on the side of the road. First things first, read your manual. It will have a step-by-step process on the procedure to use when changing a flat, and will most likely have several helpful diagrams.

The next thing to do is examine the tire iron that comes with your car. It is usually located beneath a false panel in the trunk where the spare tire is also stored. Many of these tire irons are tiny, and look more look like a toy version of a tire iron than a useful tool.

Using one of these tire irons presents difficulties. The technician who put the tires on in the first place was using a powerful air tool, and unless you’re Andre the Giant or Hercules, you’re going to have a hard time matching that power.

One solution to this dilemma is to buy a bigger and better tire iron. They aren’t terribly expensive, but other solutions are even cheaper. If you own a Club steering wheel lock, you can partially disassemble it by sliding one section all the way out and then inserting the tire iron into the end. Part of being prepared is making sure it will fit before you start driving.

Another option is to carry a short length of pipe in your trunk. Fit it over the end of the tire iron and you will greatly increase the leverage you are able to exert.

Carrying a large brick or small cinderblock in your trunk is often recommended for winter driving as it increases traction. Simply by leaving it there year round, you have a handy wheel chock (more on this later).

Another item to carry in your trunk is an old blanket. In an emergency, you can’t always choose a clean, gravel free surface on which to change your tire. If you show up for a big job interview in a torn, oil stained suit it won’t matter much that you got there on time. If you want to ensure that you stay clean while changing the tire, it’s a good idea to throw an old pair of work gloves in the trunk.

Assuming you have done this prep work, the next time you change a tire by the side of the road you will find it is much easier. Next, we’ll look at the actual procedure step-by-step.

Read the manual. You already did this while getting prepared, but that may have been months ago and it never hurts to review.

Retrieve all the equipment you will need from the trunk, including the chock, spare tire, tire iron, blanket and your piece of pipe.

Chock the tire. Take your brick or cinderblock and place it behind the tire that is diagonal from the one you want to change. This is a step many people choose to skip when in a hurry, but it takes seconds and can save your life if the jack should give way.

Place the jack and elevate the car. Refer to the car’s manual for where to place the jack. There are notches cut into the body for just this purpose. If you have difficulty finding them, keep looking. This is where your blanket will come in very handy, as it will allow you to lie down completely if needed. Placing the jack anywhere other than in these notches can cause serious damage to the body, both the car’s and your own. Make sure that the tire is completely free of the road surface before moving on to step 4.

Remove the hubcap. On most vehicles, this can be accomplished quickly and easily by inserting the wedge-shaped end of the tire iron at the edge of the hubcap. Not much pressure is needed to pop it off, so take care. Lay the hubcap beside you with the outside facing the ground.

Remove the nuts and place them in the hubcap.

Take off the tire. Tires are considerably heavier than they look, so if you are a slight framed person, you must take extra care not to over balance.

Place the spare tire onto the threaded bolts.

Reattach the nuts. Screw them on by hand, and then use the tire iron to tighten them up as much as possible. Really put your back into it. Do not under any circumstances stand on the tire iron to tighten them up. If you have a big tire iron or your piece of pipe you should have all the leverage you need.

Lower the jack and put everything back in its proper place in the trunk. Don’t forget your wheel chock. Driving over a cinderblock can cause a blowout, and you have already used your spare.

That’s it. As soon as possible, get your tire fixed or buy a new one. Most spare tires are only rated for around 80 kilometres an hour, and none of them are meant to be permanent replacements.

If you follow this procedure, and take a few minutes to make sure you are prepared before the next time you drive, your next flat tire won’t be leave you frustrated.

The Goodyear Guy is the friendly face of Goodyear Canada…And now he blogs, not just any old blog mind you, nope - this one’s a doozy. So if the ‘behind-the-scenes’ secrets of Goodyear Canada and their favourite spokeperson appeal to your curiosity check it out! Save $100 on your next set of Goodyear tires? Grab your digital rebate coupon today.

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When it comes to buying new tires you have an almost unlimited selection to choose from. This isn’t the false freedom of choice you experience when deciding which of seven virtually identical brands of frozen broccoli to go with either. This is the real deal.

The tires are the main point of interaction between your vehicle and its environment. It is, quite literally, where the rubber meets the road. This makes choosing the right tires a very important decision.

Luckily, it isn’t very hard. By asking yourself some quick questions about you and your vehicle, you can make the process of buying tires simple.

Think of the answers you get as a profile of your vehicle’s use. By detailing the conditions the new tires are going to operate under, you can help yourself to make an informed selection.

First, review uses to which your car is put. Is it used for a daily commute? How about weekend trips? Tires that would suit an SUV that is used to drive to work with an occasional side trip to the mall are completely out of place on a contractor’s pick-up.

Maybe you’re lucky enough to have a car you drive just for pleasure, but most likely your car falls under the typical profile of a family workhorse that functions as taxi service, cargo hauler and everything in between.

This is a good time to consider how many people drive the car, and under what circumstances they drive it. A mini-van that serves as the only vehicle for a family of six is going to need tires that are a little more robust than the ones you would put on a sedan driven by a 50-something bachelor who works from home.

Another factor that comes into play when choosing tires is the area you live in. Perhaps you live in Vancouver or Seattle and conditions are frequently wet. Tires that are perfect for battling through an Alaskan winter are going to be totally out of place in Florida. Someone living in a rural area with lots of dirt and gravel roads needs different tires than someone who commutes to or lives in a major metropolitan area, where the major stress on the tire is due to frequent stops and starts, and the main stress on the driver is due to the time spent waiting between stops and starts.

So far we’ve gone through questions that you already know the answer to. The next part gets a bit trickier as it involves an honest examination of your own driving habits.

If you are the sort of person who prefers a quiet, relaxed ride then you will want different tires than someone who delights in putting their vehicle through its paces. If you count yourself among the latter, then I highly recommend premium high-performance tires. This is one area where quality is a much bigger part of the value equation than cost.

Not all tires are created equal. Knowing in advance what you need your tires to do can save you time and money in the long run.

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The Goodyear Guy is the friendly face of Goodyear Canada…And now he blogs, not just any old blog mind you, nope - this one’s a doozy. So if the ‘behind-the-scenes’ secrets of Goodyear Canada and their favourite spokeperson appeal to your curiosity check it out! Save $100 on your next set of Goodyear tires? Grab your digital rebate coupon today.