Questions we get

Yes. Text us the size and how many tires you need, or use the size tool on this page. We text back with what we have.

The price we give you for used tires mounted covers mounting, a computer balance, a new valve stem and a check of the tire pressure sensor. You hear the total before we start.

Yes. Bring the car or text us the size, and we look for one that matches the tire on the other side of the same axle in size, type and load rating.

Yes, as long as it matches the others in size and type, and the two tires on the same axle are close in tread depth. If your car is all-wheel drive, check the owner's manual first.

Yes, the major brands by quote. If you change your mind once you are here, we can price new and used side by side.

The major brands, by quote. Text us your size and what you drive, and we quote what fits.

Mounting, a computer balance, a new valve stem or tire pressure sensor service, and setting the pressure. You hear the total before we start.

Yes. We can order the major brands in most car, SUV and light truck sizes. Ask us when it will arrive for your size.

Two is fine on many cars, as long as both tires on the axle match. Some all-wheel-drive vehicles need all four close in tread depth, so check the owner's manual.

For most drivers, an all-season tire. Winter tires are not needed here. If you drive a lot in heavy rain, put wet grip near the top of your list.

Both. We sell wheels of all styles and sizes and mount them, and we mount tires on wheels you bring in.

Tell us the year, make, model and trim, and the tire size. We check the bolt pattern, center bore, offset and size before you buy.

Bolt pattern is the lug count and the circle they sit on. Offset is how far in or out the wheel sits. Center bore is the hole that centers the wheel on the hub. All three have to suit your car.

Usually, yes. A different diameter or width needs a tire made for it, sized to keep the overall height close to the original.

Sometimes. Your current sensors can often move to the new wheels with fresh seals. If they cannot, new sensors go in. Either way we tell you before we start.

If the hole is in the tread, no bigger than 1/4 inch, and the tire was not driven flat, it can usually be repaired. We take it off the wheel, look inside and tell you which it is before any work starts.

Not on its own. The industry standard is a plug-patch put in from the inside of the tire, which fills the hole and seals the liner. A plug pushed in from the outside is a way to get to a shop, not a permanent repair.

Sometimes. Driving flat can damage the inside of the tire where you cannot see it, so we look inside before we decide. Please do not pump it back up before we see it.

A plug-patch repair done to the industry standard is the accepted permanent fix. A plug alone, or any repair in the shoulder or sidewall, is not.

Yes. We balance it again after the repair, before it goes back on the car.

Yes. Mounting and balancing is done while you wait. How long depends on the car and on how busy the shop is.

Balancing evens out the weight of the tire and wheel so they spin smoothly. Alignment sets the angles of the wheels so the car tracks straight. A shake at speed is usually balance. A pull to one side is usually alignment.

Yes. Tires are balanced when they are mounted, new or used.

Yes. Every tire we mount gets a new valve stem, or a TPMS sensor service if the wheel has a sensor.

A bent wheel, a tire that is out of round, worn suspension parts or the brakes can all cause a shake that balancing does not fix. Bring it back and tell us when it happens.

A pull to one side, a crooked steering wheel, or a tire wearing on one edge are the usual signs. A hard hit on a curb or pothole is a good reason to check even if you feel nothing.

Usually not. Shaking at speed is more often a balance problem. A pull to one side is more often alignment. We can check both.

Industry sources put a typical alignment at 30 to 60 minutes, longer when parts are worn. Ask us when you come in how busy the shop is.

It is a good idea. If the angles are off, new tires start wearing unevenly right away.

Your owner's manual is the first place to look. Tire sellers commonly suggest a check about once a year, and any time after a hard hit, new tires, or steering and suspension work.

Follow the schedule in your owner's manual. Tire makers commonly suggest every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, but it differs from car to car.

Yes, and on time. Some all-wheel-drive systems do not like tires worn to different depths, and rotation keeps the four close.

Yes, front to back on the same side. They should not cross to the other side of the car.

Those tires can only swap side to side on the same axle, and only if they are not directional. Tell us the car and we check.

No. It spreads normal wear. Uneven wear usually points to alignment, balance or worn parts, and those need fixing first.

Yes. Walk in and ask for a brake inspection. We look at the pads, rotors, calipers, hardware, fluid and hoses, and tell you what we see.

Often it is the wear tab telling you the pads are getting thin. It is usually safe to drive to the shop, but get it checked soon, before it turns into a grind.

Usually the pad is worn through and metal is touching the rotor. Stop driving on it if you can and call us. It damages the rotors quickly.

Not always. If the rotors are smooth and thick enough, they can stay or be resurfaced. We measure them and show you before you decide.

Usually rotors worn uneven. A shake that also happens without braking may be balance or a wheel problem instead.

Go by your owner's manual or the car's oil-life reminder. It depends on the car, the oil it uses and how it is driven.

Not for most cars built in recent years. The manual and the oil-life reminder set the real interval. Changing early does no harm, it just costs more.

Conventional is refined from crude oil. Full synthetic is made from engineered base oils and holds up better in heat and cold. A blend mixes the two. Use what your manual specifies.

Yes. Switching does not hurt the engine. Just do not assume it lets you go longer than the manual says.

The owner's manual lists the type and amount, and the oil cap often shows the viscosity. Tell us the year, make and model when you come in.

The engine air filter protects the engine. The cabin filter cleans the air that comes into the car through the vents.

Your owner's manual has the schedule. Filter sellers commonly quote about once a year or 12,000 to 15,000 miles, sooner with dust, pollen and heavy traffic.

A dirty cabin filter is a common cause. We can pull it and show you.

A badly clogged engine air filter can make the car sluggish and cost you mileage. A look at the filter tells you if that is the problem.

Most newer cars do, and some older ones do not. Your owner's manual says whether yours has one and where it sits.

In P225/65R17 98H: a passenger tire, 225 mm wide, with a sidewall 65 percent as tall as the width, radial construction, a 17 inch wheel, a load index of 98 and an H speed rating.

Radial construction. Nearly every car and light truck tire made today is radial.

Sometimes, but not by guessing. The overall height should stay close to the original and the load index should not drop. Ask us and we will check it against your car.

No. That is the most the tire can hold. Use the pressure on the driver's door placard or in the owner's manual, checked when the tires are cold.

Tires on the same axle should match. Most cars use one size on all four; some come with a different size on the rear. The door placard shows which yours is.

Tread at 2/32 or less, wear bars flush with the tread, a bulge, a cut showing cords, or a puncture in the sidewall. For wet roads, consider replacing near 4/32.

Put a penny into a main groove with Lincoln's head down and facing you. If you can see the top of his head, the tread is at or below 2/32 and the tire is due.

Not always. A matching pair on one axle works on many cars. All-wheel drive cars often need all four close in tread depth, so follow your owner's manual.

The worn tire cannot be fixed, but the cause can: alignment, pressure, balance or suspension. Fix the cause before the new tires go on.

They mean the rubber is breaking down. Light surface lines and deep cracks are different problems, so have the tire looked at before a long trip rather than guessing.

No. Set the pressure cold, to the placard number. A tire reads higher when it is hot; letting air out then leaves it low once it cools.

The same number as any other time: the one on your driver's door placard, checked cold. The car's maker sets it for the car, not for the season.

Heat adds stress, and an underinflated tire runs hotter. Keeping the pressure at the placard number is the main thing you can do about it.

Pressure drops as the air cools overnight. A tire that was already a little low can fall under the warning point at dawn, then warm up and turn the light off by afternoon. Check all four cold and fill to the placard.

Not reliably. A tire can be well under its number and still look normal. Use a gauge.

Tire makers say it can start as low as about 35 mph with enough standing water. Worn tread and low pressure make it more likely, so no speed is safe in every case.

At 2/32 a tire is worn out. Tire retailers point to about 4/32 as the point to replace for wet roads, since grip in water falls off as the grooves get shallow.

What the water hides is the bigger problem. Potholes, curbs and debris under the surface can cut a tire, bend a wheel or knock the alignment out.

Tires for cuts and bulges, wheels for bends, how the car tracks, and how the brakes feel. If anything is off, bring it in before a highway drive.

Yes. With little or no tread, there is nowhere for the water to go, and the tire rides on it at lower speeds. At 2/32 or less a tire is worn out and should be replaced.

Yes. A hard hit can cut the sidewall or break the cords inside, which shows as a bulge. A bulged tire cannot be repaired and should be replaced.

Call 311 or use the City of Houston's online 311 service. Give the street, the nearest cross street or address, and the lane.

We cannot answer that and do not give legal advice. Ask the City of Houston through 311 about its claims process.

Look for a visible bend or crack at the lip, a tire that keeps losing air, or a vibration that started after the hit. We can check the wheel on the balancer.

Yes. A hard hit can move the suspension angles or bend a part. If the car drifts or the steering wheel sits crooked afterward, have the alignment checked.

Most often a wheel out of balance. If balancing does not fix it, the next suspects are a bent wheel, a damaged tire or worn suspension parts.

No. Rotation spreads wear around but does not fix the cause. Uneven wear from alignment, pressure or suspension needs that problem fixed.