flats fixed for free

[RichardM]

I had picked up a nail in one of my tires just before it was time to drive to Port Aransas last week. It was a slow leak so I just swapped it out with the full-size spare and figured I'd fix it after getting home. The local Firestone place where I usually get my oil changes, etc. wanted the usual $20. Given the humidity here in Houston I was willing to pay it rather than plugging it myself and swapping the spare back out. However, I really wanted to have a Freebirds burrito for lunch and since there was a Discount Tire shop just across the street, I gave them a call. Free. Even if I didn't buy my tires there? Yup, free. By the time I finished my burrito and walked back across the street I was ready to roll. Guess where I'll probably be buying my next set of tires?

[oldfatman]

Les Schwab Tire Stores in the west are first rate also.  I wish they were here in Texas.  Even WalMart could not compete with them in Washington.

[SHANEA]

Freebirds burrito

Steak Super Monster Burritos with all the trimmings and Death Habenero sauce  in a flour tortilla? 

[RichardM]

Freebirds burrito

Steak Super Monster Burritos with all the trimmings and Death Habenero sauce  in a flour tortilla? 

Nyet. Freebird on spinach tortilla with rice, mixed cheese, pinto and black beans, chicken/white, bbq sauce, corn salsa, lettuce, and tomatoes. And this one was free after buying 10.

[SHANEA]

Guess where I'll probably be buying my next set of tires?

Smart marketing.

I've been buying tires from Discount for a long time.  Primary reason is that tire rotations, flat fixes are free PLUS the added bonus is that they have many locations - Avalanche loves to blow tires for some reason - GoodYears at that.  Randell and I popped into the Discount Tire in Kerrville to have a tire replaced that blew out to shreds just West of San Antonio.  I always get the tire replacement package deal - it has been money well spent.  Called the dealer that I got the tires from in East Texas and they gave me the phone number of the nearest Discount Tire to where we were at.  Worked out great.  I always carry two spares, and the thought of only having one spare in Big Bend was a 

[bdhawk133]

I was a manager for Discount Tire for eight years before going back to school and becoming a biologist. Even though I have been gone for a while now.... and having done extensive research for them on the service operations of other leading companies.... I would NEVER go anywhere else for my tire maintenance. Regardless of what is free or not free, some of the other companies out there were just plain scary!! You wouldn't catch me in a walmart if it were the only option available... (several death claims still pending). Anyhow.... for future reference, I still have quite a bit of pull with many of the upper ranks, so if anyone here needs some help, advice, or a deal, let me know. I would still be happy to help. (Especially if your traveling through Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, or Lubbock..... these were my old stores!) Have a good one!!

[homerboy2u]

I was a manager for Discount Tire for eight years before going back to school and becoming a biologist. ...  of pull with many of the upper ranks, so if anyone here needs some help, advice, or a deal, let me know. I would still be happy to help. (Especially if your traveling through Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, or Lubbock..... these were my old stores!) Have a good one!!

 Dang!!...i like this guy: Ex-tire store manager with good business liasons,Micro-Biologist from Texas Tech,a Henessy hamcok expert with snow pictures,a dog lover of different breeds and a Creosote adviser.

  What do you carry on your holster?.

P.S.-  Would you be interested in coming along a 4x4 trail in to the Mexican mountains of Coahuila?, you probably would not need anything from me...that i know.

[SHANEA]

Interesting to say the least.

In a nut shell, even if you buy a brand new tire - it might be several years old already from shelf life and can disintegrate.  If you don't drive a whole lot and still have plenty of tread depth, the tire can look good, but can be "bad".  If you check your tires for a 3-4 digit code with a oblong circle around it, and until the last year the code was on the inside of the tire.  I just checked mine:

The indepth report went and bought "new tires" from a variety of retailers and some had been sitting on the shelf for up to 14 years.

Avalanche
LF 4205 42nd week of 2005 manufactured
RR 2407 24th week of 2007 manufactured
LR 2407 24th week of 2007 manufactured
RF 4106 41st week of 2006 manufactured
Spare1 4005 40th week of 2005 manufactured
Spare 3304 33rd week of 2004 manufactured

R2D2
all 1204 12th week of 2004 manufactured

If you only have three digits, then it is pre 2000 and is ##weeks followed by year 1=1991, 2=2992, 3=1993...

Don't know what you have if it's a pre 1990 tire?

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

[bdhawk133]

I was a manager for Discount Tire for eight years before going back to school and becoming a biologist. ...  of pull with many of the upper ranks, so if anyone here needs some help, advice, or a deal, let me know. I would still be happy to help. (Especially if your traveling through Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, or Lubbock..... these were my old stores!) Have a good one!!

 Dang!!...i like this guy: Ex-tire store manager with good business liasons,Micro-Biologist from Texas Tech,a Henessy hamcok expert with snow pictures,a dog lover of different breeds and a Creosote advisor.

What can I say..... I like/have many hats!!!

[bdhawk133]

Interesting to say the least.

In a nut shell, even if you buy a brand new tire - it might be several years old already from shelf life and can disintegrate.  If you don't drive a whole lot and still have plenty of tread depth, the tire can look good, but can be "bad".  If you check your tires for a 3-4 digit code with a oblong circle around it, and until the last year the code was on the inside of the tire.  I just checked mine:

The indepth report went and bought "new tires" from a variety of retailers and some had been sitting on the shelf for up to 14 years.

Avalanche
LF 4205 42nd week of 2005 manufactured
RR 2407 24th week of 2007 manufactured
LR 2407 24th week of 2007 manufactured
RF 4106 41st week of 2006 manufactured
Spare1 4005 40th week of 2005 manufactured
Spare 3304 33rd week of 2004 manufactured

R2D2
all 1204 12th week of 2004 manufactured

If you only have three digits, then it is pre 2000 and is ##weeks followed by year 1=1991, 2=2992, 3=1993...

Don't know what you have if it's a pre 1990 tire?

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

Ok.... so here is what the video has left out. That guy that they had from the RMA was full of it! The American RMA has known for as long as I can remember about the dangers of an old tire. While working for Discount Tire in San Angelo, Tx, I was commissioned by the U.S. Gov't to buy tires undercover for inspection for such things as DOT regulation stamping, and age of tires in stock, among other tests. So.... obviously someone was thinking about age long before this video was released (around the year 2000).

As far as reading the age of your tires, it is not always within an oval, but is always at the end of the DOT number. 4 #s means it was built in the 2000s with the first numbers representing the week and the last two numbers the year. Tires built pre 2000: three numbers = first two are the week and last one is the year during the 1990s. Three numbers with a star * at the end = first two ar the week and the last is the year during the 1980s. Pre 1980 was hit or miss. The only real way to know the year of a tire before 1980 is by combining the knowlege of tire styles and builds with the DOT numbers to estimate a year.

It's funny how ignorant the American consumer is in this area. I can't tell you how many "old guys" used to come in the store carrying a spare tire from their 1972 Caddilac, and wanting it mounted onto another wheel. To them, the fact that it had perfect unused tread meant that the tire was perfectly safe. After explaining the problem with age, and refusing to mount the old tire (for safety of my guys out back), I was cussed numerous times. But, in keeping with DTC standards, we would have rather been cussed at and lose your business, than to watch you make a mistake that could cost you your life. And I mean no disrespect to anyone here, but for those of you who think you know something about your tires because you learned it from your father or grandfather........ . toss it all out..... the only resemblence between a tire of today and one from even 15 yrs ago, is the fact that they are still black and round. The build, materials, and technology is completly different with completely different rules and behaviors.

As for today..... this 6 year time span that they have come up with only applies to the highest quality (and most expensive) styles of Michelin and Goodyear only. Even this is pushing it.... especially in hotter/drier climates. The average life span of a tire is 3 years. After 4 years, the tires should be replaced even if the tread is still ok. NO EXCEPTIONS!!! I have seen way too many problems/accidents/death claims from issues relating to tires that were 4+ yrs old.

A little advice..... only buy your tires from a dealer who is extremely busy. The ablilty to turn inventory quickly is what keeps older tires off the shelf. I challenge anyone to walk into a DTC and look at the age of ANY tire on the shelf..... it is extremely likely that the tire will be less than a year old. In fact, after 8 years of management, and 10 years total working there, I NEVER (and I don't exagerate) saw a tire that was older than 3 years in stock (and these were usually oddball sizes that were disposed of as soon as they were found). So.... wherever you choose to buy your tires, challenge your salesman with your own knowledge, and stick with a place that is crawling with business......... it usually says something about the store.

Ok.....off of soap box now..... any questions, feel free to ask!! 

[chisos_muse]

My 4 cents about Discount Tire....

1) YES, they do fix flats for free even if you didn't get the tire there.
2) They offer great insurance on their tires.
3) The service I have received is always professional, prompt and courteous. (even at different locations)
4)  The guys that work there are HOT! 

[bdhawk133]

My 4 cents about Discount Tire....

4)  The guys that work there are HOT! 

Actually, quality in this area went down when I left the company!!  JK 

[Undertaker]

Just dropped $800++ on my truck tires to go with the $4.45 Gal Diesel.

[oldfatman]

WOW have not seen diesel below $4.65 in months.  Where is it????

[RichardM]

WOW have not seen diesel below $4.65 in months.  Where is it????

Cheapest listed on TexasGasPrices.com today is $4.55.

However, HoustonGasPrices.co m has a couple of listings below $4.50.