Tire Safety Check with Discount Tire

By Philip Van der Vossen on May 30th, 2015

Summer road trips are right around the corner, which is why May has been designated as Tire Safety Month. Proper tire inflation and maintenance are two of the most important factors effecting fuel efficiency and safety, and are often overlooked by car owners. Recently we were invited by the folks at Discount Tire to help them spread awareness of tire safety by documenting our experience with their free tire inspection and air pressure check.

Scheduling an appointment was a painless process on DiscountTire.com, where we were able to search for our nearest location and select a time to receive a free tire inspection and air pressure check. Upon arriving at our local Discount Tire, we were greeted by the manager, Jon. He was expecting our arrival, knew our name, vehicle, and why we were there.

The facility was very clean, and looked almost new. All of the staff were friendly and dressed professionally. We didn’t get the “greasemonkey” vibe that you get from some automotive shops. Everyone was quite helpful, and it was obvious that customer service is a priority at Discount Tire.

Jon proceeded to conduct our tire inspection, looking for any damage on our tires, and measuring the tread depth. Advanced and unusual wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip the road in adverse conditions.

He took measurements at three locations on each tire, and recorded the results clearly for us to see on his form. It’s important to check tread depth in multiple locations because tires can wear unevenly if not properly maintained. He informed us that proper rotation, balance, and alignment will ensure that tires wear evenly, and even offered us a free tire rotation.

After finishing the free tire inspection, Jon brought us to a chart inside the store so he could explain the results. Our tires were mostly at 6/32, which is still in the green zone. However some of the measurements were beginning to enter the yellow zone, where we should keep an eye on them. Once tread depth enters the red zone, you should clearly be looking to replace them as grip and stopping distances will be adversely affected.

While Discount Tire is focused on tire safety, they obviously would love to sell you a new set of tires if your car needs them. Free tire inspections and rotations are a great way for them to meet potential customers, but also great for the general public who may normally ignore those tasks. At no point did we feel pressured to buy anything that we didn’t feel we needed.

Following our tire inspection, Jon asked one of his coworkers to check the air pressure on all four tires. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, tires that are underinflated can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi (pound per square inch) drop in the pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires also last longer, allowing drivers to save money by getting more mileage out of their tires and having to replace them less frequently.

We enjoyed our trip to Discount Tire, and now feel confident that our tires are in good shape for summer road trips. While Tire Safety Month is almost over, tire inspections and air pressure checks are always free at Discount Tire. Getting your tires checked regularly is quick, easy, and free. We can’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t visit Discount Tire before your next road trip.