Tires Blog Post

Top 8 Tips for Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter The temperature is steadily dropping, and more mornings than not we wake up to a thin layer of frost covering the ground and our vehicles. This all points to one unfortunate fact: Old Man Winter is coming again. With winter slowly creeping closer and closer it is time to prepare our vehicles for those long cold months ahead. Yes, just like...

Do Winter Tires Really Make A Difference?In a nutshell? Yes, the right tire in the right season impacts your vehicle's performance and safety, but also your wallet. Many people tend to overlook the importance of having a winter set of tires and an all-season or summer set because they drive an AWD vehicle or a 4X4 truck. It's true those vehicles are better designed for handling wet or icy conditions,...

What Are The Different Types of Tire Damage?"I've got a bulge!""Most of us do when we get past fifty.""No, a bulge in my tire - in the sidewall - a bubble!"The Damage is Serious!A bulge, bubble, or break in the sidewall of a tire is an issue requiring immediate attention. Typically, the result of an impact - curb, sidewalk, pothole - that damages the tire's reinforcing plies. As air escapes through...

Understanding Tire WarrantyTires are one of the most important and frequently replaced components on your vehicle. With proper care, a set of tires should last for years, but occasionally, they wear out prematurely. All major tire manufacturers have comprehensive tire warranties to protect consumers from paying full price for a replacement tire resulting from an early demise. Some tire brands are better...

How to Improve Your Fuel EfficiencyCanada is a large country with nearly 40,000 kilometers of paved roads. Though many large urban centers have well-designed rapid transit systems, owning a vehicle (for most people) is still a necessity. Statistics Canada estimates that in Canada, we burn approximately 111 million liters of gasoline per day equalling over 40 billion liters of gasoline per year.If there's...

Inspecting Your TiresTires play a huge role in your driving experience and are crucial to your vehicle's safety and overall performance. Think about it: your tires are the only contact your vehicle has with the road surface. The better the tires, the better the control, acceleration, braking and ride.Tires that are badly worn: Have reduced control Poor ride and handling Put unnecessary wear on front-end...

What To Do When You Get A Flat Tire?Let's admit it, a flat tire - whether on the highway or just around town - is a major inconvenience. There you are, minding your own business, when suddenly something doesn't feel right. Tell-tale signs that you have a flat tire might include Difficulty steering - especially when turning, changing lanes or travelling around curves in the road Poor acceleration, pulling...

Buying Tires from Big Box Stores vs Local Tire ShopsOK, it's time for new tires, and you're thinking about getting 'em from a big box store such as Costco, Canadian Tire or Walmart. They have the best prices, right? Maybe not...There is more to consider when deciding on where to buy tires, we agree that price is an important factor. This is an expensive purchase and an important one!Other factors to...

How Are Tires Made?The history on a product that most consider relatively simple, is surprisingly a long and complex story. The development of the tire, as we know it today, dates as far back as 1845! Wow, right?No one individual can be credited with inventing the tire.  In fact, several inventors over several decades contributed to creating the tire and here are just a few:1845 - Robert William...

The Difference Between a Spare tire and a DoughnutDepending on the vehicle you drive, you could either have a spare tire or a doughnut - aka compact spare. The difference between these two "emergency" tires is significant.Spare TiresSpares are full-size tires that match the existing tires on your vehicle. Ideally, the spare will be the same brand, series, dimension and tread pattern. If you've gone...

What happens to tires when your vehicle is parked too long?What happens to tires when a vehicle is parked for an extended period of time? You may think because your vehicle is parked - especially in a garage - that the tires will be fine. But here's something to consider: your tires support the entire weight of your vehicle, and if left in one position, they will eventually lose pressure, deflate and...

The Danger of Worn Out TiresDepending upon size and the overall diameter, the average tire will rotate nearly 1000 times in one kilometre. And with every rotation, tire treads gradually wear down, resulting in reduced handling, control, and performance. Over time, tires will become worn out - meaning little or no tread is left on the surface of the tire - a recipe for trouble.New tires typically have...

Understanding Your Tire SizeSo it's time to buy tires? You call a few shops and one of the first questions they ask is "What size?" A seemingly simple question yet you'll soon find out it's much more complex than small, medium or large. The first thing you need to find is the tire size for your vehicle. You can refer to your owner's manual or the tag on the door pillar for recommended tire size and...

What are Take-Off Tires?Take-off Tires come off New Vehicles on the Lot and are Considered Slightly Used TiresSo, you're looking for options when it comes to purchasing new tires. You'd like a good quality tire, but you need to keep your budget in mind. Have you considered buying a set of take-off tires? A set of ... what? Take-off tires are tires that have been taken off of a brand new vehicle. This...

New Tires versus Tire & Wheel SetsIf you're looking to buy new tires, first thing is where to buy them? Our Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centre stocks a range of brand name tires for every make and model of vehicle. Our Price Match Promise is your assurance of the best tire deal in Central Alberta and with FREE TIRE STORAGE, where to buy is an easy decision. To request a quote CLICK HERE. Here's another...

Why Tire Rotations?Quick question: do all tires wear evenly? Well, you might say that the answer depends upon the quality of the tire, the type and condition of the vehicle, and the driver. You'd be right, but there's more to it. Brand new, brand-name tires on a brand-new vehicle will still wear differently, thus the need for tire rotations. Here's the truth: over 60% of a vehicle's overall weight...

How to tell when your car's tires will expireThe short answer to the question of tire expiration dates is that yes they do expire, but there is more to learn. It seems today almost everything has an expiry date and that includes your tires. It's a fact! Every tire has a date of birth - when it was manufactured - and expiry date; generally, six years from the time it rolled out of the TBS or Tire Building...