Gardner Auto Repair

What is the danger of underinflated tires? Flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances can all be the result of driving around KS on underinflated tires. Now, it's hard to tell when a radial tire is underinflated but your friendly and knowledgeable Bret's Autoworks can help you. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds – which is significantly underinflated. Tire Pressure Monitoring System-TPMS Your newer vehicle or light truck might be equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). This technology has been used by race car drivers for years. They are able to head off problems from underinflation by closely monitoring tire pressure on the track. Obviously, TMPS systems don't come free for car buyers. U.S. government studies have estimated the net costs of the TPMS system itself, maintaining the system, replacement of worn or broken parts and tire repair cost increases. The costs are partially ... read more

New tires are a big ticket item for most drivers. You're not only concerned about the price, but you want to know that it'll be a long time before you need to buy new tires again. And of course there's the safety aspect as well. The tires do a lot of work – they carry the weight of the vehicle and you and your passengers around. They need to be up to the task. You want to be sure they hold the road and provide good traction. Drivers who carry heavy loads or tow a trailer need a high load tires to be up for the job. The tire professionals at Bret's Autoworks think it's important that  drivers understand the effect of price on a tire's performance and durability. The major tire brands sold in the area that you're familiar with are known in KS as&nbs ... read more

This might just look like some really worn tires, and while that is true, the real culprit is on of alignment. This is what could happen when tires are not put up on a lift and checked during a routine maintenance for rotation and alignment.  The wear and tear on the tire ion the left s completely   through to the backside of the inner lining.  The wear on the tire on the right is through to the steel belts.  In both cases, the wear and tear occurred on the interior edge, so if the tires are just inspected on the ground, the side facing out, might look just fine. 

Let’s look at selecting new tires in light of three factors: Function, Fit, and Value. Function: This gets at what your needs are for new tires: KS weather conditions, Kansas City terrain, Olathe temperatures, etc. Most new family vehicles in KS come with all-season tires. They can be used all year long and do pretty well in most KS road conditions – but they aren’t ideal at the extremes. Winter tires have a more aggressive tread for handling snow and ice on roads and they have a rubber compound that helps them have better traction as temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Definitely better stopping and road-holding characteristics for Olathe vehicles than all-season tires in winter weather. Dedicated summer tires enhance warm KS weather performance driving for Olathe. If you drive off-road around Kansas City , there is a wide spectrum of tires from all-terrain (a good mix of highway and off-road capability) to dedic ... read more