There are few things more frustrating than getting a flat tire. A flat tire can happen due to a tire puncture by a sharp object, over or under inflation, or extreme weather. Fortunately, Discount Tire can often repair this and other issues.
Discount Tire patches tires for free. They offer complimentary flat tire repair services to both customers and non-customers. However, they will not repair damages that occur to the shoulder or sidewall of the tire or tires more than four or five years old.
Before taking your tire to get patched, you should know several things.
Having some background knowledge about tires and what it takes to have them repaired will help you be more confident when discussing your options with the tire technician.
Tire puncture repair will typically cost anywhere from $10 to $20 from a mechanic or tire shop.
Some tire shops will only patch your tire for free if you purchased your tires from them.
But Discount Tire has retained and gained customers by inspecting and patching flat tires for free.
To be especially thorough, Discount Tire does a full inspection of the tire before completing any kind of repair.
Even if you aren’t sure whether or not you have a flat tire, they can perform an inspection and tell you.
If it turns out that you have a flat or damaged tire, the technician will remove the tire from the rim to ensure that the interior and exterior walls of the tire are intact.
If everything looks good, they will fill the hole with a special type of rubber that is durable and hardens after application.
This is called vulcanizing rubber.
After this, they will then apply a patch on the interior wall of the tire.
This whole process can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes not including wait times if the shop is busy with other customers.
You don’t need to have an appointment to have a flat tire inspected at Discount Tire, but you can schedule an appointment on the Discount Tire website for a 30% shorter average wait time.
Keep in mind that most Discount Tire locations are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., so if it is a late-night emergency, you might consider going somewhere else.
Tires that Cannot Be RepairedSome flat tires simply cannot be repaired.
When the tire technician removes and inspects the tire, they will be able to tell whether or not the damage is reparable.
Here are some reasons why Discount Tire may refuse to repair your tire according to their guidelines.
You must purchase a new tire.Discount Tire refuses to repair tires in the above-listed circumstances because an improper tire repair could result in a tire failure which can be very dangerous while on the road.
Tires purchased at Discount Tire are covered by warranties.
Other services to look at from Discount Tire include Certificate for Repair, Refunds, and Replacements.
These services are offered at the time of tire purchase (or within 30 days of purchase) and can cost anywhere from $10 to $100 per tire.
Certificate for Repair covers tire up to the original purchase price, including tax.
Other tire companies tend to prorate their coverage per tire.
Other free servicesMaintaining your tires is pretty easy and can extend their life and even increase fuel efficiency.
Any responsible car owner should have the following items serviced on their vehicle, and Discount Tire will do some of them free of charge.
If you think your tires might blow or you notice the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) light turn on, you can get them checked for free at Discount Tire.
Each Discount Tire location has an aircheck area where you can pull up in your car and ask for an aircheck.
Discount Tire will perform this check regardless of where you originally purchased your tires.
If your TPMS light won’t turn off no matter what you do, Discount Tire can repair this issue, but not for free.
Rotating your tires is important to keep all four tires wearing evenly.
Even wear makes them last longer.
You should rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles or every six months.
Discount Tire will rotate your tires for free if you purchased your tires from them.
If your tires are from somewhere else, it could cost between $20 and $50.
This is a fairly cheap price for tire rotation and inspection.
Balancing your tires ensures that the weight of your car is distributed evenly between all your tires.
Technicians use a special computer to assess the vehicle’s weight distribution.
If you are noticing unusual vibration in your steering wheel, floorboard, or seats, these are all signs that the tires may need balancing.
Even if your vehicle sounds like it is running smoothly, you should get your tires balanced every 6,000 miles because it is better to prevent a problem than repair damage.
Discount Tire will balance your tires for free if you purchased your tires from them.
If your tires are from somewhere else, it could cost between $15 and $75.
As you can see, Discount Tire goes above and beyond to take care of their customers.
They even offer lower cost services to those who purchased tires from another company.
What's In This Guide?
After scrolling through numerous forum threads and talking to Discount Tire customers directly, I realized that Discount Tire does indeed patch tires. Not only that Discount Tire patches tires, but they do see free of charge, even for non-customers. As such, if you experience a flat tire, you can take it directly to a Discount Tire shop and they are likely going to patch it for free.
Discount Tires does sometimes do drivetrain repairs and drivetrain maintenance.
More specifically, they do alignments in some shops, differential inspection, AWD system inspections, lift kit inspections, and certain suspension and steering-system-related repairs and maintenance. It’s worth mentioning that Discount Tire mostly deals with suspension and steering-system-related commerce, not necessarily repairs.
Sometimes they will not be able to fix certain systems if they don’t have all the necessary equipment readily available. Nevertheless, they are likely going to refer you to a credible shop that can.
Does Discount Tires Do Electrical System Repairs And Maintenance?You can stop by your local Discount Tire shop if you need to replace a worn-out battery with a new one. You can also visit your local Discount Tire shop if you need to replace a faulty alternator. It’s worth saying that Discount Tire is not able to fix complex EV and hybrid system high-voltage components as they only do electrical repairs and maintenance on ICE cars.
Be sure to contact your local Discount Tire shop before you decide to take your car in for electrical repairs as it is not 100% guaranteed that they will be able to do it.
Does Discount Tire Do Engine Repairs And Maintenance?Discount Tire is able to inspect and repair some of your engine-related systems such as belts hoses, cooling systems, air filters. They are also equipped to deal with diesel engines as well. Most people rely on Discount Tire to do all the engine-related diagnostics and check-ups while most people tend to take their cars for engine-related repairs to a more dedicated shop.
Either way, Discount Tire is able to help you out if you are having trouble with your engine. However, if they are unable to help you with your exact problem, they are likely going to refer you to someone who can.
Does Discount Tire Do Tire And Brake Repairs?Discount Tire, as the name might suggest, does many tire-related things such as taking care of flat tires by either plugging them, patching them or both.
They also sell tires, install tires, rotate tires, balance tires, and they also do tire pressure monitoring system repairs and sensor replacements.
Discount Tire is also able to help you if you need assistance with your brakes as they are willing to help you diagnose the issue and help you solve it. This means that they also do some brake repairs, but only if their technicians know precisely what they are doing.
Does Discount Tires Do Transmission Services?Modern-day transmissions are more complex than ever which means that it takes quite a bit of skill and knowledge to know how to handle modern-day transmissions. Thankfully, Discount Tires is also able to diagnose and potentially even fix some of your transmission problems. As such, be sure to pop down to your local Discount Tire shop if you experience any issues with the transmission.
However, given the fact that some transmissions are more complex than others, Discount Tire is likely to refuse to fix a transmission they are not 100% comfortable fixing.
Even so, they are likely going to refer you to someone who is.
One of the most frequent things Discount Tire does is check your oil and all the other necessary fluids such as coolant, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid. It’s worth mentioning that Discount Tire does not offer oil replacements, but only fluid level checks.
Does Discount Tires Do Muffler/Exhaust System Repairs And Replacements?The state of your exhaust system/muffler is crucial when it comes to cleaning all the car’s harmful substances before they reach the exhaust tip. Without a functioning exhaust system, your car is not going to be able to pass emissions testing nor it will be able to provide a comfortable and seamless ride.
All of this means that whenever your exhaust/muffler system malfunctions, you will have to either repair it or replace it. The good news is that Discount Tire is able to help you with your exhaust and muffler system, if they are not, they will provide you with someone who can.
In order for a car to function for a long time, it needs proper maintenance. However, sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what needs doing so a visual inspection is the correct course of action. Furthermore, performing preventive maintenance means that you will proactively solve certain issues before they take place.
This is a key aspect of making sure your car operates in the very best capacity, but it can sometimes be difficult to decide where to take your car when it comes to preventive maintenance. Discount Tire is a place that takes great pride in maintaining cars which means that you should indeed take your car here.
Tires are designed to withstand daily abuse, but it is sometimes difficult to repair a tire that has been severely damaged. As such, a tire patch is able to mend a punctured tire, but only if the puncture is located within the tread area, and not on the sidewall.
Furthermore, a tire patch is unable to help you if the puncture is not completely straight.
Tire patching is also ineffective if the tire has been punctured multiple times, or if the punctures are overly large. Some say that tire patching is the best method of repairing flat tires and that is true, but only if the patch has been installed correctly. Compared to plugging a tire, tire patching offers a more comprehensive repair which also means that it is more difficult to do and it costs more.
Tire plugs are primarily being used if you go over a nail that causes the tire to leak air. It is extremely easy and cheap to plug a tire because it only takes minutes. A tire patch on the other hand requires you to take the wheel off, separate the tire from the wheel, clean and grind a 2-inch area around the hole and then patch it.
As such, a tire plug tends to be cheaper because it takes less time and effort to administer it. All in all, a tire patch is the most effective tire repair method, yet some people tend to prefer both.
Whenever you puncture a tire, you can go ahead and both plug it and patch it. A tire patch and plug combo is the safest, and most effective method of dealing with punctured tires. It’s worth mentioning that a plug and patch combo does not make your tire as new, yet it rather manages to bridge the gap between an uncompromised tire and a punctured tire.
No matter which method of fixing a flat tire you go for, be sure to always contact a credible tire shop and ask for advice. Some tires simply can not be repaired and should be replaced because you can never compromise when it comes to on-road safety. Also, there are methods out there that can help you fix a flat tire yourself without going to the shop, but these need to be done perfectly.
Discount Tire is a company that deals with a variety of car repair/maintenance services which also include patching a tire. Even though they are often able to visually inspect some car components, they are not always able, or willing to fix them.
A Discount Tire spoke person said that they will only do repairs and maintenance services for which they have all the necessary tools and equipment. However, if they are not able to serve, they are likely going to refer you to someone who can.
One of the services provided in the tire centers "Hofmann Service" is filling tires with nitrogen.
Nitrogen charging efficiency is due to the fact that nitrogen is a light, highly inert gas, it does not contain dust, oil, wet particles.
Benefits of inflating tires with nitrogen:
• Lack of oxygen prevents oxidation of the inside of the tire
• Nitrogen is lighter than oxygen, making the wheel lighter
• Since nitrogen hardly expands with heat, tire pressure will be more stable
• Nitrogen molecules are also larger than oxygen molecules, and therefore they leave the tire more slowly, which has a positive effect on tire pressure stability
The above factors have a positive effect on:
• Improved car handling
• Reduced tire wear temperature change
• Reduce leakage through tire damage and rim looseness
• Reduce noise and vibration from tire contact with the road surface
Tire filling with nitrogen is very popular in formula 1, but every day this practice is increasingly used for "civilian" cars.
Hofmann Service uses the NR-250 for nitrogen filling to convert the air mixture and produce nitrogen.
For the convenience of our customers, a special seasonal tire change package is available, which includes:
It takes from 40 minutes to 1 hour to change shoes for one car. The exact time of the work is agreed with the owner of the car upon acceptance of the car. Work is carried out by appointment by calling service centers or you can send an application from our website.
Complete tires and wheels are accepted for storage.
You can return and then receive them at all Hofmann Service service centers in St. Petersburg. You can also order our representatives to come to you and take your wheels or tires.
At the time of collection, tires and wheels are cleaned and washed. A visual assessment of the condition is carried out. When the client is photographed, drawn up, marked and sent to the place of further storage.
Since the complete wheels must be sufficiently inflated, they are inflated if necessary before being sent to the warehouse.
Washing and air pumping are included in the total price. Nitrogen pumping is carried out for an additional fee.
If damage is found during inspection at the reception, then, if the client wishes, they can be repaired for a fee. Also, for a fee, when issuing the wheels as an assembly, balancing can also be done.
Storage is carried out in the conditions stipulated by the regulations and verified by experience.
All types of repair of main types of tires and tubes using Rema Tip Top consumables.
Repairing punctures, side cuts, bulges or otherwise bulges in tubeless tyres. After the repair of damages is completed and the wheel is assembled, balancing is performed.
Tire service is a collective name for services related to routine inspection, diagnostics, repair and replacement of rubber tires on rims.
This line of work of automotive service centers combines manipulations from simple tire washing to sealing holes in rubber or balancing (correcting the center of gravity) of wheels. In general, these are one of the simplest, but most frequent operations required for both trucks and cars. And the relative ease of tire fitting for inexperienced owners sometimes leads to the fact that they ignore planned procedures, not considering them important enough. This is the wrong approach, and we will explain why timely tire fitting appointments are very important.
When is it necessary to book a tire fitting? We recommend that you apply for this service if you experience the following problems with your car:
tires began to wear out noticeably faster - as a rule, the main reason is the uneven distribution of the load on the wheels, as a result of which one side (right or left) wears out before the second;
if you recently made a long trip in your car, especially on bad roads or off-road at all, and now the tires are worn out and the wheels have lost the correct balance - balancing them will also be useful here;
if you hit something sharp, and the tire is now cracked, punctured, notched, and also if the integrity of the tire is not broken, but the pressure inside the wheel still drops - this may mean a more serious internal breakdown.
Tire services are also regularly needed for seasonal tire changes, from smooth summer tires to studded winter tires. Despite all the planned nature of this procedure, it is better not to perform it on your own or in artisanal conditions. In addition, any other problems with wheels and tires that you notice can become a reason for contacting the service. If the alarm turns out to be false, you will lose incomparably less than if you did not pay attention to worn tires.
Tire fitting combines various services, one way or another related to rubber tires. According to our practice, most often car owners need the following procedures:
Tire inflation. The easiest option is when the tire pressure has dropped, but there is no damage to the rubber. The most important and difficult thing in this task is to correctly determine the desired pressure inside the wheel and not pump it over.
Otherwise, tire fitting will be needed again - and ahead of schedule.
Puncture repair. There are various methods for restoring the integrity of rubber. One of the most reliable is the installation of a synthetic rubber patch with its vulcanization. As a result, it transforms into rubber fused with the base material of the tire.
Seasonal tire service. The standard regular procedure is to replace studded winter tires with smooth summer tires in mid-spring and vice versa in mid-autumn. Includes cleaning (washing) of tires, their dismantling, installation of new ones, weight distribution.
In addition, wheel balancing is often required. An even distribution of mass is necessary after any manipulation with tires that changes their weight. Often balancing is carried out as a separate service, often it is one of the stages of the complete tire fitting procedure.
Algorithms for the provision of different services vary slightly, but in most cases tire fitting is performed in the following sequence, including five main work steps:
A very important stage, because without it nothing else can be done. And not only because it is unpleasant to work with dirty wheels. Balancing, for example, will not work, because clods of dirt will distort the distribution of masses. 
Other services listed in the previous section can also be performed between the third and fifth tire fitting steps. For example, tire repair related to the elimination of cracks, punctures and scratches. When changing tires seasonally, balancing requires minimal effort and time.
Tire fitting, especially on passenger cars, is considered a relatively simple type of work that is quite within the power of any car owner. Why give money to the service, if the same can be done with your own hands in the garage. However, this logic is wrong. Let's explain why.
Why are tire changes so often requested (and the prices for it, by the way, are not high at all)? The rubber tires of the wheel are in direct contact with the road surface and receive an enormous load - mechanical, vibrational, adhesive.
They have high pressure, their surface is very abraded from the outside. The speed and degree of abrasion depends, among other things, on how accurately the pressure inside the tire is selected:
if it is optimal - the tire touches the road with almost the entire end surface, except for narrow strips along the edges, where the end is rounded, respectively, the load is distributed more evenly, it takes up a larger area, and the tire wears out more slowly;
if the pressure is not enough, it will not be possible to pump up the central part of the end surface - it will rise above the road surface, and the tire will touch it only with the edges of the end: the load will fall on a smaller area, the tire will wear out faster;
if the pressure is excessive, the central part of the end surface will be pumped over, the tire will touch the roadway only with it, and the edges of the end will be above the road - the entire load will fall on an even smaller area, and the tire will wear out very quickly.
Incorrect tire fitting also leads to other problems. So, low pressure on a wet canvas increases the braking distance, makes parking more difficult, increases the load on the steering tips and, in general, makes the ride less comfortable. High pressure impairs grip, which is even worse and more dangerous. Therefore, it is extremely important to install and inflate tires correctly - not only comfort, but the safety of all road users depends on this.
No matter how much tire fitting in a service center costs, many owners of passenger cars prefer to do it on their own, sometimes with the involvement of acquaintances - the same car owners. However, professional service has obvious technical advantages:
Experience of masters. On your own, you change tires two or three, at most four times a year. This is not enough to form a professional skill - it requires performing the same operation every day.
In car services, the masters have real experience.
Speed. Real experience and the availability of professional equipment allow you to perform tire fitting much faster than you could in your garage. Most jobs can be completed within an hour. And only difficult cases require more time.
Quality. A direct consequence of experience and the availability of professional tools. You can be sure that the rubber will not be damaged during dismantling and installation, that the washing or patching of cracks will be done carefully, and the tire pressure will be selected correctly.
Security. It directly follows from the quality and accuracy of the work. If everything is done correctly, there will be no security threats. The wheel will not let down in the middle of the road, the stopping distance of the car will not increase by one and a half to two times.
Professional tire service will extend the life of your car - both cars and trucks. It will be more convenient to drive such a car, the ride will become smoother and more comfortable, the vehicle will not skid when cornering.
Wet or slippery road surfaces will still require careful handling, but will become less of an issue.
For professional tire fitting, car repair services use a large number of special equipment. The main one is the pneumatic tire changer, which combines tools for all basic procedures. The machine is used for removing and mounting tires, for washing, pumping, and sometimes repairing them. Below is a list of basic tools that any decent car service should have, without them the work will be artisanal:
compressor with a volume of 150 liters, passing 450 liters per minute for tire inflation;
metal bath, in which they check for holes and cracks in the walls of the tires;
six rolling jacks for easy and safe removal and installation of wheels;
automatic (electronic, computerized) wheel balancer;
torque wrench for tightening wheel bolts to the required tightness;
bead expander for fixing the tire to make it easier to handle and repair;
vulcanizer for converting rubber welded over a crack in a tire into rubber.
In addition, it is impossible to provide a professional tire fitting service without a portable lamp, a starter-charging trolley, a set of specialized tire repair tools, for example, a tire inflation gun equipped with filters and hoses. It is also difficult to do without a pneumatic wrench with a set of removable interchangeable nozzles. Minor work is done on a workbench, small equipment is best kept in a hanging tool cabinet.
Our service center provides all services for tire service and related maintenance of cars and trucks in Moscow. There are two branded salons in the capital: in the Northern District (Khovrino district) and in the North-East (Otradnoye district). The third service center operates in the city of Khimki, Moscow Region. In each of them you will be able to evaluate our advantages:
the ability to service tires on cars of almost 30 brands, including foreign ones;
full check of the current technical condition of the car in 14 key parameters;
the ability to repair and replace tires on Russian and foreign trucks of 40 brands;
stock of a total of three million new and used parts;
convenient - fast and most accurate - search for parts by their numbers or VIN codes.
