• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Auto Trends Magazine

Car reviews, industry news, & advice.

OEM

Replacement Tires: Where to Buy Them

June 16, 2019 by admin 6 Comments

When it comes time to replacing tires, you have several places to consider for new ones. Ideally, you’ll swap out the original employment manufacturer (OEM) with the same set, but keep in mind that you have choices, depending on the brand, tire tread, and warranty miles. The following are five places to consider when shopping for new tires.


tire
Pictured: Continental ContiSport Contact 225/45 R 18 Y XL tire.

1. Automotive Dealership

Purchasing tires from a new car dealership is typically the most expensive option. When you go to the dealership you can get high-quality OEM tires. Further, going to the dealership affords flexibility when it comes to scheduling your service.

For instance, there are usually multiple tire technicians working during the day and some dealerships keep their service department open well into the evening. Additionally, most dealerships provide a shuttle service so that you can get to work while your car is being maintained. Moreover, some dealers provide loaner cars you can use while your car is out of commission. However, these special benefits come with a price. In some cases, you can expect to pay significantly more than at other tire retailers.

2. National Tire Chain Retailer

Most cities have numerous national tire chains. When visiting a shop, the service manager will obtain your information. Next, this individual will supply you with a few tire choices. Importantly, they will work within your budget.

Some national tire chains have branded credit cards that you can apply for on the spot. You can then use the card to pay for the work, including the tires, taxes, installation costs, and warranty. You may even find a discount by using this card and in some cases receive rewards each time you use it.

In most cases, you will wait to have your tires installed but generally, you can make an appointment for a time that fits your schedule.


When it comes to replacing tires, the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM)
choice is always a safe bet. Pictured: 2019 Chevrolet Equinox.

3. Locally-Owned Tire Shop

Locally owned tire shops probably won’t have instant credit available. However, they usually accept major credit cards. A local tire shop may have a supply of used tires on hand for purchase. Used tires usually cost much less than new tires.

If financial issues are a concern, you should let them know — a local shop may be willing to work with you, especially if you’re a regular customer. A local shop can order new tires if they don’t have your size tire in stock. You will need to wait for your tires to be installed.

4. Discount Tire Retailer

If you concerned about the cost of new tires, you can use a discount tire retailer. In many cases, you’ll find deep discounts from wholesale distributors. If you have one in your area you, then stop by to learn if the business has your tire size and which brand choices are available.

Typically, you can purchase tires and bring them to a garage to have them mounted and balanced for a separate fee. If they have a contract with a local tire store, they may offer you a discount to take the tires there.


Retread tires were once an option for consumers looking for low-cost replacement tires. As discount chains proliferated, the practice eventually faded. This shop in West Virginia once supplied retread tires. Photo credit: West Virginia Collection within the Carol M. Highsmith Archive,
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

5. Online Tire Retailer

You can also purchase tires from a wholesale distributor online with the tires shipped directly to your home. You’ll need to find a local garage to have them installed.

This option has become increasingly popular as shipment costs are a reasonable expense. Be certain you understand the retailer’s return policy before you make a purchase.

Let’s Make a Deal

Finding places to purchase tires gives you much to consider. That said, once you decide on a retail option you prefer, you’ll be glad you shopped around. Keep in mind that installation costs, taxes, and an extended warranty will cost you extra.


See Also — Tire Sidewall Code Deciphering 101

Photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine, except for the Bluefield Retread photo secured from the Library of Congress via Wikimedia. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Maintenance & Repairs Tagged With: CAR DEALER, OEM, online retailer, retailers, retread tires, tire shop, TIRE WARRANTY, tires

Enlisted: 3M Auto Boot Camp

May 1, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

3M adhesive

From liquid to solid: a durable, clear 3M adhesive.

From time to time this writer takes to the road to find out first hand “what’s happening” in the world of autos. By no means am I a road warrior: five to six trips per year is typically what I can handle as work and family responsibilities limit my time away from home.

When the invitation from 3M Automotive to take in its “boot camp” came in I did not hesitate to enlist. After all, how often are we summoned from bed at the crack of dawn to remove haze from headlights, apply Bondo to car surfaces or perform a tune up that really is not a tune up?

Seriously, it wasn’t all that discomforting of a trip, but it did shed much light on a company once known chiefly for its Scotch brand tape and now recognized as a major supplier of OEM and aftermarket automotive care products. No early revelry and certainly no lack of interesting stuff to discover. Disclaimer: 3M paid for the airfare, meals and my hotel stay; I picked up the tab for the airport parking and whatever food I purchased while waiting in the airport lounge.

3M Corporate History

3M is the abbreviated version of the original Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, early on a Duluth company, but today it is based near Saint Paul. Its mining focus quickly evaporated as its founders were not able to find the corundum that they had thought they’d uncover. Instead, their first venture yielded anorthosite, essentially a worthless mineral. Needless to say the “mining” part of 3M never worked out, but the company is hardly ashamed that its founders tried, failed and moved on.

Fortunately, the company managed to develop sandpaper, masking tape and, later, transparent tape, moves that helped the company earn its reputation as an innovator. These days 3M is a multinational corporation with more than $30 billion in sales and employing more than 80,000 people worldwide. The company holds numerous patents and produces tens of thousands of products.

Among the products offered are a line of automotive care merchandise including Bondo, a windshield repair kit, paint protection film and a new product line: 3M Paint Defender. The company also produces noise absorbing and dampening products, adhesives and other fastening systems, light management and electrical components, and much more.

3M Auto Boot Camp

3M Innovation CenterAuto boot camp for us — the “us” being approximately two dozen journalists, bloggers and enthusiasts pulled in from around the country — had its focus on five products primarily, but started off with a visit to the company’s Innovation Center where we took in a planetarium-style overview video of the company and got a glimpse at the 17 areas of innovation that the company is known for.

Following the introductory film, we exited the theater to take in the work stations where we could see, touch and learn about the many products that drive 3M. What we didn’t know about the company soon became apparent with this part of our visit, but it also left us wanting more — quite frankly, we could have spent the better part of the day in the 3M Innovation Center — it was that interesting.

But, it was the automotive boot camp that brought us to Minnesota in the first place and the chance to try out several 3M products first hand.

Four Tech Sessions

Our contingent of media folk was split up into four groups with each one assigned to a different station before rotating to the next one. Those stations or “tech sessions” enabled us to experience four car care products that customers might use. Indeed, with the average age of a car on the road pushing 11 years, the 3M Autos line has been designed expressly to serve people that want to extend the life of their vehicles.

We all know that Bondo is a great way to make small repairs whether on the car’s body or around the home. 3M demonstrated a simple four-step repair process where we personally prepared, repaired, filled and finished a car’s surface using both a standard sander and its “clean sand system” for dust-free work. The latter arrangement employs a handheld vacuum that sucks up dust while you work — my personal option.

The 3M Fuel System Tune Up Kit is, perhaps, the only incorrectly named product we used. It isn’t like today’s cars need tune ups although changing the air filter, replacing the spark plugs and putting in a new PCV valve are common tasks. Distributors are gone and in many cases spark plug wires with it. Still, optimizing engine performance is important and that is where this 3M kit comes in.

This part of the boot camp was observation only with the technician explaining and handling the procedure. 3M’s kit cleans out the air intake and fuel systems, improves power and reduces fuel consumption. The kit includes throttle plate and carb cleaner, intake system cleaner and a fuel system cleaner. Easy to use nozzles and spray hose attachments make this a job one nearly anyone can handle.

3M™ Headlight Lens Restoration System

3M Headlight Lens Restoration System demo.

Hazy Headlight Restoration

My personal favorite product was the headlight restoration kit. With two aged vehicles to care for, both have acquired the haze commonly found on today’s headlights. Its a product you can do by hand or with the help of a sander. Either way, you can sand, refine and polish your lights to like-new, an ideal project especially if you plan to sell your car.

For consumers that insist on keeping their vehicles looking like new, the 3M Auto Essentials line was made for them. Five products: scrub, tire, glass, restore and wax can be used on a variety of car surfaces in a bid to restore a vehicle to its former luster. Other products such as a windshield repair kit, a wheel restoration system, protection film and black Bondo finish also weigh in.

3M Paint Defender System

The heart of our visit, however, was the official launch for the company’s all-new “Paint Defender System.” Saying that it is “all new” does not mean that 3M is new to paint protection film, rather it speaks to the latest product in a line of products that can be traced back more than 40 years to the Vietnam War and applying that protection to helicopter blades.

The new Paint Defender System just may raise the bar for automotive paint protection as it is sprayed on as a liquid and is transformed into a film. Clear, durable and good for at least one year, PDS consists of the spray film, an application kit and a spray trigger. 3M designed this product to be used on the entire car’s surface with special attention to the hood, trunk deck, rocker panels and other areas where road debris might kick up and mar the car’s finish. The film itself is extra tough, dries quickly and is hard to spot. You enjoy the benefits of a car cover without the hindrance — a paint system that will cost you less than $50.

3M Paint Defender System

3M Paint Defender System

3M Paint Defender System

3M Paint Defender System

Keeping Innovation Alive

3M prides itself for being an innovator, allowing its employees to use as much as 15 percent of their personal time to innovate. Many of the applications demonstrated by its automotive division are used on other products elsewhere, with employees find ways to cross-pollinate ideas and to improve the products that today’s consumers treasure.


Filed Under: Fun News Tagged With: 3M, automobile, AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS, BONDO, BOOT CAMP, OEM, PAINT DEFENDER SYSTEM

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • The Golden Years: 6 Memorable Models From the Original Era of Muscle Cars
  • From Datsun to Nissan: 40th Anniversary of the Maxima Sedan
  • The Mazda CX-5 Brings a Premium Touch to the Compact Crossover Utility Vehicle Segment
  • 4 Car Upholstery Cleaning Tips
  • The 14 Brands of Stellantis

Recent Comments

  • The Golden Years: 6 Memorable Models From the Original Era of Muscle Cars — Auto Trends Magazine on 5 Forgettable Cars From the 1970s
  • The Golden Years: 6 Memorable Models From the Original Era of Muscle Cars — Auto Trends Magazine on 7 Winter Storage Tips For Classic Cars
  • Drive Dissection: 2017 Nissan Maxima SR — Auto Trends Magazine on From Datsun to Nissan: 40th Anniversary of the Maxima Sedan
  • The Premium Nissan Maxima Sedan — Auto Trends Magazine on From Datsun to Nissan: 40th Anniversary of the Maxima Sedan
  • From Datsun to Nissan: 40th Anniversary of the Maxima Sedan — Auto Trends Magazine on Second Look: 2020 Nissan Sentra

Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008

Categories

  • Auto Parts
  • Auto Shows
  • Automotive Career
  • Automotive News
  • Book Reviews
  • Car Tips
  • Classics & Discontinued Models
  • Commentary
  • Commercial Vehicles
  • Concept Vehicles
  • Dealers
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Fleet
  • Fun News
  • Maintenance & Repairs
  • Motorsport
  • New Car Reviews
  • New Models
  • Ownership Experience
  • Product Reviews
  • Special
  • Specifications
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

New!
Check out our Jobs Board!

via GIPHY

Subscribe to Auto Trends

Subscribe in a reader

Social Media

Visit our social media pages:
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Pinterest

Where is Matt Currently Published?

The Carolinian (new car reviews)
NAPA Know How Blog
On the Road Again

Pages

  • About
  • Authors List
  • Automotive Brochures
  • Contact
  • Industry Jobs
  • Write
    • Style Guide

Categories

Recent Posts

  • The Golden Years: 6 Memorable Models From the Original Era of Muscle Cars
  • From Datsun to Nissan: 40th Anniversary of the Maxima Sedan
  • The Mazda CX-5 Brings a Premium Touch to the Compact Crossover Utility Vehicle Segment
  • 4 Car Upholstery Cleaning Tips
  • The 14 Brands of Stellantis
  • Peugeot May Not Return to the U.S. Market After All
  • Next-Generation Sedona Minivan Will Be Renamed the Kia Carnival
  • GM Launches BrightDrop, Its Commercial EV Brand
  • The Refreshed and Handsome
    Lexus IS 350 F Sport
  • What We Know About the All-New 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
  • The All-New and Formidable 2021 Nissan Rogue Crossover
  • Fuel-Efficiency and AWD Champion: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
  • Midsize Performance Master: 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line
  • Performance Hatchback: The All-New 2021 Mazda Mazda3 Turbo!
  • NACTOY Finalists For 2021 Offer Familiar and Futuristic Choices
  • Super Trooper: Nissan Titan Pickup
  • Behind the Wheel of the Popular 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan
  • Lucid Motors Completes Arizona Factory
  • A Robust Turbodiesel Comes to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  • Mid-Engine Masterpiece: The Eighth-Generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
  • Compact Performance:
    2021 Cadillac CT4-V
  • All-Wheel Drive Supplies the Nissan Altima With a Competitive Edge
  • Return of the Toyota Venza!
  • Lexus Brings a Convertible to the Gorgeous LC 500 Line
  • Stellantis Logo Revealed by Peugeot, Fiat Chrysler Ahead of Spring Merger
  • Preview: 2021 Nissan Rogue Crossover
  • How to Fix a Broken Rivian Vehicle
  • Cadillac Gets Most Things Right
    With the XT6 Crossover
  • The High Potency Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Coupe
  • The All-New Chevrolet Trailblazer Forges Urban Paths
  • The Small Infiniti QX50 is Big on Tech and Engineering Features
  • Toyota Brings the TRD Treatment to the Midsize Camry Sedan
  • The Kia K5 Outclasses Most Competitors, Including the Departing Optima
  • Can the Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road Handle Tough Terrain?
  • Subaru WRX Showcases Its Performance Chops
  • Infiniti Overhauls QX80 Trims and Makes This Important Safety Feature Standard
  • Ford F-250 Super Duty and a Trail-Stomping Tremor Package
  • A Cut Above: Mazda’s Mazda3
  • The Highly Efficient Hyundai Ioniq
  • Volkswagen Atlas Revels in its Strengths
  • General Motors Deepens Partnership With Honda, Takes Stake in Nikola
  • Smart Concept: Jeep Grand Wagoneer
  • More Than an Encore: Buick Encore GX
  • Got a Recall? There’s an App for That.
  • Refreshed Nissan Titan Makes Its Case
  • BMW M235i: Not Your Typical Coupe
  • Hot Stuff: Lexus RC F Sport Coupe
  • Will the Electric Vehicle Boom Create New-Found Dependencies for Foreign Minerals?
  • Rumors? We Got Them!
  • About Bollinger Motors, EV Startup
January 2021
S M T W T F S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  
« Dec    

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in