Guideline on Buying Tires Wheel Balancing and the Performance of Your Car | Page 12

Tire Shop Scams to Avoid
They say good mechanics are worth their weight in oil. Unfortunately, not all automobile
repair shops or tire shops are honest. Some unscrupulous ones will cut corners just to make a
quick buck while others will charge for services but fail to include them in the repair
procedure.
Tires are a highly competitive market, and some dishonest dealers will offer low prices to
make a sale while scamming you on the other hand to recoup their losses. Do not, therefore,
choose a tire shop on the basis of price alone. Common tricks of the trade include:
 Reusing parts such as valve stems instead of replacing them or performing basic wheel
balancing instead of dynamic balancing
 The Rubber Manufacturers’ Association specifically states that an approved repair consists
of a combination of plug and patch. Tire plugs used in isolation are not approved repairs. A
crooked tire shop might charge you for a proper tire repair only to simply jam a plug into
the tire