Vancouver's Tire Services Experts for 30+ Years

Bring Your Vehicle in & Fix a Flat at JC Pro Auto Repair Service Center Today

Has a flat tire knocked the wind out of your sails? Bring your car, truck, or SUV to Tire Pirates for expert flat tire repair in the Lower Mainland area. Not only is a flat tire a hassle to deal with, but it also poses a severe safety hazard for you and other drivers on the road. Continuing to drive on a flat tire isn’t just unsafe; it can end up doing more internal damages to your vehicle in the long-term. If you encounter a flat tire, it’s best to pull over to the side of the road immediately and put on your spare before proceeding to your nearest tire repair shop. Failure to do so may result in poor handling, resulting in a car accident.

Common Types of Tire Damage We See in Our Tire Repair Shop

As BC’s trusted tire repair shop for over two decades, JC Pro has seen many types of tire damage come into our shop over the years, including:

• Tire Punctures – The open road presents many hazards for motorists, including sharp objects such as nails, screws, rocks, and broken shards of glass that can easily puncture your tire. Hitting a pothole too fast can also cause rips or tears in your tire’s sidewall. All too often, a tire puncture goes undetermined until it causes the tire to lose air or go completely flat.
• Tire Bulges – Bulges in your tire’s sidewall may be caused by an air leak, by hitting a sharp object or a pothole in the road, or even because of a defect in the tire itself. Bulges cannot usually be repaired. However, some replacements may be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.
• Irregular Tire Tread – How often and how far you drive impacts your tires’ tread. Regularly inspecting your tires’ tread for signs of baldness or uneven wear is part of being a responsible car owner. You can use a tread depth gauge or try the simple quarter test, putting the Queen in head first. If your tire’s tread no longer covers the Queen’s head, it’s likely time for a tire replacement.
• Tire Leaks – If your rims are bent, your tire’s valve stems are damaged, or there’s corrosion around your wheels, it can cause a tire leak. Leaks may be either slow or rapid, but they should always be addressed.
• Inadequate Tire Pressure – Having over-inflated tires can result in a blowout. It’s best to keep an eye on your tire pressure to ensure your tires aren’t overinflated or underinflated.

How to Know When to Replace Your Tires vs. Repair Them

Just because you have a flat tire doesn’t mean it can’t be repaired. We may be able to patch a minor tire puncture. However, if there’s been significant damage done to your tire’s sidewall, it’s probably beyond repair. At Tire Pirates, we always offer free tire inspections to help you determine whether you need a tire repair or replacement at our tire repair shop. How often and how far you drive impacts how often you’ll need to replace your tires. Generally speaking, if your tires are over 10 years old, you should also consider replacing them. For smoother tire rotation and even wear, we suggest replacing all four tires at the same time whenever it’s possible.

Set Your Sights on These Top-of-the-Line Tire Brands

Tires keep your vehicle running safely and efficiently. If you’re like most car owners, you probably take your tires for granted until it’s time to fix a flat. However, the kind of tires you buy matters. Not only are there multiple sizes of tires available depending on your vehicle’s make and model, but there are also seasonal tire considerations as well, which often impact how well your car handles on the road during the various seasons. Specially treated and weighted to prevent skidding, snow tires help you maneuver Canada’s snowy, ice-covered roads during the winter. While the BC Ministry of Transportation doesn’t mandate having winter tires, they are strongly recommended for improved traction and control.

Conversely, when the hot sun’s beating down on the asphalt in the summertime, you don’t want to be caught with winter tires weighing your car needlessly down. However, if you’re someone who spends a fair amount of time on the road year-round, perhaps an investment in all-season tires would be best for you. If it’s time to replace your tires, Tire Pirates offers many top-of-the-line tires from leading brands for you to choose from in our tire repair shop, including the following:

• Toyo Tires®
• Cooper Tires®
• Michelin®
• Bridgestone®
• Hankook
• BFGoodrich®