Tire Shop
Tires are one of the most important components of your vehicle. No matter whether you drive a car, SUV, or truck, you want to make sure you have the right set of tires for your model and that they are in good condition. This involves having them checked each time you come in for a service visit and taking care of them when a problem arises.
This is why our Tire Shop is here to take care of you. At LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Okemos, we service all makes and models, helping you when something goes wrong and providing preventive care to keep your tires in top working condition. This involves taking measures such as repairing flats and leaks, rotating them regularly, fixing alignment issues, and ensuring your treads are not worn, which can cause accidents, especially in inclement weather.
We carry all of the leading brands in different sizes and types, so you can find the tires you need when you shop here.
Expert Tire Maintenance You Can Count On
Your tires are made up of several components, but the most important are the treads. These grooves make direct contact with the road and are designed to channel water, snow, and ice away, helping your tires maintain proper traction and grip.
Why Worn Tires Create Safety Risks
When the tread is worn or damaged, it can no longer maintain effective contact with the road, increasing the risk of skidding or hydroplaning and making it harder to control your vehicle. That's why regular tire maintenance is essential for both safety and performance.
Professional Care With Us
Our team of trained technicians can assist you with all aspects of tire maintenance. This will ensure your vehicle's tires are in proper working order so that you won't have any issues with braking, steering, or handling.
Tire Rotation
One of the easiest and most effective forms of tire maintenance is tire rotation. Every six months or so, you can bring your vehicle in, and our technicians will switch the right front tire with the left rear one, and the left front tire with the right rear one. This will help the treads on your tires to wear more evenly.
When you make left and right turns in your vehicle, you put different stresses on each tire. Similarly, braking wears the tires differently, especially if you have a front or rear-wheel drive model. Over time, the tire treads will wear differently.
This can make steering more difficult and reduce your overall control of the vehicle. It also increases the distance needed to come to a complete stop. Over time, worn tires can pose serious safety risks, especially on wet pavement.
This is why it's important to rotate your tires regularly, which helps the treads wear more evenly. This will extend your tires' lifespan, so you won't need to replace them as often. It will also allow your vehicle to operate more consistently.
Wheel Alignment
Your vehicle's tires are designed to point in the same direction. However, if you hit a curb or strike a large pothole, there is a chance that you knocked your wheels out of alignment. When this happens, you may notice your car pulling to one side when braking, or you might feel the steering is off-center. Our team can help you fix this with a simple wheel alignment.
There are different parts to wheel alignment:
- Camber: The angle at which your tires make contact with the road. The goal is to keep as much of the tread as possible in contact with the pavement so the tire wears evenly.
- Caster: The alignment angle that helps keep your wheels properly aligned with the steering wheel, improving stability and helping prevent the vehicle from drifting to one side.
- Toe: The alignment that controls the direction your tires point, ensuring they are properly angled relative to each other and the road for smooth handling and even wear.
We will make sure that the camber, caster, and toe are properly set on your vehicle so you can avoid alignment issues.
Tire Inspection
Just like other parts of your vehicle, your tires can be damaged by ordinary wear and tear. You may notice that one tire doesn't hold its pressure. This could be due to a crack, a small leak, or a nail or screw embedded in the tire. This can usually be addressed with a simple repair. However, if the leak is centered in the tire's sidewall, the edge where the tread meets the side of the tire, then the tire will have to be replaced.
When you come in for a tire inspection, we will check the air pressure to ensure each tire is properly inflated. Our team will also check the treads to make sure they aren't dangerously worn. The inspection will also involve looking for bubbles, cracks, and other damage.
Our goal is to ensure your tires are in proper condition for safe vehicle operation.
Tire Balancing
Tire balancing involves making sure each tire carries the same weight. If there is even the slightest issue with weight distribution between the tires, you can experience a very rough ride in your vehicle. This can also impact your car's fuel efficiency and even damage the suspension system.
When you bring your vehicle in for tire service, we will use a specialized computer to check that the tires are properly balanced. We will also do this when you buy a new set of tires, replace a tire with a new one, rotate your tires, and get a tire repaired.
We Offer Quick Flat Tire Repairs
One of the most common types of tire damage is a flat. You accidentally run over a screw or nail in the road, and it embeds itself in your tire's tread. Most new cars have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that alerts you when one of the tires on your vehicle is underinflated.
Some models even identify the tire with the problem and list the tire's current pressure. You can also check tire pressure with a small, handy gauge and look on the sill plate of your vehicle to find the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure for your model.
When you come in for a flat tire repair, you will be amazed by the quick, efficient turnaround of our staff. We will identify the leak, clean the area, and patch or plug it, depending on the type of damage causing the air leak.
Our team member will then add the proper amount of air to the tire so that it will operate well with the other three on your vehicle. Finally, we will recalibrate the TPMS on your car so it can continue to identify tire pressure issues properly.
Visit Us for a Large Selection of New Tires
No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, you want to make sure you have the right tires. Most automakers recommend a specific brand, size, model, and type of tire for your vehicle. Using tires that differ from those recommended by your manufacturer can lead to performance and safety issues.
This is especially true when a damaged original tire is replaced with a mismatched spare, which can affect handling, traction, and overall vehicle stability. This is why our tire center carries the leading tire brands in a variety of sizes, models, and types.
All-Season Tires
All-season tires are the most common ones. As their name implies, they are designed for year-round use. Most sedans, SUVs, EVs, and even pickup trucks feature all-season tires.
These tires are designed to give you the smoothest ride in cars and SUVs. The ones for pickup trucks are created to maximize load handling. They also deliver the most fuel-efficient performance for your vehicle.
The only drawback is that you won't get the grip and traction you will find in snow and off-road tires. Also, vehicles with all-season tires will not achieve the same speed and acceleration as those with performance tires.
Snow Tires
As the name implies, snow tires are designed for the inclement weather we often experience during the winter months. These have deeper treads to help channel snow, ice, and water away from the tire so that you can maintain proper contact with the roadbed.
Snow tires also feature a specially formulated rubber that stays pliable even in subfreezing temperatures. This will help reduce skidding, which is always a key concern when driving on icy roads. If you live in an area that gets really rough winter weather, then it may pay to have a set of snow tires for your vehicle.
Off-Road Tires
Off-road tires are designed for specialized vehicles, like Trail Rated Jeeps. These feature more rugged treads than you will find in all-season tire-equipped vehicles. This will provide your vehicle with the added grip needed to traverse unpaved surfaces.
Off-road tires often use a softer, stickier rubber compound, which results in them wearing more quickly and being louder when in contact with pavement compared to regular street tires. If you're a frequent off-roader, these tires are a good call.
Performance Tires
If you are driving a sports car or a performance model, you want to get the most out of your vehicle's speed and acceleration. This is where all-season tires just won't do. That is why a set of performance tires will best serve your vehicle.
Performance tires feature a shallower tread and stiffer rubber than other models. This is to give you the tight steering and rapid acceleration on your sports car. The drawback is that they tend to wear faster than other types of tires. Some performance tires are also known as summer-weight, though you can also find all-season performance tires.
Take Advantage of Our Express Lane
Our dealership understands that your time is valuable. When you come in for routine maintenance on your vehicle, the last thing you want is to sit around all day at our service center while it gets repaired. This is why we offer our valued customers like you our Express Lane service.
Our Express Lane is for routine service visits and is designed to get your vehicle serviced efficiently and effectively. This is why certain maintenance qualifies for the Express Lane treatment so that we can get you back on the road quickly, such as:
- Oil and Filter Changes
- Air Filter Replacement
- Brake Inspection
- Coolant and Fluid Level Check
- Wiper Blade Replacements
- Multi-Point Inspection
For customers experiencing issues with their tires, you can have them rotated or inspected for tire wear and pressure checks through our Express Lane as well.
Family Deal Tire Protection and Long-Term Value
Our dealership is all about treating our customers like cherished family members. This is why we include the Family Deal with every new and used vehicle we sell. It is our way of showing that we are here for you throughout your ownership of your next car, truck, or SUV.
Lifetime Alignment Coverage and Tire Repair Support
One benefit of the Family Deal is lifetime alignment coverage. If your vehicle's wheel alignment feels off, we'll correct it at no additional cost. You'll also receive complimentary tire patching for eligible repairs. If the tire on your vehicle has a repairable leak, we will cover the cost of the patch and have you back on the road in no time.
Tire Price Match Guarantee
We offer a tire price match guarantee. When you are looking to buy a new set of tires or replace an existing tire that cannot be repaired, you want to make sure you are getting the best price possible.
Long-Term Value and Peace of Mind
Buying tires can be costly, which is why we will match the lowest price you can find for the same brand, model, size, and type of tire. This gives you peace of mind that you can keep the cost down when buying tires.
The Family Deal is our way of taking care of you and your vehicle, mile after mile, with these amazing benefits and more.
Complete Vehicle Care Beyond Tire Service
While our tire center can help you with everything you need for your vehicle's tires, we can also handle other services and maintenance for your car, truck, or SUV. Our state-of-the-art service center is staffed by a team of trained technicians who can help you with everything from oil changes to major repairs.
Oil Changes and Engine Protection
Oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle, and it needs to be in proper condition to do its vital job of lubricating and cooling the engine's interior. However, over time, the heat from the engine will reduce the oil's viscosity, while the oil and filter become clogged with minute debris. This can affect your vehicle's performance and efficiency.
Our team will change the oil with the oil recommended for your model and replace the oil filter, so your car can perform well.
Fluid Checks and System Health
There are other liquids in your vehicle that also need attention. Coolant will maintain the proper temperature in your vehicle's engine. Brake fluid provides the hydraulic pressure needed to operate your vehicle's brakes, while transmission fluid lubricates the transmission's parts. Your vehicle even has windshield wiper fluid to clear debris and ensure proper visibility while driving.
When you stop in for service, our team will check the levels of each of these fluids. If they are a little below the right amount, we will top them up. When a substantial amount of fluid is missing, it could indicate a leak. In these situations, our team will check whether the system is leaking and repair it to prevent future problems.
Brake Service and Safety Inspection
Just like the treads on your tires, the pads on your brakes can get worn. This is especially true for drivers who ride their brakes, drive fast, or make excessive stops. Worn brake pads increase your vehicle's stopping distance, raising the risk of an accident. Our team can resurface your brakes to help restore proper function and ensure safe, reliable braking performance.
Multi-Point Inspections and Preventative Care
Each time you bring in your vehicle for service, our technician will perform a multi-point inspection. This will let us know if anything on your vehicle needs attention. Our service team member will review the inspection results and help you decide on a plan of action to address the issue.
Visit Our Tire Shop Today!
Tires are a crucial part of your vehicle. Riding on damaged or worn tires can reduce the risk of accidents. This is why it is important to ensure that your vehicle's tires are properly inflated, have sufficient tread, and are free of leaks, cracks, and other damage.
The tire shop at LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Okemos can help you with repairs and replacements of your vehicle's existing tires. Whether you are looking for a simple flat tire fix or tire rotation, or are coming in for a new set of tires, our experienced team can help you with all of your tire needs.
Come in today and see why we are the place to go when you need tire care.