Flat Tires

I just experienced my first flat tire Saturday night.  I just got done working my closing shift at the Y.  I always stick around to make sure that my coworker's car starts and then I put my car in drive and head home.  Except this time I heard the "flup flup flup".  My heart sank.

I missed the part on how to change a tire in driver's ed.  I remember being stuck standing in the back behind some tall dudes so I couldn't see a thing and the instructor went way too fast.  Plus, that was like 15 years ago.  You know, they really should have had a class called "Understanding How A Car Works For Girls".  Like I'm actually going to take a auto shop class with a bunch of big burly guys who know what a carburetor is for.  Looking back, that might not have been a bad idea (wink wink)!

I had my car manual out but it didn't give very good directions on how the process works.  So I had two options: Change my tire with the spare by winging it.  Or call my sister to pick me up and deal with this Sunday afternoon as it was 10:30 at night.  I was going to go with option number 2.  That was until the night maintenance guy came out to see what was wrong.  He saw me standing under the parking lamp.  So...he changed my tire for me.  I made sure to watch all the steps and to see his logic.  I am now comfortable changing a tire by myself if another situation should arise.

**So this is the part on where you learn from my mistakes.  Ladies....if you don't know how to change a tire....learn now.  If it's a boring Saturday afternoon and you have no plans to go anywhere, grab somebody who knows what they are doing (or Google it) and do it.  You'll be glad you did when the time comes and it's raining or snowing outside.**

Now that I had my car all fixed up, my next duty was to either buy a new tire or new my flat fixed.  It had something stuck in it.  Not a nail, more like an industrial strength paperclip or staple.  I knew that I still had them under warranty because I got them all in January 2010.  The Tires Plus I purchased them at changed franchises and the new place wouldn't honor my warranty.  So I headed to the next closest store which was at Northtown.  I brought my original receipt that stated my warranty clause: free flat repair, rotation and balancing for the life of the tires.

I walked out without paying a cent.  Even thought I did pay $50 for the warranty, it was a good decision.  It just paid for itself.  And I still have 3 other tires covered.