Car Care Tips

Flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances can all be the result of driving around Alberta on underinflated tires. Admittedly, it's hard to tell when a radial tire is underinflated. If your vehicle manufacturer recommends 35 pounds of pressure, your vehicle tires are considered significantly underinflated at 26 pounds. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds.

New laws require all vehicles to include a tire pressure monitor system, or TPMS. This technology has been used by race car drivers for years. They are able to head off problems from underinflation by closely monitoring tire pressure on the track. It's up to your vehicle's manufacturer to determine which of many TPMS systems available they'll use to comply with the law.

Obviously, all of this doesn't come free for Alberta drivers. Government studies have estimated the net costs. Of course, the TPMS system itself will cost something. Maintaining the system will have a cost, replacement of worn or broken parts and tire repair cost increases.

Your safety has always been a priority at Lube Town. We want you on the road and accident free. We've traditionally provided things like tire rotations, snow tire mounting, flat fixes and sell new tires at a very low cost. We've been able to quickly and cheaply provide the service and pass the low cost on to you as an expression of our good will.

Like all other Alberta service centers, here at Lube Town we've had to purchase new scanning equipment to work with the TPMS sensors and to update expensive tire change equipment to better service wheels equipped with the new monitoring systems. Our friendly and knowledgeable service technicians at Lube Town  have been thoroughly trained on many systems and new tire-changing techniques. All of this adds up to significantly increased cost to perform what was once a very inexpensive service for you.

So when you start so see the cost of tire changes, flat repairs and rotations going up at Lube Town, please keep in mind that it's because of government mandated safety equipment. We want to keep you safely on the road – and we're committed to doing it at a fair price. This safety equipment will help you avoid the most common types of vehicle failure in Alberta, and possibly a catastrophic accident.

Give us a call, or visit us at our Lube Town website.

For service on demand, simply drive right up to any of our service bays.

No appointment is ever needed

• Lube Town Macleod - 4007 Macleod Tr SW Calgary, Alberta 403-457-3500
• Lube Town Parkdale - 10 Parkdale Cres NW Calgary, Alberta 403-283-3393
• Lube Town Okotoks - 181 North Railway St Okotoks, Alberta 403-995-9565
  http://www.lubetown.com