About two months ago I got new tires put on my mobile palace. Fortunately I was able to avoid a major catastrophe by replacing my dry rotted and cracked back tires at one of our AAA Car Care Centers, but boy, did I feel like an idiot for letting my mobile palace get to such a state of disrepair!

This incident reminded me of when I was 19 and one of my tires blew out on the interstate. Looking back I remembered feeling my steering wheel shake a little more than usual, but I didn't think too much of it, probably because I was far too preoccupied with trying out my vocal stylings to whatever pop song was on the radio. It turned out that along with driving with an extremely old tire, I had cracked an axle. In short, my mobile palace was a ticking time bomb. (Scary, I know, but not nearly as scary as my singing!)

Reflecting on both of these situations really got me thinking about all of the miles I put on my tires and how I completely underestimated the value of tire care. I mean, I replace my running shoes at the first sign of a hole, and they aren't nearly as important as my tires! Ultimately, it was these experiences with my tires that led me to educate myself on my vehicle and write these articles to help educate others as well.

In order to find out more about what I could do to extend the life of my tires, I visited my go-to mechanic at my AAA Car Care Center. As I mentioned earlier, I can entertain my fellow drivers with my fist-pounding, power-ballad musical interpretations without even a hint of embarrassment, but I must admit I felt a little silly asking the mechanic all of these questions about tires. Luckily he was understanding and gave me some really great advice that I want to pass along.

Getting regular tire alignments is a very important part of extending the life of your tires. Bumps, potholes, curbs and general wear and tear can shift your car out of alignment. If your tires bow out even a little bit, it can cause them to wear down fairly quickly and can also cause your mobile palace to get really bad gas mileage. With these sky-high gas prices, I certainly don't want to throw away more money because my tires are out of alignment. I could use that money on something far more productive . like a shoe sale!

Another way to keep your tires well-maintained is to get your tire pressure checked monthly. Under-inflated tires can lead to a higher risk of blowouts, as well as an increase in wear on your tires. Incidentally, worn tires can lose up to 20 percent of the ability to hug the road when it is raining. Yikes! On the other hand though, keeping your tires at the right pressure can save you big money in fuel throughout the year. Safety never looked or sounded so good!

Tires are not designed to last the lifespan of your mobile palace, but if they are well maintained, they should last many thousands of miles. Tires are something you never want to cut corners on, so when you get routine maintenance done on your vehicle, it is important to have the alignment and tire pressure checked. When your tires are getting close to the end of their life, it is better to go ahead and invest in new ones to ensure your safety and the safety of whatever precious cargo you are carrying.

Having been in several scary situations with my tires, I feel I can now fully appreciate the value (both in peace of mind and in my cute red wallet) of having well-maintained tires. And honestly, what are a few extra minutes at a Car Care Center when you can have the peace of mind of knowing you are traveling safely?

If you have any tip and tricks, or there is something you want to know about, email me at girlsgarage@mailaaa.com 

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