The holidays are so close and undoubtedly you’re already planning your holiday road trip. Unless you’re travelling by sleigh with a team of reindeer though, you’d do well to heed the advice of Tiger Wheel & Tyre when it comes to punctures and repairs this December.
If you’ve never experienced that deflating feeling that comes hand-in-glove with getting a puncture, then “welcome to South Africa, how long will you be staying?” Punctures are a way of life here, so it’s in all of our best interests to have a game plan for how to handle the situation in such a way that “new tyres” don’t end up at the top of your letter to Santa. “How you handle a puncture and its repair can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major hole in your pocket. Most punctures are easily repaired and at minimal cost, but you only get one chance to do it right,” cautions Joe du Plooy, Marketing Executive of Tiger Wheel & Tyre. Getting it right means fitting your spare wheel and driving to the nearest reputable tyre dealer, who will remove the wheel, inspect the tyre inside and out and then repair the puncture using both a plug or stem filler and a patch. Punctures that are repairable include those that occur in the tread pattern and which aren’t bigger than 6mm. If your puncture is bigger than that or occurs on the sidewall or outside of the tread, it is irreparable and the tyre will have to be replaced.
“This counsel applies exclusively to normal tyres and not to run flats, which are an entirely different matter. As their name implies, they are designed to continue driving at a reduced speed and limited distance after the tyre has been punctured and cars that are fitted with these tyres usually don’t have a spare wheel. The good news is you won’t be stranded roadside in Pit-Sonder-Water, but the bad news is that you will have to replace the tyre. Run flats should never be repaired,” adds du Plooy.
Finally, Tiger Wheel & Tyre advises that you have all four tyres as well as your spare, inspected and properly inflated before embarking on your annual December road trip – it could mean the difference between the holiday of a lifetime or the road trip from hell. For more information on Tiger Wheel & Tyre’s current holiday promotions and to find store locations on your road trip route, visit www.twt.to.
