# Cost of a tire repair has me flabbergasted! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 29, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641 "2022-09-29T23:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/1 "2022-09-29T23:42:20Z")
So I got a nail in the tire of my caprice. Normally I subscribe to the theory that you plug a tread, patch a sidewall. Im not going to get into a debate but I never have had a plug on a tread fail. I have patched non critical leaks on sidewalls twice with good luck. Since these are new Milestar Whitewalls I decided to have the tire “properly” fixed with a PLUG/Patch. I took the tire off and brought it in because I don’t want these people messing with my hubcaps and mounting hardware since they don’t respect or understand oldschool hubacaps. $27.99!!! Never again! 4.00 for materials, the rest was labor. And this tire shop looks to start at 14.00/hr so dont tell me they are paying the tire repair employee good! Ill just plug it next time! Have prices really gotten this high on tire repairs? Or did I get ripped off? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 11:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/2 "2022-09-29T23:44:54Z")
What the hell were you looking for? Free? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 11:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/3 "2022-09-29T23:54:16Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > What the hell were you looking for? > > Free? > > Tester No, I was looking for a fair price. The thief manager started off shooting from the hip when I complained saying todays tire repair is tricky because of the TPMS Sensors ect… I said go look at the rim! 89 Caprice! No TPMS! Then he basically says that’s just what it cost. last time I has a tire repair I remember it was just shy of 18 Dollars. I handed the guy a double sawbuck and told him have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/4 "2022-09-29T23:56:26Z")
I will also add that the tire was NOT rebalanced. they just marked the position which was fine, but don’t trump up the price on me and then lie about it. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/5 "2022-09-29T23:56:37Z")
Have you not notice that prices on **EVERYTHING** have gone up? Some people! Tester ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/6 "2022-09-29T23:57:35Z")
> [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > Normally I subscribe to the theory that you plug a tread, patch a sidewall. Whaaaaat? Patch a sidewall? Nope! ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/7 "2022-09-30T00:02:30Z")
> [@texases](#): > > > [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > > > Normally I subscribe to the theory that you plug a tread, patch a sidewall. > > Whaaaaat? Patch a sidewall? Nope! Have you ever done it? I have and it works. Now id be picky about it, if its a very small leak from a little pinhole from something poking it then yes I would patch it. If it has any kind of significant damage then no. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/8 "2022-09-30T00:06:15Z")
Reminds me of when I worked at the garage. Guy drove in on a flat tire. “How much?” “$5” “$5? That’s a lot of money!” And he drove out. Today the $5 would be (wait for it) $30. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/9 "2022-09-30T00:06:39Z")
Even my lawn mower tire cost $20 for a patch last spring and gotta figure increase of 8-13% since then. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/10 "2022-09-30T00:08:33Z")
Discount tire fixes flats for free. Even if you didn’t buy the tire there. I did this one time and I handed the guy a sawbuck for a pack of smokes or baggie of weed or whatever was his fancy. I know this is a loss leaded fr the as part of marketing but oh well. Too bad Its so far for me to drive there. I must also say I dropped off the tire, no rush, told them id be back in a few days. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/11 "2022-09-30T00:10:35Z")
If I found out you patched a sidewall of a tire on your vehicle, I never drive or ride in that vehicle [https://www.tireindustry.org/tire-maintenance/tire-repair](https://www.tireindustry.org/tire-maintenance/tire-repair) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/12 "2022-09-30T00:13:32Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > If I found out you patched a sidewall of a tire on your vehicle, I never drive or ride in that vehicle > > [https://www.tireindustry.org/tire-maintenance/tire-repair](https://www.tireindustry.org/tire-maintenance/tire-repair) > > Tester What if it had a slow leak from the sidewall? From a thorn whlie offroading? And I mean a slow leak. I drove from 3 states away after it happened and it took several days to see that there was a very slow leak. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/13 "2022-09-30T00:15:51Z")
Ive actually plugged a sidewall on an Atv. It took two plugs and it held fine. I even would run 30mph on it. I wouldn’t plug a sidewall on a car tire though because you have to do damage to the sidewall to plug it. When I have patched sidewalls, probably two times, It was a very small leak and the carcass of the tire was undamaged. I didn’t buff much rubber off and the patch held fine. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/14 "2022-09-30T00:15:58Z")
Since you seem to know than the tire professionals, what are your credentials? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/15 "2022-09-30T00:17:57Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > Since you seem to know than the tire professionals, what are your credentials? > > Tester I have probably plugged over 100 tires in my lifetime with not one of them failing. I have patched two sidewalls with no problems. Thats not the point of this topic, the point is paying 27.99 for a tire repair because of TPMS sensors on a 89 Caprice! I see how some of these places rip people off. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/16 "2022-09-30T00:20:38Z")
So what you’re saying is, we’re reading comments from another Joe-bag-a-donuts? Tester ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/17 "2022-09-30T00:40:29Z")
> [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > Thats not the point of this topic, the point is paying 27.99 for a tire repair Then you really do not want to go to the grocery store if price increases cause you this much anguish . I really think you need therapy because everything seems to bother you that you can’t control . ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 1:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/18 "2022-09-30T01:22:12Z")
$27 is a heck of a lot less than $200 for a new tire… I’m planning to spend around $1000 for a new set of tires on my car this year. Last time I bought a set, it was more like $600. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/19 "2022-09-30T03:08:08Z")
When I was a high school kid in 1986 and working my first job at a Chevron station we charged $8 to plug a tire and $16.99 to patch a tire. Shop labor was $44/hr. Last year where I worked we charged $30 to patch a tire and shop labor was $144/hr. Seems like you got a fair deal. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 11:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641/20 "2022-09-30T11:21:32Z")
In 1966 we charged $1.50 for a plug, $2.00 for a patch, balancing not included. Do the math, $27 does not seem exorbitant. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-a-tire-repair-has-me-flabbergasted/186641.md?page=2)