Sylva Auto Repair

Question: I need new tires. How do I know which tires to get? Dillsboro Automotive Answer: Let's look at selecting new tires in light of three factors: Function, Fit, and Value. Function: This gets at what your needs are for new tires: NC weather conditions, Sylva terrain, Sylva temperatures, etc. Most new family vehicles in NC come with all-season tires. They can be used all year long and do pretty well in most NC road conditions – but they aren't ideal at the extremes. Winter tires have a more aggressive tread for handling snow and ice on roads, and they have a rubber compound that helps them have better traction as Sylva temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit/7.2 degrees Centigrade. In winter weather, you'll definitely experience better stopping and road-holding characteristics for Sylva vehicles than all-season tires. Dedicated summer tires enhance w ... read more

Sylva drivers need to be concerned about wheel alignments for two primary reasons: safety and money. When your wheels are out of alignment, they can pull to one side, maybe pretty hard. A moment of inattention could put you into on-coming traffic on a busy street in Sylva or completely off the road. And a bad alignment will chew up your tires very quickly. We had one guy in our Sylva auto service center who said his wheels were a little out of alignment before a family vacation, but he didn't think it was that bad. So he didn't take care of it before he left. A couple of long days of highway driving and his front tires were worn down to the cords. He had to take a half day out of his mountain vacation to find a rural town in NC big enough to have a tire center for replacements. All four wheels are supposed to be lined up and point in the same direction. Sometimes one or more goes out of alignment and is pulling against the rest of the team. In addition to excessive ... read more

Dillsboro Automotive Tech Question: My name is Dan. My vehicle tires wore out early and I had to replace them. What can I do to make my tires last longer? Dillsboro Automotive Answer: Dan's problem – premature tire wear – is very common for Sylva residents. Here are several ways to lengthen the life of your tires: First, tires lose air pressure over time, so check them at least once a month and fill them up as necessary. A sticker on the driver's side door jamb has the recommended pressure. Tire rotation is also important to increase tire life. Your front tires take the brunt of stopping and steering forces so they wear faster than the rear tires. They should be rotated regularly so that all four tires wear more evenly. Talk to us at Dillsboro Automotive in Sylva. Out of balance wheels can also cause a tire to wear too fast. Sylva drivers who feel a vibration in their seat or steering wheel may have a wheel out of balance ... read more