Tire Shop

Every time you get in your car, you depend on your tires to help keep you safe and in control on the road. When something goes wrong with your tires, you can find yourself in a tough situation where even the best driving habits can fail. At our LaFontaine tire shop, we are fully equipped to help with whatever you need and make sure your vehicle is safe on the road.

From quick inspections and minor repairs to replacing your tires when the time comes, we are ready to assist with a wide range of jobs. We can also handle related services, such as wheel alignment, tire balancing, and more. No matter what you are looking for today—even other maintenance needs—we are here at LaFontaine Chevrolet Dexter to take care of it.

Here to Help With Proper Tire Maintenance

Although we offer a wide range of services to help fix problems, our philosophy is that it is always better to stay ahead of issues or tackle things when they are still small. That is why we are pleased to offer proactive tire maintenance to identify minor issues and prevent bigger problems. This is our general approach to many different kinds of service, not only with tires.

Finding a problem early makes it much easier to fix, without costing you much time or money. We always tell folks that routine oil changes are far superior to rebuilding an engine, and this philosophy serves us well across every part of a car. You count on your tires to keep you in control of your vehicle, so they must be well-maintained.

Tire Rotations to Even Out Wear

One of the simplest and fastest types of tire maintenance we offer is a basic tire rotation. Just like a quick oil change, taking the time to rotate your tires can seem like a hassle, but it is vitally important. Over time, as you drive, your tires will wear out simply from the friction they make with the road; there is nothing you can do to prevent this, it is just part of owning a car.

By rotating your tires, you can help even out wear and tear, keeping them in great shape for as long as possible. Proper tire rotation depends on your vehicle and other factors, but usually involves swapping the positions of your front and rear tires, so they receive different amounts of weight. Sometimes a tire rotation involves swapping one set of tires from left to right, and vice versa.

Letting us rotate your tires is one of the simplest things you can do to get the most from them for a long time. Even with proper care, your tires will need to be replaced, but there can be a big difference in how long they last thanks to things like tire rotations. So you can keep driving your vehicle for a long time, on tires that you know you can count on, while still saving money.

Tire Inspections to Find Other Problems

Getting ahead of problems with a tire rotation is great, but that is just one way that we can help avoid issues down the road. Sometimes, you know that something is wrong with your tires because you can feel or hear an issue as you drive. But there can be situations that come up that you are unaware of, which can create big problems if you do not fix them.

This is why we offer routine tire inspections for all our customers as part of our maintenance to stay ahead of issues. We suggest visually inspecting your own tires regularly, but it can be hard to get a good look at all of them in a typical situation. When we have your vehicle lifted up for an oil change or similar service, we can give your tires a much more thorough inspection and look for damage or other problems.

By finding these problems when they are still small, it is much more likely that your tire will be fixed rather than needing a replacement. Best of all, we can perform this sort of inspection while handling other services, so you do not need to make a special visit for it. If you suspect something is wrong that you cannot see, then we are happy to inspect your tires and figure everything out for you.

We Can Adjust Your Wheel Alignment

Few things are more irritating than having a vehicle that you feel like you have to fight to simply drive down the road each day. Proper wheel alignment makes it easy to hit the road and get going; properly aligned tires naturally drive in a straight line, keeping things simple. If your alignment is off, you may find yourself compensating as you drive.

Some common things that indicate improper alignment include:

• Your car pulls to one side as you drive
• Uneven wear on your tires
• Vibrations through your steering wheel on smooth roads
• Your steering wheel feels loose or slow to respond
• You have to hold your steering wheel at an angle to drive straight
• You hear squealing from your tires while driving

If you notice any of these signs, bring your vehicle to us. We use cutting-edge diagnostic equipment to check your alignment and see how everything looks. Some of these things can also warn about other issues, so it is important that you let our experts figure it out.

Once we know what the issue is, we can adjust your wheel alignment to provide you with a smooth, responsive drive. Proper alignment ensures your car feels great on the road, evens out tire wear, and can help keep your gas mileage as good as possible. By adjusting your wheels' angles, we deliver the driving experience your car's manufacturer intended.

Tire Balancing for a Better Ride

Tire balancing is often discussed alongside wheel alignment, and some people get the two confused or assume they mean the same thing, but that is not the case. Because your tires and wheels are designed the way they are, they work well but are not perfect. As a result, the weight of your tires on your wheels is slightly off, which can feel bad as you drive.

When your tires are first mounted on your wheels, they are checked for tire balance, which indicates how the weight is distributed. Small weights are then placed inside your tires to even out their weight distribution, creating a smoother ride for you. Over time, however, these weights can come loose, or your tires can simply adjust slightly and need balancing.

We can check the weight of your tires and determine if there are any issues. If we find that your tire balancing is not what it should be, then we can add new weights to even things out and ensure you have a great driving experience. This helps extend your tires' lifespan, provides a smooth drive, and improves your passengers' comfort as you get around each day.

Quick Repairs for Damaged Tires

Even with proper maintenance and service, life can still get messy and throw the unexpected at you. Flat tires can be incredibly frustrating and potentially leave you stranded in a bad spot. With our team working for you, however, it is easy for us to stay ahead of flat tires as much as possible, and to help with any repairs your tires need.

In some cases, even though a flat tire may seem catastrophic, it might be caused by a minor issue that can be fixed. We can give your tire a good look, identify any damage or other issues that may have caused the problem, and see if we can simply repair it. With a quick fix, we can get your tire repaired, have it back on your vehicle, properly inflated, and get you on the road right away.

We will only repair a tire we believe is safe to use, so there may be situations where a fix is not possible, and your tire needs to be replaced. In many situations, however, we can get repairs done quickly, so you can keep driving with total confidence. Even if you do not have a flat but notice some damage to a tire, bring your vehicle in to us so we can get things fixed and help you avoid a major problem later.

We Have a Large Selection of New Tires Available

When you need new tires, you must get high-quality replacements you can count on. We've seen people go with used tires to save money, and the results can be disastrous. At our tire shop, we use new tires from top brands so you can drive safely for many years to come. Choosing the right kind of tire is important; however, we have numerous options available.

All-Season Tires for General Use

For most folks, a good all-season tire is the standard choice when getting new tires on a vehicle. These tires are good for exactly what they say: they work well in all seasons, but they do not excel in any particular situation. That is what makes them such a great all-around tire.

A good set of all-season tires is ideal for warmer weather and works well in both wet and dry conditions, something we find quite important. These are great for your daily driver since they work so well in a wide range of situations. They are not the right choice if you want something more specialized, but we can help you with other options as well.

Don't Forget About Winter Tires

Here in Michigan, we do not have the luxury of just going with an all-season tire and calling it a day. Folks in Florida or California can make that work, but all-season tires aren't great in extreme cold or on snow and ice. That is why we also have a great selection of winter and snow tires for you to choose from when things get cold.

Even when there is no snow on the ground, low temperatures call for winter tires. Standard all-season tires get firm and more brittle in the cold, which can degrade ride quality and even make control more difficult. Good winter tires remain softer and more pliable at very low temperatures, ensuring your car handles properly and you remain in control.

Off-Road Tires for Your Next Adventure

Few situations call for the right tires quite like heading off-road, where you need extra traction and control. We can help you explore and choose from different all-terrain, off-road, and similar tire options to get something just right for where you like to go. That way, you have tires that can grip rough trails and terrain, making it easier to tackle whatever you encounter.

Performance Tires Take Things to the Next Level

If you have a powerful sports car or similar performance vehicle, like the Chevy Corvette, then you need tires that can handle that kind of speed and power. Performance tires are the perfect choice for hitting the track and getting the most from your ride. These tires are designed to grip the track, maintain control at high speeds, and handle sudden stops without coming apart.

Our Mobile Service+ Makes Car Care Easier

No matter what your vehicle needs, our team at LaFontaine Chevrolet Dexter is here for you, and we work hard to make things as easy and convenient as possible. With our Mobile Service+ program, we can work around your schedule and still treat your vehicle right. If you find yourself in a bad situation, then we can come to you and perform select services, run diagnostics on your vehicle, and handle many tire services at your location.

We also offer pickup and delivery services to make proper vehicle maintenance even easier. All you have to do is schedule a service time and tell us where to go. We will come to you, pick up your vehicle, bring it back here for maintenance, and then return it to your home or workplace. So you can focus on what you need to do, and we'll take great care of your vehicle.

We Think You Deserve the Family Deal

Along with our Mobile Service+ program, we have developed other ways to make your life easier and support your maintenance needs. At LaFontaine Chevrolet Dexter, we believe in treating all of our customers like family. We do this by providing the Family Deal to all of our guests, which makes your life easier by providing:

• Wheel alignments for life
• Price matching on tires for the best value
• Complimentary tire patching
• Complimentary battery testing
• Complimentary code retrieval for service
• Complimentary brake inspections
• Partial deductible coverage for collision service
• Discounts for veterans, active military, and first responders

With these benefits, we show you just how much we care about you and all of our customers throughout the area. This is the kind of service you deserve when shopping for or maintaining your vehicle for many years to come.

Help With Other Services and Maintenance

As important as your tires are, they are far from the only part of your vehicle that needs proper care and maintenance. The experts at our certified service center can assist with a wide range of needs, such as:

• Oil and filter replacements
• Other fluid checks and changes
• Air filter replacements
• Battery testing and replacements
• Windshield wiper replacements
• Brake service and repairs
• Multi-point vehicle inspections
• And much more

No matter what your vehicle needs, we are ready to assist you and get you back on the road as soon as possible. We even have a collision center that can help if life has thrown a serious curveball at you, making sure your vehicle is safe and in great shape. So no matter what kind of service your car needs, you know that we can take care of it.

Let Us Take Great Care of Your Vehicle

As the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road, your car's tires are incredibly important. That is why you must let our experts keep them in great shape and make sure you are safe every time you get behind the wheel. Even if you just have questions about your tires or you've started hearing something strange, we are here to help. Schedule an appointment or call us at LaFontaine Chevrolet Dexter today to keep your tires at their best.