Do you know what you'd do if you suddenly got a flat tire while driving to work? While the most common assumption would be that you'd simply buy a new tire and have it installed, this isn't always a viable solution. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be stuck without a vehicle for an indefinite period of time. In many cases, you'll be able to get your tire repaired instead of having to replace the whole thing. Before you head into the tire shop, there are some things that you should know.

Puncture location

In order to be qualify for a tire repair, the damage to the tire must be a puncture and not a tear. This damage must also be located on the tread of the tire and not the sides. The closer the damage is to the rim of the tire, the less likely it is that a repair will even work in the first place. Some tire shops will try to sell you a new tire anyway, regardless of the location of the damage. While a new tire will generally last longer, simply by virtue of it being newer, a good patch job should hold for a while.

Cost

As you are probably already aware, a new tire can cost a hundred dollars or more depending on the exact type of tire you need and the brand of the tire. A professional tire repair job, on the other hand, should cost a fraction of that. Depending on the shop in question, a repair may cost anything from nothing at all to a few tens. On average, they cost about $20. When your budget is stretched thin already, having to pay a nominal amount for the repair is going to be more attractive than having to buy a brand new tire.

Time

Some people are under the impression that a tire repair actually takes longer to do than having your tire replaced but this is not necessarily the case. A shop may sometimes prioritize higher-paying customers who are buying tires over ones who are there just getting their tire fixed but this doesn't always happen. The actual repair process generally only takes a few minutes. There are some shops who have one technician dedicated to performing repairs, meaning that you could be in and out of there almost before you know it. If you're currently driving on a spare, it's often something that you can have done on a work lunch break and still have plenty of time left over to actually eat.