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Tag: tire damage

Tire Blooming Brown Tires

Tire Blooming | Find Out Why Your Tires Turn Brown

spencer51966@gmail.comMy Tire Advice, tire damage, What's New?

Your tires are “blooming” when the tire’s rubber turns a blotchy brown color instead of black.

Just like tire cracking and dry rot in tires, tire-blooming is common on vehicles that don’t get driven much.

That’s usually because the tire manufacturer used an additive, antiozonant, in the tire’s rubber  — Antiozonant protects the tire against dry rot, ozone, and weather-cracking, but on tires that don’t get driven the antiozonant turns a brown color, staining the tire’s rubber permanently.

Most drivers wear out the tire before tire blooming becomes an issue. 

But if you have a vintage or garaged car with older tires that rarely hit the highway, like the Corvette tire in this picture, they may be looking a little brown.

Tire Blooming Brown Tires

Steps you can take to protect your tires.

You cant reverse tire blooming, but there are products you can use to delay the onset and enhance the appearance of your tires. 

At Kenwood Tire, we use a few products to clean and protect our customers’ tires and wheels – Right now we’re trying out the Chemical Brothers Diablo Gel tire and wheel cleaner with great results on all wheel types.

See how it works on the brake dust of this Mercedes GLK350 —

When it comes to tire dressings I’m not a big fan, but it’s ok to use a tire protectant like sunscreen. My longtime favorite is Wizard”s Tire Dressing and Protectant because it’s water-based, and doesn’t leave a residue and sling product all over your car!

If you’re a fan of shiny tires, use a water-based dressing like Wizards Tire & Vinyl Shine to finish the job because it won’t harm the tire and contains UV protection — Stay away from solvent-based dressings because they will accelerate tire cracking.

My advice about tire blooming and tire cracking is the same — Just drive! — Even if you have nowhere to go, getting your tires through a driving cycle will make them last longer.

Tire blooming is not usually covered by a manufacturer’s defect warranty because it’s considered a cosmetic condition that doesn’t affect the performance or safety of the tire.

Although blooming tires are not a safety concern, it could be a sign that your tires are old and should be replaced — But if your tires are less than 5 years old, I recommend filing a customer satisfaction warranty claim with the tire manufacturer directly.

Thanks for visiting, Spencer.

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Is Pothole Damage Covered by State, Town, or Insurance?

spencer51966@gmail.comWhat's New?

AAA reports that pothole damage accounts for around $3 billion a year in damages, accounting around 500,000 insurance claims per year,

Potholes happen mostly during the freeze/thaw winter months as water seeps into small cracks in the road and freezes. The cracks expand and contract, combined with heavy traffic, pavement age, vehicle weights, and snow plows, cracks become potholes.

Who’s Responsible for Pothole Damage?

Unfortunately, the responsibility for avoiding a pothole usually falls on the driver and in Massachusetts, it’s almost impossible to get the state or town to pay up for your pothole damage.

That’s because according to Massachusetts law MGL c.81, s.18 – Defects in Highway, Liability (State Roads) and MGL c.84, s.15 – Personal injuries or property damage from defective ways (City or Town Roads), you’ll need to prove that the state and/or town was negligent in repairing and maintaining road conditions.

But it’s going to be nearly impossible to prove that anyone knew about a pothole and failed to do anything about it.

While pothole damage claims to the state are usually denied, some towns and cities will reimburse.

If you have a pothole “encounter”, make sure you take a picture of the pothole and damage to your vehicle, then determine who is responsible for the road (town/city/state). Go online and find the procedures to file a claim. Remember to get estimates from local auto repair shops before submitting your claim for approval.

Invest some time and you could get reimbursed without paying an insurance deductible.

Check out the City of Boston’s pothole claim procedure.

Is Pothole Damage Covered by Insurance?

If you bought a road-hazard protection plan on your tires and/or wheels that’s great! Hop, skip, and jump back to where you bought it!

If not, your car insurance will usually recognize an immediate damage claim, but you’ll probably pay a deductible and watch your renewal increase.

Most pothole damage is wear and tear, with no specific incident to blame. So if your car doesn’t feel right, let’s check it out, we’re experts in smooth riding vehicles and have your best interests in mind.

Don’t mess around with the chain stores – When you need tires, look beyond the price. At Kenwood Tire & Auto Service, we make tires easy! We don’t just change tires, we change your tire buying experience. 

You’ll always find honest advice, good tires, quality service, plus the people and support you need to make your new tires a good investment.

Shop online or let us help you choose the right tire.