Change a flat tire with Toyota of North Charlotte

Imagine you’re jamming to your favorite tunes with all the windows down on the highway and your tire deflates, well so does your day now. But, you can reverse that feeling by using Toyota of North Charlotte tips on how to change a flat tire. Our best N Charlotte Toyota service experts wanted to share the best tips with you:

Prepare for the flat tire

Flat tires are one of the biggest reasons why a car breaks down so it’s smart to be prepared! We believe that every driver on the road should know how to change their own Charlotte car tires in case of an emergency because roadside assistance could take hours to get to you. It’s possible that it may be after hours or if it is an emergency and if Toyota Service Center isn’t assisting you, you’ll need to make sure that you have to proper tools.

What you need:

• A jack

• A lug wrench

• A spare tire

We also recommend having:

• A tire gauge

• Fix-a-flat (for a temporary fix)

• An air pump

• A flashlight

Time to get to work

Once you have the proper supplies, it’s time to get to work. Remember that you can always have the professionals at our Charlotte Toyota Service Center fix your tire for you. But there are emergencies when you’re in a hurry, so here is what to do when you’re feeling ready to try it yourself.

• Step 1: Make sure your vehicle is on a flat surface

Don’t drive on a flat tire! One you notice that one of your vehicle’s tires has blown, try to get off the road as soon as you can. Our Toyota Service Center in Charlotte suggests that you pull into a gas station if you’re close to one. If not, pull over to a flat surface on the side of the road. This will significantly decrease the chance that your vehicle falls off the jack.

• Step 2: Loosen the lug nuts

Loosen up the lug nuts on your tire before you get it off the ground. You’ll need to take off your tire’s hubcap to get to them. Once they’re exposed, place the lug wrench on them and strongly turn the wrench counterclockwise.

• Step 3: Jack up your car

Next, you’re going to place the car jack underneath your vehicle and make sure it’s resting on a sturdy part of the frame. You can check out N Charlotte Toyota’s owner’s manual to see exactly where you should place it. After that, you’re going to crank away until your vehicle is high enough off the ground to change your flat tire.

• Step 4: Replace your flat tire

Once the vehicle is up on the jack, remove the lug nuts from the damaged tire. Now you can take off the old tire, replace it with the spare tire, and put the lug nuts back on. Make sure that you put the nuts back on as tight as possible,  you don’t want to have a flyaway when you’re on the road!

Car tire service in N Charlotte

Bring your car back down to the ground and you’re ready to hit the road! You can only drive around 70 miles and go a maximum speed of 55 mpg on a spare tire, so make sure to bring your vehicle into our Toyota Service Center as soon as you can to get a new car tire.

Come to Toyota of North Charlotte for all your car tire needs! Our service center experts will make sure your car is road ready. We’re located at 13429 Statesville Rd. in Huntersville.

Choosing the right car paint color

 When you're choosing a car paint color, it's important to walk through the process. It's not as simple as just pointing at a color swatch (unfortunately). And whether you're buying a new Toyota at Toyota of North Charlotte or repainting an existing vehicle, color is going to come into play. Our body shop experts are here to walk you through choosing a car paint color so you find the perfect hue for your new (or existing) N Charlotte Toyota! 

What should you think about when choosing a car paint color? 

What do you like? Which colors do you personally like for your vehicle? This is one of the main factors it'll boil down to, so do research and see how different colors look on different cars to narrow your options. 

What should you know about the color? Before you settle on a car paint color you should know if it has any bearing on the vehicle. Here are a few facts to keep in mind: 

• It's rumored that red cars are most noticeable to law enforcement and because of that, get pulled over more often. (Not sure if it's true, but it seems viable.) 
• Insurance companies will often have higher premiums on red or yellow cars because those colors are usually associated with sporty or performance-driven cars, which means they're more of a risk. 
• On the other hand, insurance companies will often have lower premiums on silver or white cars because those colors reflect the most light, are the easiest to see, and accordingly should be less at risk of getting into a car accident. 

What colors are popular or common now? Colors like black, white, red, and silver are some of the most common hues on the road and as such, have the most resale value. Unusual or uncommon colors tend to have lower resale value, so you'll get less bang for your buck when you sell or trade your car. 

Does the color fit your make and model? Think about your car - the make, model, style, etc. - before you settle on a color. Does the color suit the vehicle? If you have a N Charlotte Toyota sports car, for example, bright yellow could look amazing (like the Toyota Supra). However, if you own a minivan or sedan, bright yellow paint could make it look like a taxi. 

Go classic for restorations. If you're restoring a classic Toyota, consider using a classic paint color. Classic paint colors that are true to the era look more accurate and aesthetic, and we have good news - most factories have reproduced classic paint colors. This means you'll get the authentic color but with today's durability and longevity built into it. 

Our N Charlotte Toyota body shop can help you choose a car paint color 

Have questions about your car paint color? Call Toyota of N Charlotte today at (704) 875-9199. We're just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville at 13429 Statesville Road.