Todd: Hi, I’m Todd.
Thad: I’m Thad.
Todd: And we’re the Watters boys.
Thad: What we’re about to tell you will sound stupid on the surface
Todd: Unlike other things we tell you that will sound stupid way down deep.
Thad: Like, The Colts are a sure bet to win the Superbowl.
Todd: It sounded smart at the time.
Thad: How much money did you lose on that bet?
Todd: Let’s just say I need to sell a LOT of cars in February.
Thad: So here’s the stupid sounding thing; kicking the tires on your car is actually a very smart thing to do.
Todd: Wow – that does sound stupid.
Thad: I tried to warn you.
Todd: No one is exactly sure when or how this “myth” started.
Thad: Some believe that back when tires were made of solid rubber, people used to kick them to see if they would crack or break, which they sometimes did.
Todd: Pneumatic, or air-filled tires, eventually replaced the solid rubber variety.
Thad: Which didn’t prevent people from continuing to kick tires.
Todd: Maybe human beings were just bored back then – this was after all before cable.
Thad: I think Mediacom now offers The Tire Kicking Channel as part of their basic package
Todd: Kicking tires eventually developed a bad reputation.
Thad: The assumption was that the person who did it really didn’t know why they were doing it, or much about cars in general.
Todd: But there are some very good reasons to kick the tire of a vehicle.
Thad: A rattling sound can mean issues with the springs, suspension, shock absorber, wheel bearing or caliper.
Todd: Plus, kicking the tire can alert you to loose lug nuts.
Thad: Believe it or not, tires can and do come loose.
Todd: Also, when you kick the tire – or better yet, put your foot on the top of it and step down, you can feel if the tire is underinflated.
Thad: Of course, kicking the tire can’t tell you about a gazillion other things that could be wrong with your car.
Todd: If your friendly grease monkey uses this as a diagnostic method, you may want to consider taking your car somewhere more reputable.
Thad: Like, to a witch doctor.
Todd: Which witch doctor?
Thad: Don’t go there.
Todd: Meantime, we hope sharing the truth about the myth brings tire-kicking back into vogue.
Thad: Much like we’re hoping that us wearing leisure suits around the dealership will bring them back as a fashion statement.
Todd: Although so far, the results have been disappointing.
Thad: Just like the Colts.
Todd: Don’t make me kick you.
Todd and Thad Watters own and manage Watters Autoland in Indianola, Iowa. To find out more, visit them at: www.wattersautoland.com