Alex the Tire Guy (@tiremania) was criticized by TikTokers for the amount he charged a customer to patch his tire.
Many people feel that $80 is not a fair price for a job that they say they normally do on their own tires for $15-20.
So Alex decides to address their complaints in a follow-up video where he clearly describes the repair process. However, when people saw how much work went into it, they still didn’t seem convinced.
People were under the impression that Alex only charged the customer $80 for the patch because the original price of the Michelin tire in question was $500.
Why Tire Guy charges $80 for a tire patch
“Why are you charging $80 for a patch?!” reads a text overlay in the video. The message expresses the frustration the TikToker’s customer felt at the cost of patching a tire. Alex narrates while physically examining and demonstrating the tire in his clip.
His voice-over explains the pricing for a procedure that typically costs between $20 and $50, according to Lemonade Insurance. Some retail subscription programs, like Walmart+, also offer free tire repairs to subscribers.
“But there was a nail in there, so I had to fix the nail for him,” the technician says, pointing to a rubbery, popped bump. This appears to be the nail’s entry point and what Alex had to fix to make the tire roadworthy. “As you can see, it’s a really good tire, a really expensive Michelin tire. So I charged him $80 to patch it.”
The mechanic then addresses the many people who are scratching their heads at this price. “And many are wondering why a patch costs $80. Let me show you why,” says Alex.
An $80 patch or a new $500 tire?
Alex argues that the $80 repair represents good value for the total cost of the Michelin tire. “OK, buy another tire and spend $500. It’s your choice. Either spend $80 and save your beautiful Michelin tire, or spend $500 on a brand new one.”
The clip then switches to a technician shaking a spray can and applying the paint to the puncture site. The puncture area transforms from its light, faded discoloration back to a deeper, black shade that matches the rest of the tire. From here, the repair worker lifts the tire onto a machine.
“The process was really difficult. As you can see, we had a hard time removing the nail. It’s a lot of work,” he says. As he speaks, the technician starts working on the inside of the tire, filing down a marked area. “Then we have to sand the tire down to get a nice, smooth surface. And then you have to clean it with this little wire brush,” he explains the work in the video.
From the looks of things, Alex sands the area in several steps to prepare it for repair. “A wire brush is used to remove any residue and debris. The next step is to apply glue and dry it with fire, which is best.” The technician then holds a lighter to the area, causing a brief flame to rise from the area. He lets it burn briefly before blowing it out. “You light it and then blow it out. Then you apply the patch and press it down firmly with your thumbs.” He glues a round patch to the area he just lit, then refines that part of the repair process.
“Then roll it up with the roller. Make sure it fits well. Then peel off the small foil and seal it,” he explains.
According to Alex, this step in the process is the reason for his company’s high prices. “We use sealant, that’s why we charge so much. Most people charge less than we do, but that’s the way it is.” The technician applies the black, sticky substance to the inner patch area.
The clip then cuts to them dropping the tire to the ground with a sticker on the outside, presumably a sign that work on the tire is complete. “And that’s how you save a $500 tire for only $80,” Alex says. He then pans the camera up to the technician who fixed it, who gives a quick bow before the clip ends.
TikTokers don’t buy it
The video has been viewed more than 760,000 times. Many people who saw Alex’s video felt that the repair process he describes in his clip doesn’t justify the cost. “This is a $20 job, no way!” noted one.
In fact, one user of the application says that this repair process only takes a few minutes. “10-minute job, I can imagine my tire shop doing the exact same thing for $20.”
Several people said that the Discount Tire store actually does such repairs for free. “At Discount, we use a patch plug and sealant and it’s FREE,” one said.
Another answer also refers to this: “Discount Tire does it for free.”
@tiremania “Why are you charging $80 for a patch?” 🙄🙄 #flattire #fyp ♬ Original sound – Alex The Tire Guy 🛞
The Daily Dot reached out to Alex via TikTok comment for more information.
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