Ohio Woman Goes to an Independent Tire Shop Because She Says Tires Are ‘Cheaper For Girls.’ Then She Checks Her PSI
"That deal just about blew up."
A woman thought she found a shortcut to cheaper tires, but it ended up backfiring when she realized her tire pressure was way too high.
TikTok creator Skylar (@skylarvalentine0807) discussed the issue with her tires in a video posted on July 9.
In the video, she explains that she goes to an independent tire shop because they “always give tires cheaper to girls.” Skylar says this is particularly true if you’re buying all four new tires.
She bought four new tires and left, she says.
“Everything was good,” she says. “Anyway, I’m driving my car, it just feels a little funny—even for new tires. My car is supposed to have an all-around radius of 35 PSI. All around. Look at my tire PSI. Oh my goodness.”
The tire pressure gauge on the dashboard shows: 48, 56, 57, and 66.
What Is Tire PSI?
The air pressure inside your car tires is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI).
At a range of 48-66 PSI, Skylar’s tires are likely dangerously overinflated.
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If your tires are overinflated, your car is going to drive roughly and can be difficult to handle. Overinflation also results in irregular wear and tear on the tires and can put you at risk of a blowout.
It's pretty easy to resolve this issue. All you have to do is take the cap off of the valve stem on your tire, exposing the metal pin. Use an air pressure gauge to release air, rechecking as you go until it gets to the right air pressure.
If it gets below the recommended pressure, add air to get to the right level, as underinflating can also be dangerous.
‘Just About Blew Up’
In the comments, viewers cracked jokes about how Skylar's money-saving endeavor almost turned into the opposite.
"That deal just about blew up," joked one person.
"PSI's weren't even consistent," laughed a second. "Just hooked up the compressor and said send it."
Skylar joked back, “They clearly was trying to get them to 100%.”
Someone else took issue with her premise. "Cheaper to girls? Why do you think that?" they asked. "That is hilarious."
It is far more common for women to report being overcharged by auto repair shops than men.
A few people defended the tire shop.
One person pointed out that the tire shop might actually know what they're doing after all. "Obviously, people in the comments aren't smart enough to know PSI goes off of the tire size and what they're rated for," they wrote. "They obviously put larger tires on the back that are rated for 55 PSI. They're probably used tires to boot."
The front two tires on Skylar's car show a PSI of 48 and 66—nearly 20 PSI apart.
A second user agreed. "Even though they are extremely inconsistent, tire PSI depends on the tire," they wrote.
Motor1 reached out to Skylar via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll update this if she responds.
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