Nothing is better than beating a tire to the blow-out. Because nothing is worse than that loud KABOOM! followed by the involuntary swerve, the maneuvering to the shoulder and the dance with traffic. Inevitably you're either trying to change the tire pinched between a guardrail and the car or ass-out to rush hour, praying you don't get taken out by a semi. Therefore, it's best to let Charly and his crew at Advantage Tire Pros hook you up with a sturdy, reliable set to start out with and have a good look for maintenance on a regular basis. (Don't lie; you know you're not out there checking your tires like you should.) Now, we admit, we are a bit biased after Charly and the Pros came to the aid of more than one Observer staffer in the same day. Then he offered some friendly non-tire advice as another staffer sputtered into his lot, stopping to call for a ride. (Saved her some money, too.) These tire folk are fair and balanced--exactly what you want in a wheel. Oh, and they can fix your flat fast to boot.