Patent ID: 7457614

Claim:
A method for providing assistance to a distressed vehicle having a damaged wheel component, the method comprising: authorizing establishment of a plurality of geographically diverse assistance point facilities; authorizing establishment of a plurality of geographically diverse wheel component warehouse facilities; receiving an assistance request regarding the distressed vehicle; identifying an appropriate assistance point facility in a vicinity of a location of the distressed vehicle; transmitting information to the appropriate assistance point facility; transmitting authorization to the appropriate assistance point facility; directing the repaired distressed vehicle, fitted with a loaner wheel component, to visit one of a plurality of dealer facilities; providing authorization to the dealer facility to replace the loaner wheel component with a new wheel component; and directing shipment of the loaner wheel component to one of the assistance point facilities; wherein each assistance point facility maintains an inventory of loaner wheel components for a plurality of vehicles having differing wheel component requirements, wherein the assistance request comprises: information on the location of the distressed vehicle; information on a nature of damage to the distressed vehicle's wheel component; and information regarding wheel component requirements of the distressed vehicle; wherein the transmitted information: reveals the location of the distressed vehicle; and enables identification of the loaner wheel component corresponding to the wheel component requirements of the distressed vehicle; wherein the transmitted authorization: authorizes a service call to be made to the distressed vehicle; and authorizes repair of the distressed vehicle by replacing the damaged wheel component with the loaner wheel component.