Vehicle tires are an expensive part of owning a vehicle; there are several options to choose from when they need to be changed. It's important to regularly check your tire tread depth so you can change them when they have become worn. Driving with tires that have insufficient tread is illegal and dangerous, so you must change your tires at the correct time. Here are a few tips for selecting the right tires for your car.
Do all tires need to be the same?
Ideally, all of your tires should be the same brand, tread depth, tread pattern and size. Mixing different tires can impact the performance and safety of your vehicle. Every tire brand has a different process for creating their tires; this alters their performance. An uneven performance from different tires could make your vehicle less stable, which can increase your chances of an accident. Never compromise on safety; always choose tires from the same manufacturer for all the wheels on your vehicle.
Premium or budget tires
There are several advantages of choosing premium tires over budget alternatives; you might not notice these differences immediately as they often look very similar. Tyres from well-known manufacturers will be tested to ensure they offer the best performance. In addition, they’re likely to last longer on your vehicle. The materials and tread pattern used will be designed to withstand more wear and tear compared to budget tires. You might find budget tires need to be replaced more frequently. Therefore it's worth investing more money in good quality, premium tires upfront to prevent the need to replace them as often. Your tires are an incremental part of the performance of your car; for the best possible performance, choose a well-known manufacturer and a high-quality performance tire.
Part-worn tires
You may come across people selling part-worn tires; these are tires that have seen some wear but are still legal. They will be cheaper but won’t offer the same performance as buying new tires for your vehicle. If you need to replace a single tire and can find a part-worn tire that matches the rest of the ones on your vehicle, this can help to save you money. However, you must ensure that the tire matches the rest already on your vehicle. This can be challenging, and most of the time, the rest of your tires will also need replacing. Therefore the best option in the majority of cases is to replace your full set of tires with a new set.
Sports tires
When buying a new sports car or browsing sports car sales, you might wonder if you will have to pay more for the tires once they need to be replaced. Sports cars are usually fitted with wider tires that offer better performance at high speeds. These can be more expensive to replace, but if they’ve been looked after, they can last for a longer period of time. Always choose high-quality performance tires from a reputable manufacturer, as these will last much longer than standard tires.
Seasonal tires
The weather and road conditions in your location impact what tires you choose to purchase. All-season tires are a good choice for countries that have only a minor change in the weather conditions during the summer and winter months. In countries where the weather changes significantly during the summer and winter, you may need two different sets of tires. Winter tires will provide more traction in icy conditions, whereas summer tires are better suited to high temperatures. Having two sets of tires is a higher initial cost, but each set will improve your performance and safety in their respective seasons; therefore, the tires will last you for much longer compared to sticking with one set all year round.
It's essential to keep on top of tire maintenance by regularly checking your tires and replacing them before they reach the legal minimum tread depth. By investing in higher quality tires from a well-known, reputable manufacturer, you can maximise the performance of your car and avoid needing to replace them again in the near future. When you get any new tires fitted and balanced, always go to a professional with the relevant experience and qualifications.