Tires are one of the most important safety features of your vehicle. Some car owners do not think about their tires until they have failed. As a car owner, there are some basics you should know about tires. To help ensure your tires are what they should be, here is what you need to know.
Is It Time to Change Tires?
There are some obvious signs you can look for to determine whether or not you need new tires. Unfortunately, many of those signs do not appear until your tire is on its last leg. Excessive tread wear, discoloration, and bulging are some of the signs that you need new tires.
Without good tread, you can experience trouble with controlling your vehicle. A good way to test the tread is to place a penny inside one of the tread marks. The face on the penny should upside down and facing towards you. If you can see the entire head, you need new tires.
What Should You Look for in New Tires?
Many car owners tend to simply buy the same tires that they have on their car at that moment, but this might not be the best option. Advances in technology, environmental factors, and usage amount can impact whether or not you need different tires than you currently have.
For instance, if you do a lot of traveling, a tire with a higher treadware traction rating is preferable. A high rating equates to higher mileage expected for that tire. If you live in an area that is particularly wet, a tire that has a grade A might be preferable because they are more suited for working on wet surfaces.
You also need to pay close attention to how old the tire is. The older a tire is, the more it has been exposed to oxygen and other environmental factors, which means the rubber has experienced some level of deterioration. This is particularly true if you live in a hot climate.
The birth date of the tire should be indicated on the tire. Ideally, you should not buy tires that are more than a few years old. Verify the age of the tires before agreeing to purchase them.
In addition to these factors, you need to pay close attention to the warranty. You need to understand what happens if the tires wears out before the warranty ends. For instance, determine whether you get a replacement tire or a partial credit that you can use towards the purchase of a new one.
Consult with your mechanic or a tire pro to determine what else you need to factor in while purchasing your new tires, or check out the website of a company that sells tires to read more.
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