8 Tips on How to Buy New Tires For Your Car
Most of us don't give much thought to our tires until all of sudden, they are worn out and it’s time to buy a set of tires. A well-selected and maintained tire can contribute greatly to your safety, increased fuel economy, better handling and stopping in all road conditions as well as providing greater comfort and ride quality. Walking into a tire repair shop can be an overwhelming experience with literally hundreds of tire brands available, in a wide range of styles, construction, composition and price.
To make the selection process easier, here are 8 tips on how to buy tires for your car:
- Make sure that your car is in good shape. Inspect your tires for signs of uneven wear, which might indicate an alignment or suspension issue. Don’t throw your money away by putting a new set of tires on a misaligned car or one with bad shocks.
- Check your owner’s manual and information placard. The manufacturer of your vehicle has made a recommendation about the size and type of tires which are best for your vehicle. The information placard is required by law, and is permanently attached to your door edge, door post, glove compartment door or inside your trunk lid.
- Decipher the tire code. The numbers on the sidewall of the tire is a simple standardized code that is required by federal law in order to describe tires, and to identify them in case of a recall. Your tire service specialist can help you understand what each of the letters and numbers mean.
- Consider the wheels. If your current wheels are worn or damaged, you might want to consider buying a new set when you replace your tires. Try to match size as closely as possible to the manufacturer's originals. Perform some serious research before you make that decision, and be careful not to sacrifice too much handling and safety for appearance.
- Buy a full, matching set. Modern suspension technology is designed to work best with a matching set of tires. By replacing all four at once, you'll be able to maintain your tires better, evaluate and repair suspension problems before they become major, and achieve the highest degree of safety and predictable handling.
- Check on your spare. Inspect your spare and replace it if necessary. If your car uses a full-size spare and you're replacing your tires with the same make, model and size, save the best used tire for a spare.
- Break in your new tires carefully. There's a release agent used during the manufacturing process that leaves a residue on the treads of new tires. There's a possibility that your tires will have less grip than expected until the residue wears off, especially in wet conditions. Allow about 500 miles of break-in time.
- Maintain your new tires. Keep your tires properly inflated and rotated (possibly at every other oil change), even if they don't show signs of wear.
Wondering how to buy new tires for your car? Contact our ASE Certified technicians today at Elk River Tire & Auto for more information about tire repair and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop in Elk River, MN proudly serves residents in the areas of Zimmerman, MN, and Otsego, Minnesota.
Most of us don't give much thought to our tires until all of sudden, they are worn out and it’s time to buy a set of tires. A well-selected and maintained tire can contribute greatly to your safety, increased fuel economy, better handling and stopping in all road conditions as well as providing greater comfort and ride quality. Walking into a tire repair shop can be an overwhelming experience with literally hundreds of tire brands available, in a wide range of styles, construction, composition and price.
To make the selection process easier, here are 8 tips on how to buy tires for your car:
- Make sure that your car is in good shape. Inspect your tires for signs of uneven wear, which might indicate an alignment or suspension issue. Don’t throw your money away by putting a new set of tires on a misaligned car or one with bad shocks.
- Check your owner’s manual and information placard. The manufacturer of your vehicle has made a recommendation about the size and type of tires which are best for your vehicle. The information placard is required by law, and is permanently attached to your door edge, door post, glove compartment door or inside your trunk lid.
- Decipher the tire code. The numbers on the sidewall of the tire is a simple standardized code that is required by federal law in order to describe tires, and to identify them in case of a recall. Your tire service specialist can help you understand what each of the letters and numbers mean.
- Consider the wheels. If your current wheels are worn or damaged, you might want to consider buying a new set when you replace your tires. Try to match size as closely as possible to the manufacturer's originals. Perform some serious research before you make that decision, and be careful not to sacrifice too much handling and safety for appearance.
- Buy a full, matching set. Modern suspension technology is designed to work best with a matching set of tires. By replacing all four at once, you'll be able to maintain your tires better, evaluate and repair suspension problems before they become major, and achieve the highest degree of safety and predictable handling.
- Check on your spare. Inspect your spare and replace it if necessary. If your car uses a full-size spare and you're replacing your tires with the same make, model and size, save the best used tire for a spare.
- Break in your new tires carefully. There's a release agent used during the manufacturing process that leaves a residue on the treads of new tires. There's a possibility that your tires will have less grip than expected until the residue wears off, especially in wet conditions. Allow about 500 miles of break-in time.
- Maintain your new tires. Keep your tires properly inflated and rotated (possibly at every other oil change), even if they don't show signs of wear.
Wondering how to buy new tires for your car? Contact our ASE Certified technicians today at Elk River Tire & Auto for more information about tire repair and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop in Elk River, MN proudly serves residents in the areas of Zimmerman, MN, and Otsego, Minnesota.
