How To Buy Best Tires
Yes, tires can all look alike. They are round. They are made of rubber. They have treads. And they are perhaps THE most important safety feature of your vehicle. Just like shoes, tires are made by multiple companies including Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin, Hercules, Dunlop, Yokohama, and more. And like designer shoes, choosing the right tire brand depends on so many facets of your vehicle and driving habits.
how to buy best tires
When you do finally take the step to shop around (see below), most tire dealers will ask the make, model, and year of your car. But you may still have different size options as well. Your choices may include bigger tires fill the wheel well, or smaller less expensive tires.
Or, you can order your tires through Amazon or a third party supplier like Tire Rack or Tirebuyer; these sites promise the lowest possible price and are great for people who have a favorite mechanic or can handle the installation themselves.
Once you know what size tires can fit your car, you need to be able to choose among the different types of tires. Tires may look similar, but they can be optimized to perform for very different conditions and usages.
Your tires have to handle a wide variety of climatic conditions: rain, high heat, snow, ice and so on. These all affect tire performance, so to make sure you stay safe you need to buy tires that will perform not only in your most common climate conditions, but also in the most extreme conditions that you will face.
Temperature goes below freezing with heavy snow or ice.To maximize your safety in all conditions we recommend one set of summer or all-season tires and one set of winter tires and one set of winter tires. All-season tires may not be sufficient for the severe winter conditions in your area.
If you like to feel every curve, look for tires that mention great handling or steering precision. These are often called high-performance tires and have higher speed ratings, meaning that they are optimized to provide better control and a stiffer, more precise ride.
To find the best places to buy tires, I considered various popular online and in-store tire retailers and then weighed several factors in my own research. These factors included tire price, cost of installation, selection, free services and warranty information.
In 2019, Consumer Reports (subscription required) surveyed nearly 50,000 of its subscribers to ask about cost, selection, sales service and free perks when it came to purchasing tires. The magazine collected data on 31 tire stores.
To get an idea of how to accurately price compare across top tire retailers, I looked at the current prices of two specific popular tires at each store. Then, I checked out the range of prices and availability for tires for two popular vehicles.
If you plan on having your tires installed at Walmart, know that installation will cost an additional $11 per tire if you bring in tires that you purchased elsewhere. And if you want the road hazard protection warranty, the cost of installation for tires purchased at Walmart is $25 each.
At Costco, the cost of installation is included in the quoted price of the tires. This may be one reason that the initial prices seem higher than competitors on some tires, but after factoring in installation, Costco could be one of your cheapest options.
Based on this information, Walmart offers the cheapest installation, but if the total cost of your tires is cheaper at Costco than the total cost of tires and installation at Walmart, Costco may be your best bet.
While Costco may not be cheapest option on the list, it is one of the highest rated. Plus, several times a year, the warehouse club will discount select brands of tires by $40 to $80 and offer installation for just a penny per tire (regularly $19.99 per tire).
Such placards include recommendations on the tire choice according to the size, speed and load capacity, steering, on- and off-road specifications, etc. of your particular vehicle. Buying tires that are bigger or smaller in size or aspect ratio can change:
There is a trend on low-profile tires and larger wheels, but many people complain about the harshness of their ride. In such a case, picking touring or grand-touring tires instead of high- and ultra-high performance ones will make driving softer.
Your tire choice determines the quality of your ride, as well as the speed and load of your vehicle. It also indicates whether you have wasted your money on nothing or the tire will serve you for years. If your tire choice is wrong, it can also jeopardize yourself and your car. The wrong size can become troublesome for your vehicle functions, and tire age can cause tire failure. So, make sure you have a serious attitude towards choosing the best tires for your vehicle when you go to a tire shop.
Tires have been a vehicle's most important safety feature for more than 100 years. After all, they are a vehicle's only contact with the road. Even the brawniest engine, strongest brakes, and most advanced anti-skid system are at the mercy of the tire's grip on the road. Every move a driver makes with the steering wheel, brake or gas pedal is transmitted to the road through the four notepad-sized contact patches of the tires.
So, if a consumer has tires that are worn, under-inflated, or not suited to the environment, they put themselves, their vehicle, and others at risk. But most drivers don't know enough about tires to make an educated purchase. For some, the choice comes down to price and availability. Others buy tires based on appearance or reputation.
We've compiled a list of 12 areas you should consider when purchasing new tires. If you're looking to save money, get the best fuel economy, make an informed decision, or buy the best quality tire then this article is for you. This list will cover the basic information you should understand to select the right tires for your vehicle and give you an understanding of how tires function.
Today's tires have between 19 and 25 different components. Tires are built from the inside out rather than the outside in. The heart of every tire is an inner liner. Its job is to give the tire shape and hold in air. Fabric belts are wrapped around the inner liner. The bead is fastened to the bottom of the fabric belts and holds the tire to the wheel.
On top of the fabric belts are steel belts. These belts have two jobs: They give the tire stability and make the tread pattern as flat as possible. (A flatter tread means more contact with the road.) The tire tread is on top of the belts. There are different tread patterns for different types of tires. The sidewall on the side of the tire gives it stiffness and ride characteristics. A taller, softer sidewall will absorb more bumps, while a shorter, stiffer sidewall will provide better cornering ability and sharper steering response.
On the sidewall of every passenger-car and light-truck tire is an alphanumeric code that describes the dimensions of the tire. For most tires, this code will start with a "P." Some may start with an "LT" to signify light truck. Some tires may have a "Max. Load" indication. When selecting new tires, it is important to make sure a tire's load rating is at least a high as the tire you are replacing.
Perhaps the biggest mistake a consumer can make when replacing tires is not using the correct size. On the sidewall of your tire, you'll find a code that tells the tire's size and capabilities. Here's a sample code:
If the tire-size code starts with LT instead of P, it means the tire is a light-truck tire. Light-truck tires are designed to have higher-load carrying capacities and are usually found on pickups and SUVs. These vehicles are not required to have LT tires, and in many cases, the original-equipment specification calls for passenger-car tires.
Tires are speed rated from 99 to 186 miles per hour (159.3 to 299.3 kilometers per hour). The most common speed ratings are T (118 miles per hour or 189.9 kilometers per hour) and H (130 miles per hour or 209.2 kilometers per hour). Both of those ratings clearly exceed the nationally posted speed limits and would make excellent long-distance highway tires. If a consumer were to drive only in urban situations at low speeds, a tire with an S (112 miles per hour or 180.2 kilometers per hour) speed rating might be completely acceptable.
Another important factor in choosing a replacement tire is the load rating. The load capacity number on the tire-size code indicates the load-carrying capacity of that single tire. When selecting replacement tires, consumers have to be careful not to select a tire with a lower load-carrying capacity.
Most consumers will make the mistake of waiting until spring to get new tires. As a tire wears out, dry traction generally increases and wet and snow traction decrease. So the best time to buy new tires is not in the spring, but in the fall.
Passenger-car and light-truck tires are very different. Pickup and SUV owners will generally select passenger-car tires because they are less costly and offer a smoother ride. However, if a vehicle will consistently be loaded with cargo or will be asked to pull a heavy trailer, then perhaps the higher load-carrying capacity of a light-truck tire would be the better choice.
When it comes time to get a set of new tires, drivers have a lot of options. Traditionally, the most expensive option is to return to the dealership. Dealers will replace worn tires with original-equipment tires. This option can cost twice as much as going to the local shop down the street.
That local shop, be it a national chain or mom-and-pop establishment, is probably the best place for the average consumer to shop for new tires. Prices can be reasonable and the service manager will help consumers select the correct tire for their vehicle. However, consumers should always shop around for the best prices. Tire and installation prices vary widely from store to store. 041b061a72