How to Buy Tires

Without a set of good tires, your car will not run smoothly and your engine will use more gas than it should. Your safety will also be at risk if you're using the wrong tires for your car.

Here are 4 important factors that should be considered when you're buying car tires:

• Know your tire size. This information will save you time on buying tires.
• Determine the type of driving you do. Your car tires must fit all your driving needs: best or worst. Types of tire may include all-season tires, winter tires, and many more.
• Get expert advice from an authorized tire dealer. Don't forget to bring your warranty booklet and DOT registration card, if you had any. These should be included with every tire purchase. For warranty and safety issues, always complete the DOT tire registration form.
• Learn the age of the tire you're buying. Look for the expiration date.

The original size of your car tire is included in the owner's manual, or on the tire placard attached on the driver's door jamb, or on the glove compartment door, or inside the fuel hatch. You may also find the current tire's designation on the ‘sidewall.' These are the numbers and letters on the sides of the tires. It will be useful to learn reading a sidewall.

Using the size tire that the manufacturer of your vehicle suggests is best because getting the tires with the wrong size will not fit to your car. However, if you wanted to change the size, width, aspect ratio, and even the wheel diameter - you must consider a lot of things before making the final decision.

Tire width refers to how wide or how narrow is the tire. Having a wider tire will give the car a better grip on dry pavement; however, the gas mileage will do worse. Also, too much width may just cause damage due to tires chafing against the car's body. Narrow tires have good traction during winter; but too narrow can put your safety at higher risk. There should always be enough rubber touching the road for the car to keep going.

Aspect ratio affects the height of the tire - or determines how high the sidewall is. A low sidewall tends to be stiff so that cornering is improved; but your ride may be a little rough. Also, too much change in the aspect ratio can confuse the speedometer so you will not know how fast you're driving. If you really wanted to have both: reliable cornering and accurate speed reading - you should try the ‘Plus-One' set-up and buy new wheels. This will allow you to change your tire size and width without messing up the speedometer of your car.

Wheel diameter is a bit difficult to change. 16-inch wheels will always require 16-inch tires. You will get different wheel diameter when you buy new wheels, especially if you'd be using the Plus-One set-up. Note: there are also set-up formulas for Plus-Two, Plus-Three, and so on.

There are a lot of quality tires offered in the market so it is wise to do a bit of research first before rushing to the nearest tire store. Look at the markings on the sides of your car tire. These may look nonsense to you but understanding the numbers and letters will help you choose the right tires for your car and save money at the same time.

The categories of tire information squeezed and stamped onto the side of each tire are as follows:

• Tread Wear and Traction Ratings
• Load and Pressure Limits
• Vehicle Application
• DOT Codes
• Tire Width
• Aspect Ratio
• Radial Designation
• Wheel Diameter
• Load Index
• Speed Rating
• Ply Construction

Need tires but low on cash? Here are some tips on how to buy tires on limited budget:

• Save money on buying used tires. Just inspect each tire meticulously. Make sure that every tire you buy is not too worn out. The downside here is you may not find 4 tires with same brands; but this will be alright as long as they are only temporary.
• Call different tire retailers. Make comparison of their asking price both on used and new tires. Choose the dealer that offers free installation of tires.
• You must always consider the installation and shipping charges, if you're planning to buy tires online. This way, you'll know if the bargain deals you found are really good.
• You may buy 2 brand new tires at first, instead of buying all 4. Have the new tires installed on the rear axle to help prevent the car to fishtail or hydroplane on wet roads.

Most auto manufacturers are giving recommendations to change your car tires at the age of 6 years, spare tire included even if you've never used it. According to research, old tires have become road hazards, resulting to 52 deaths and 50 serious injuries.

Passenger car tires normally last 44,000 miles so these tires are replaced before the 6th year of age, unless the tire blows or busts. Many people take for granted that unused spare tires will remain durable even after 10 years.

Scientific researches show, the oxygen that migrates through the covering of the tire causes changes to the chemistry of the rubber and weakens the internal structure of the tire, often resulting to tire failures.

Tires for go-karts usually have bigger sizes at the rear. Tires with ribs have better traction than the bubbly type.