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| The Basics | The smart shopper's guide to tires
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If you drive that same car in a cold-weather climate, you may also have to buy winter tires, so you might face the expense of two entirely separate sets of tires at that price. On the plus side, while you're driving on winter tires you're not using up those summer tires, so theoretically, they'll last longer.
Of course it's possible to downgrade the tires on your car, but the trade-offs are significant.
A car's ability to stop quickly or execute accident-avoidance maneuvers could be compromised, as well as the overall driving experience that drew you to that particular car in the first place.
Going to smaller wheels may not be an option because the wheels must be of a certain size to clear brakes and to keep the suspension geometry in proper form. Even if going from 18-inch wheels to 17- or 16-inch wheels is possible, the cost of buying new wheels could offset the savings on the cheaper tires.
Make tires last longer
What can you do to extend the life of those original equipment tires? The same rules that applied 30 years ago, still apply today, says Edmonds: - Rotate the tires every 5,000 miles if possible. (Some high performance vehicles have varying front-to-back tire sizes that don't make rotation feasible.) Not only will that help even out wear, "it will identify unusual wear that may be due to alignment problems," Edmonds says.
- Maintain proper alignment. Proper alignment means keeping the wheels perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other so that they "track," or roll, straight. Improper alignment can cause excessive wear and steering problems.
- Maintain proper tire pressure. "This is the one area people neglect," Edmonds says." You can't eyeball a modern tire and see if it's low on air. You need to check it with a tire gauge." Proper inflation can extend the life of the tires as well as improve fuel mileage.
- Avoid aggressive starts, stops and swerves. "For a tire to work (in those situations), it has to leave a little bit of itself on the pavement," Edmonds says.
Shopping for tires
But suppose you've done all that and it's still time to visit the tire store? What's the best way to get the most for your dollar? Here are some things to consider: - Price. As with anything else, shop around and compare brands. Assuming you're not buying new tires for your Corvette or for your Chevy Silverado 4x4 off-road beast, it may not be necessary to buy the most expensive rubber out there. Many so-called off-brands at discounters like Pep Boys are made by a brand-name company, but cost considerably less. Check all of the rating symbols on the sidewall to make sure you're looking at comparable tires when comparing prices.
- Speed rating. Check the speed rating on your current tire -- it's indicated by a letter on the sidewall -- usually S, T, H or V. This indicates the maximum-sustained speed for which that tire is designed. While an S-rated tire is good for 112 miles per hour, a buyer might be tempted to go for the cheaper Q-rated tires, which are good for 99 mph. But the speed rating involves more than top speed. It actually speaks to the overall capabilities of the tires when it comes to handling and operating temperature of a tire. Going to a lesser speed rating is possible, but generally isn't worth the savings.
- Size. Increasing tread width can possibly improve handling and braking, but going down in size will almost certainly degrade handling and braking. If your budget won't stretch to buy a $1,200 set of performance touring tires on that Chrysler 300, check the owner's manual for other tire options that may have been available when new. If you have to go to a different width or performance-level tire, pay attention to how it changes your car's road personality for the first several hundred miles. You don't want to suddenly find that your new tires can't take that freeway offramp at 60 mph the way the original tires did. Another word about changing tire sizes: It can affect the clearance in the wheel wells and suspension, and tires with a larger diameter will mean you'll have to have the speedometer recalibrated for accuracy.
- Add-ons. All new tires must be balanced, so check if it's included in the price or if there's an extra charge. Many stores discount the tire prices only to recoup the savings -- or more -- with high charges for balancing.
- Alignment. Getting new tires doesn't necessarily mean you need to pay for wheel alignment. If your car pulls to one side or another when traveling on a straight, flat, nongrooved road when you let go of the wheel, you may need an alignment. Hitting curbs is a good way to put your car out of alignment. But don't automatically get an alignment every time you buy tires. Uneven treadwear -- on one side of the tire or the other -- could mean there's an alignment problem. Uneven wear on the outside edges of a tire often means underinflation, while uneven wear only in the middle of a tire is a common sign of overinflation. Worn shocks or struts can also produce uneven wear, but these rarely come into play below 50,000 miles on most modern vehicles. If you need these repairs, shop around. A good deal on tires isn't a good deal if you get soaked for an alignment or new shocks or struts.
- Valve stems. Not all new tires require new valve stems. A rule of thumb is that unless they have been damaged by contact with curbs or other incidents, valve stems should be good for 80,000 miles or more. Some custom wheels come with metal valve stems -- as opposed to rubber -- and they should never need replacing unless damaged.
- Road-hazard warranty. Tire dealers will almost certainly try to sell you on this one. Before you agree, ask about any warranty the tire may come with automatically: This is usually based on a failure of the tire due to manufacturer defect, but not punctures or tread wear. And the add-on warranty from the tire dealer may cover punctures or other catastrophic failures. But read the fine print. Most will pay a prorated amount for a ruined tire, based on the amount of tread left. So if you have a blowout and there's only 25% of the tread left, you'll likely get 25% of the cost of a new tire -- not a new tire for free. As with extended warranties on new cars, extended warranties on new tires are simply a major profit center for the dealer and are best avoided.
The best approach to getting new tires is to first research what's on your vehicle now and what sizes and types of tires the manufacturer recommended. Then evaluate your driving style and the types of road conditions you usually encounter.
By Terry Jackson, Bankrate.com
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