Navigating the world of tire buying can feel overwhelming. With so many options and technical terms, it’s easy to feel lost when trying to figure out How To Buy Tires that are perfect for your vehicle. At Bridgestone, a leader in tire innovation, we understand these complexities. That’s why we’ve created this straightforward guide to demystify the tire buying process. We’ll break down each essential step, ensuring you find the ideal tires to maximize your vehicle’s performance and safety. Get ready to roll with confidence, knowing you’ve made the best tire choice.
Is It Time for New Tires? Know When to Replace
There’s no magic number of miles or years to dictate when you need new tires, as every driver and driving condition is unique. The most reliable way to determine if it’s time for a tire replacement is a professional inspection. However, you can also perform some simple checks yourself to assess your tires’ condition.
Check Your Tire Treads. The tread is the tire’s contact point with the road, and its depth is crucial for grip, especially in wet conditions. Healthy tire treads should be deep, even, and free of irregularities. All tires regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) include built-in treadwear indicators, often called “wear bars.” These become visible when the tread wears down to 2/32 of an inch.
Image: Tire wear bars indicating worn tire treads.
Inspect the Sidewalls. Tire sidewalls endure impacts from curbs, road debris, and general wear. Carefully examine each sidewall for signs of damage, such as bulges, bubbles, or cracking. Sidewall weakness can significantly increase the risk of blowouts and other dangerous situations.
Image: Inspecting a tire sidewall for signs of damage.
Pro Tip: While inspecting your sidewalls, take note of your tire size. This information, essential for buying new tires, is printed on the sidewall and looks something like: P225/70R16 91S.
The Penny Test. Use a penny to quickly gauge your tread depth. This simple test helps you ensure your tires meet minimum legal safety standards. Tire tread must be at least 2/32″ deep to be considered safe and legal in most areas. To perform the penny test, insert a penny with Lincoln’s head facing down into the tread groove. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your treads are likely worn below 2/32″ and it’s time to consider replacement tires.
If your tires pass these checks, you might not immediately need new tires, particularly in mild, dry climates. However, regular tread assessments every few thousand miles or monthly are recommended, especially with frequent or long-distance driving. Anticipating severe weather conditions like heavy rain or snow? It’s wise to replace tires sooner rather than waiting for them to become completely worn.
Choosing the Right Tires for Your Needs and Driving Style
Once you’ve determined you need new tires, the next step is selecting the best type for your specific needs and driving preferences.
Assess Your Driving Habits and Climate. Consider your typical driving conditions. Primarily city and highway driving? There are tires designed for that. Do you venture off-road? Off-road tires are available too. Climate is also a crucial factor. Even in generally mild climates, tires must be capable of handling occasional extreme weather.
Consider Your Environmental Footprint. Driving has an environmental impact, and tire choice plays a role. Bridgestone is committed to sustainability, designing tires like the Bridgestone Ecopia™ line with environmental consciousness in mind. Choosing fuel-efficient tires and practicing proper tire maintenance are ways to reduce your environmental impact.
Selecting Tires by Season: Matching Tire Type to Conditions
Understanding tire types is key to making an informed decision. Align your driving style with the right tire category to optimize performance and safety.
All-Season Tires: Versatility for Varied Conditions
All-season tires are designed for drivers who encounter a range of weather and road conditions. They offer a balance of performance in warm weather and light winter conditions. While not offering the extreme grip of summer tires or the severe weather capability of winter tires, they provide year-round usability in moderate climates.
How to buy all-season tires:
- Look for tires with features like sipes and slots in the tread pattern and high-silica compounds. These elements contribute to balanced performance across different weather conditions.
- Prioritize all-season tires that offer reliable traction on wet, dry, and lightly snow-covered roads, along with a comfortable ride and responsive handling. For regions with significant winter weather, consider dedicated winter tires for optimal safety.
Image: Tread pattern of an all-season tire, designed for versatile performance.
Summer Tires: Optimized for Warm Weather Performance
Summer tires are engineered for high-performance vehicles, prioritizing enhanced high-speed stability, cornering and braking grip, and responsive handling in warm conditions. They typically have lower rolling resistance compared to other tire types, but may have a shorter tread life. Summer tires are not designed for winter conditions.
How to buy summer tires:
- Choose summer tires with tread patterns designed for confident cornering and precise steering response.
- Inquire about tire construction; summer tires should utilize compounds that maximize road contact and grip during braking and cornering.
- Ensure they offer good wet road performance, typically featuring wide circumferential grooves to effectively channel water and minimize hydroplaning risk.
Image: Summer tire tread pattern, optimized for dry and wet warm-weather performance.
Winter and Snow Tires: Superior Grip in Cold and Snowy Conditions
Winter and snow tires are specifically built to handle freezing temperatures, slush, snow, and icy roads. Their design includes wider tread gaps to effectively grip snow and provide optimal winter traction, crucial for driving in unpredictable winter conditions. Winter tires are designed for cold weather and will wear more quickly in warmer temperatures.
How to buy winter and snow tires:
- Look for winter tires with block edges designed to “bite” into snow for maximum traction.
- Ask about the contact footprint; winter tires should have an optimized footprint to distribute pressure evenly and enhance control on slippery surfaces.
- Confirm they are made with specially formulated tread rubber that remains pliable even in sub-zero temperatures – a key characteristic of winter tires.
Image: Winter tire tread pattern with deep grooves and sipes for snow and ice grip.
By researching tire types and understanding your driving needs, you can narrow down your choices and make a more informed decision when comparing tire options.
Determining the Correct Tire Size: Ensuring Proper Fit
Knowing your vehicle’s correct tire size is essential for safety and performance. You can find this information in several places:
- Vehicle Placard: Located on the driver’s side doorjamb or inside the fuel tank hatch.
- Owner’s Manual: Consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
- Tire Sidewall: Check the sidewall of your current tires.
The tire size is presented as a combination of letters and numbers, such as: P225/70R16 91S. Understanding these codes ensures you select the right size for your vehicle.
Mastering the Tire Buying Process: Key Considerations
Now that you know what type and size of tires you need, let’s look at other crucial elements of the tire buying process.
Replacing All Four Tires for Optimal Performance and Safety
For the best vehicle performance and safety, it’s generally recommended to replace all four tires simultaneously. Since tires significantly impact your vehicle’s handling and stability, uniformity is key.
Consequences of Mismatched Tires:
- Compromised handling and overall performance.
- Uneven responsiveness, potentially making vehicle control difficult in emergency situations.
- In all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles, significant differences in tire diameter can cause excessive wear on drivetrain components.
Maintaining even tire surfaces is vital for road grip and vehicle stability. If you must replace only one or two tires:
- Choose replacement tires that are as similar as possible to your existing tires.
- Select tires within the same tire category.
- If replacing only two, install the new tires on the rear axle for better handling and stability.
New Tires vs. Used Tires: Weighing the Pros and Cons
Used tires might seem like a budget-friendly option, but the potential safety risks often outweigh the cost savings.
Risks of Used Tires:
- Unknown history: It’s difficult to ascertain if used tires have been previously repaired for punctures or damage, which could increase the risk of leaks or blowouts.
- Uneven wear: Used tires may have uneven wear patterns, negatively affecting handling, safety, and potentially requiring replacement sooner than new tires.
Benefits of New Tires:
- Enhanced Suspension Performance: New, uniform tires support optimal suspension system performance.
- Simplified Maintenance: A new set of tires means all four are the same age, have similar mileage, and are from the same manufacturer, simplifying maintenance.
- Predictable Handling: New tires offer more predictable and reliable handling compared to used tires.
For safety and longevity, opting for new tires of the same category, brand, size, and speed rating as your original set is highly recommended. While buying new tires, it’s also a good time to inspect your spare tire to ensure it’s in good condition and ready for emergency use.
Questions to Ask Your Tire Dealer: Making an Informed Purchase
Once you have a general idea of the tire type and size you want, asking the right questions to your tire dealer is crucial for making the best choice for your vehicle and budget.
- Are there any current sales or special offers? Inquire about any promotions or discounts available.
- Does the price include tire mounting? Clarify if mounting services are included in the tire price.
- Are tire rotation and balancing included with new tire purchase? Ask if these essential services are offered, ideally as part of the purchase.
- Can you explain the manufacturer’s warranty and replacement policies? Understand the warranty coverage to protect your investment in the long term.
Final Step: Enjoy Your Ride with Confidence
By following these guidelines on how to buy tires, you’re now equipped to make informed decisions and choose the best tires for your vehicle. With your new set of tires, you can enjoy a smoother, safer, and more confident ride. Happy driving!
