Tires: The Often Overlooked Component Of Your Vehicle

When you’re purchasing a car, what are the most important factors to you? Most would say performance, brand, price, appearance, comfort, and maybe even safety. But do you consider what type of tires the vehicle requires before you purchase it? Too many people may not.

It’s simple: different kinds of vehicles require different kinds of tires. It is always a safe bet to get the same type of tires that your vehicle came with. The exception to this rule is if you bought your vehicle used, as the previous owner cannot always be trusted to have the correct type of tires on the vehicle you purchased. Do your research, preferably before you buy the used car. If you do purchase the car, make sure to install the correct tires for this vehicle, if it doesn’t already have them.

For new cars, as discussed above, different kinds of cars come with different tires. SUVs, trucks, passenger cars and high performance cars will all come with tires specific to them. These tires are good for varying conditions, last for varying lengths of time, and cost varying amounts to replace. Make sure you understand the kind of tires your car will require when the time comes to replace them (and make sure to replace them promptly when the time comes). If you want to change the tires on your car to a different type, be sure to do your research and make sure the new type works on your vehicle.

Just like the type of tires the vehicle you are interested in should affect your purchase decision, where you live should also impact your tire decision – i.e. what type of tires you need in your area. Conditions such as extreme heat, frequent rain or snow, or heavy winter weather are some to consider when you are looking to purchase tires, or to purchase a vehicle with its unique tire needs. Most vehicles designated to be sold in a certain area are equipped with tires that are conducive to conditions in that area. Say you bought a car in Southern California, but your job has transferred you to Vail, Colorado. The tires on your car may not be conducive for driving conditions in your new locale. You may need to purchase winter tires or all-season tires. Remember, if you have winter or snow tires on your car, you may need to switch them back to regular tires when the weather changes toward more summer-like conditions.

As discussed above, there are different tire types such as: all-season tires, performance all-season tires, ultra-high-performance tires, winter tires, and tires made specifically for SUVs and pickups. Different drivers have different wants and needs when purchasing tires, or when purchasing cars that require certain tires. If you are purchasing a high-performance sports car, for example, it may not bother you that you have to purchase more expensive tires to maintain this car. Likewise, if you are purchasing a car to perform well in heavy weather conditions, this may be the most important thing to you when it comes to both your vehicle and its tires.

What do you look for when purchasing new tires? Look at the sidewall on your existing tire for important information such as the measure in millimeters of the width of the tire tread, the ratio of the height of the tire to its width, the rim diameter in inches, the load index and the speed rating. See the sidebar in this newsletter for information on decoding this information from the letters and numbers located on your tire’s sidewall.

High Performance Tires
A couple words of caution about high performance tires: typically, these tires not only cost more to replace, they also often wear out more quickly. Be sure you are aware of this if you have this type of tires on your car. It is so important to replace your tires when the tread is worn out. Driving on tires with worn-out tread can be extremely dangerous, especially in severe weather conditions.

Remember, along with coming with different tire needs, different vehicles also come with different insurance rates, and different companies charge different amounts to insure you and your vehicle(s). Be sure to compare rates at InsWeb and find the right policy at the right price for you.



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